recovery

How to Do Visualizations for Pain Relief | The Health Sessions

How to Do Visualization for Pain Relief

This blog post contains some affiliate links to products you may find useful, at no extra costs to you. All opinions are my own. 

Do you ever picture yourself on a tropical beach, singing on stage or living your wildest dreams?

You may not realize it, but the mental pictures you create in your mind can have a powerful effect on your body and brain. Imagining yourself eating a decadent chocolate dessert literally makes your mouth water and your stomach rumble – even though you can’t actually smell, taste or see it in front of you. And fantasizing about that gorgeous guy or girl might make your heart skip a beat!

Visualization, also known as mental imagery or guided imagery, means you form a visual image of an object, landscape or situation in your mind. Many of us unconsciously do this every day, when we read a story, dream about the future or create a mental map of directions given to us.

But you can also purposely tap into your imagination and visualize peaceful, healing scenarios in order to support your health and happiness. Research has consistently shown that visualization helps you reduce stress, relax your muscles, and promote better sleep. Through this deep relaxation, visualization even has a positive impact on your immunity. It also literally takes your mind off pain, and significantly eases that aching. What’s more, by focusing on soothing scenarios or positive outcomes, visualization also reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.

So how does that work?

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25 Exciting Ways to Get More Daily Steps In | The Health Sessions

25 Exciting Ways to Get More Daily Steps In

Walking is probably the easiest, cheapest and most accessible kind of exercise. And yet, going for a 30 minute walk every day will improve your heart health, boost your brainpower, ease joint pain and help you maintain a healthy weight. Not to mention that you often get the added benefits of being outdoors, like fresh air, vitamin-D producing sunshine and better immunity.

When you’re living with chronic illness, walk training is also an effective way to increase your mobility. And, as a result of being able to go places again, your quality of life may improve.

But compared to dancing, gym classes or playing team sports, walking can seem a little boring. Especially in the early days of your recovery journey, when you have to drag yourself outside and don’t have the energy to wander far from home, your usual walk around the block can becomes monotonous.

The good news is, there are plenty of ways to make your walk training more fun. Of course, a lot depends on your current fitness levels and the area you live in, but most of these tips can be adapted to fit your needs. So take a look at 25 exciting ways to get more daily steps in!

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10 Outdoor Exercises for All Fitness Levels | The Health Sessions

10 Outdoor Exercises for All Fitness Levels

This blog post contains some affiliate links to products you may find useful, at no extra costs to you. All opinions are my own.

Would you love to improve your fitness, strength and flexibility too? Depending on where you live, late Spring to early Autumn can be a great time to naturally get your outdoor exercise in – even if you’re chronically ill.

Compared to working out in the gym, outdoor exercising has some unique benefits. Not only are you moving your body, but safely exposing yourself to sunshine supports the production of vitamin D, necessary for strong bones and good mental health. What’s more, catching natural daylight – especially in the morning – fine tunes your internal body clock and helps you sleep better at night. Spending time in nature also lowers your blood pressure, boosts your immunity and eases mental fatigue. And of course, getting some fresh air cleans your lungs and energizes you.

The great news is, you don’t have to be super fit and athletic to get these health perks. You can adapt outdoor exercises for most energy levels. Sure, you won’t be able to go on a hike when you’re bed bound, and there are obstacles to overcome when exercising with chronic illness. You need to plan for rest afterwards and recovery days. You probably have to be more mindful about the heat and staying hydrated. Maybe you have to rely on mobility aids or practical support from family and friends.

A lot of what’s possible for you depends on your health, living situation and overall mobility. Not all the ideas mentioned will be doable for every body. Just take inspiration from the outdoor exercises below, adapt where necessary and listen to your body. And it’s always wise to consult your doctor before starting exercising again.

With these notes in mind, take a look at these 10 spoonie-proof ways to move your body outdoors.

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How to Fully Engage Your Senses to Promote Healing | The Health Sessions

23 Ways You Can Engage Your Five Senses for Healing

All day long, your five senses pick up sounds and smells, feel the sun on your skin and distinguish beautiful colors around you. You’re probably not even aware of this, until bright lights or loud music make you want to cover your eyes or ears.

When you’re living with chronic illness, chances are, you’re no stranger to sensory overload. In that case, your brain receives more input from your senses than it can process and organize, leaving you feeling overwhelmed, tired and brain fogged. But did you know that you can also ‘hack’ your senses to drastically improve your overall wellbeing?

Take a look at why engaging your five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch – supports your health and happiness.

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