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12 Simple Ways To Make Your Home More Accessible

This article is written by Jacklyn Donalds.

We’ve all experienced days when accomplishing even the simplest of everyday tasks can prove to be a struggle. Chronic illness is commonly associated with discomfort, pain and fatigue. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can present these in addition to mobility and coordination challenges, which can make daily tasks difficult on a regular basis.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), six out of ten adults in the US have a chronic disease, one out of four live with some type of disability, and only .73% of housing units with a resident wheelchair user is actually fully wheelchair accessible. When faced with mobility challenges, the accessibility of a given environment is a major determining factor in how engaged and active you’re able to be. This is especially important in the home, where you should have the most peace of mind.

Luckily, there are some relatively simple steps that can be taken around the house that can help you conserve energy and accomplish tasks more efficiently.

Less But Better: How to Make Minimalism Work When You’re Chronically Ill

Minimalism is trendy – and understandably so. Over the past decades, our desire to consume has grown as welfare levels increased. But the Marie Kondo craze shows that many of us now have a luxury problem: we have so much stuff that it’s causing mess and stress.

And it’s not just our homes that are overloaded; our schedules are pretty packed too. That’s why more and more people are decluttering their lives to reclaim their time and freedom.

Sounds great, but how do you make minimalism work when you have limited energy and mobility? Take a look at how you can live better with less when you’re chronically ill.

10 Tips for Cooking with Arthritis | The Health Sessions

10 Tips for Cooking with Chronic Arthritis

This article is written by Christian Worstell.

It’s widely recognized that your diet can have an effect on your arthritis, as certain foods tend to cause inflammation. But have you thought about how your arthritis can greatly affect which foods you eat?

The chronic pain, stiffness and lack of mobility brought on by arthritis is perhaps most worrisome when it limits your activity in the kitchen. Preparing healthy and nutritious meals can prove challenging to people suffering from arthritis, and the consequence can be malnutrition or an otherwise poor diet.

Being unable to chop up fresh fruits or vegetables can lead one to rely on pre-packaged and processed goods. The inability to open a can of soup can mean settling for some crackers or chips instead. Or worse, it may lead to skipping meals altogether.

But suffering from arthritis doesn’t have to mean sacrificing nutritious meals and healthy snacks. Here are 10 tips for maintaining healthy eating habits with arthritis.

The Benefits of Bathing: How to Turn Your Tub Time Into a Health-Boosting Ritual

“The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.” – Isak Dinesen

What’s nicer after a long, tiring day than soaking in a warm bath?

All throughout history, humans have appreciated the healing powers of water. From the Roman bath houses and the Japanese onsen to the hot springs in Iceland, people immerse themselves to feel fresh, relaxed and rejuvenated.

But being in water has actually has some important benefits from your health too. Taking a bath clears your skin and calms your nervous system. It also releases tension from your muscles and alleviates pain. What’s more, soaking in a warm bath can also help you sleep better. And those are just the perks of hot water: studies show that cold water reduces inflammation and boosts your circulation.

In the beautifully illustrated Bathe, Suzanne Duckett shows how you can turn your daily tub time into a soothing ritual that boosts your health, beautifies your skin and even fuels your creativity. After all, it’s the act of stepping into a bath that prompted Archimedes to solve his problem and yell “Eureka!”

If you want to transform your next bath into a health-boosting ritual, check out these 5 bath recipes with all-natural ingredients.

How to Get Your Family On Board With Healthy Eating

It’s a familiar scenario. You’d like to start eating healthier, but your spouse and kids aren’t jumping for joy at the thought of having broccoli and quinoa for dinner. Between work and family life, the last thing you want is drama at the dining table or endless brainstorm sessions about what to cook tonight. So what can you do to get your family on board with healthy eating?

Have a look at these 10 good food strategies to win over your family’s hearts, minds and tastebuds.

Read more >10 Tips for Cooking with Chronic Arthritis