recovery Archives - The Health Sessions

Hydrotherapy: 5 Ways to Use the Healing Power of Water at Home

Hydrotherapy: How to Experience the Healing Power of Water at Home

What’s more relaxing than soaking in a warm bath after a tiring day?

All throughout history and around the world, people have immersed themselves in water to feel better. And modern science proves them right. Depending on the temperature and use of water, hydrotherapy can improve several physiological functions of your body. For example, being in cold water speeds up your metabolism and improves immunity markers, while warm water decreases muscle soreness and eases pain. Steam rooms, on the other hand, support your natural detoxification and blood circulation.

The good news is: you don’t necessarily have to book a fancy spa treatment to get these benefits. With a little effort, you can turn your daily tub time into a health-boosting ritual too.

Take a look at these 5 ways to practice hydrotherapy at home.

How to Boost Your Energy - Spoonie-Style | The Health Sessions

10 Subtle Ways to Boost Your Energy (Spoonie-Style)

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

Money may make the world go round, but energy is the true currency of life.

This becomes all too clear when you’re no longer able to do the everyday things you used to do on autopilot. Getting dressed, eating breakfast or having a conversation, it all requires energy. And people with chronic illness only have a limited supply of energy, as the spoon theory famously explains.

Now obviously, treating the underlying cause of your fatigue should be the first step you take. Also, the combination of restorative sleep, good nutrition and regular exercise is a proven recipe to boost your energy levels. The problem is, that when you suffer from health problems, those fundamental habits aren’t always easy to attain. Pain keeps you up at night, which means you have even less energy to make healthy meals or go for a walk. Not to mention that pushing through the fatigue often only worsens your symptoms.

So if you suffer from all-consuming tiredness from chronic illness, is there anything you can do to feel more alert and productive? Have a look at these 10 spoonie-proof ways to boost your energy.

Does Having a Chronic Illness Mean You Can Never Recover?

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness can feel like a life sentence. After all, the word ‘chronic’ by definition refers to a continuing event; something that occurs again and again for a long time; or something that’s always present.

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention defines chronic illness as a health condition that lasts one year or more, requires ongoing medical attention and/or limits your daily functioning. Generally, people with chronic illnesses like arthritis, COPD, epilepsy and kidney disease cannot be cured by medication, only manage their daily symptoms.

Does that imply that having a chronic illness means you can never recover again?

Actively Autoimmune: How Zoe Uses Exercise to Manage Multiple Chronic Conditions

What’s it really like to live with chronic health problems every day? How do you deal with the physical symptoms, emotional turmoil and practical problems? In this interview series, real life ‘spoonies’ share their experiences and tips. Zoe is a 28-year old physiotherapist from England who lives with multiple chronic illnesses. On Actively Autoimmune, she shares … Read more >

How to Make the Most of Rest Days | The Health Sessions

47 Ways You Can Make the Most of Rest Days

Resting sounds so balanced and zen – until it’s something you have to do. When you live with chronic illness, the key to managing your precious energy is alternating activities with plenty of relaxation. Not to mention that thanks to the unpredictability of chronic illness, symptoms can flare up at any time, forcing you to stop and take a break.

At first, binge-watching your favorite series all day long feels fun. But when you’re stuck in bed a lot of the time, while you’d rather be doing something else, resting becomes dreadful, mind-numbingly boring and lonely.

So when you’re having another undesired rest day, is there anything you can do to make the most of your situation? In general, there are 3 strategies you can apply:

Focus on deep restoration and replenishing. By doing simple things that support your health, you may reduce your symptoms – or even the number of future rest days.
Have a better time. Who doesn’t want to feel more comforted and entertained when you’re sick?
Living your best life while being housebound. Of course this is not what you signed up for. But your illness doesn’t have to stop you from doing tiny things that are meaningful to you.

Obviously, what works for you depends a lot on your personal situation. Do you need to rest after doing something fun, or because you’re exhausted from folding laundry? Are you feeling really sick too? Do you live alone or do you have partners, kids or pets that require your attention?

Not all tips will work for everyone, but here’s a list of 47 ideas of how you can make the most of rest days.