This Post is specifically for anyone who is in the process of recovery from any long term health condition. I wanted to share my experience and expertise in this particular area to offer some useful insights for those who are on a recovery journey. Having overcome an anxiety condition as a child, and been on the recovery journey from chronic fatigue syndrome I wanted to share some of what I have learnt in this process with you.
The meaning of recovery in this post is not necessarily going back to how you were, but in many ways of becoming more, through a process of learning and change. You can become far more empowered as a person and what you may once have perceived as a really difficult time can turn out to be one of your greatest gifts.
The first key is to remain hopeful from the beginning, without hope you have nothing because you have essentially given up. Whatever prognosis/ outcome you have been told it is important to remain hopeful in your heart. Hopeful of something more and in yourself most of all. Recovery from chronic health conditions is a journey and it can consist of many ups and downs but I firmly believe that as with any challenge in life that there is much you can learn about yourself and life through this experience, If there is any purpose to it at all then it would be that of learning and self reflection.
In the initial stages of being told you have a chronic health condition it is a perfectly normal and understable response to feel anger or frustration at the new limitations that you now feel you have to live with. It is a proccess of change and also of letting go of your previous perceptions and finding new ways to manage as you go through this life transition. The hope you have will then become determination, when you begin to find your way and the lesson in each experience.
‘We never really know what a future outcome will be, but how we live now is what matters most.’
Secondly is that now more than ever your body needs an immunity boost and the the best way to do this is through your diet. Eating wholesome and natural foods is the best way to get the most nutrients out of your diet. A diet high in fruits and vegetables is heaven to your immune system and will also improve your energy levels. As a guide also lower your intake of white refined carbs, sugars and fatty foods. Organic foods are also excellent as they do not have the chemicals and pesticides that are added to other foods. Please research the alkaline diet for a specific example of a high energy and nutrient dense diet to follow.
Thirdly is exercise, exercise regularly but dont overdo it. 3-4 x a week is ideal. Regular exercise will help in many ways physically and also to help you feel stronger and more confident emotionally. Any form of exercise that you enjoy and find physically beneficial is good. It is essential in fact that you do find it enjoyable. If you find yourself very fatigued then yoga is excellent and you will feel much better for it after, swimming is also very good.
Fourth is relaxation and meditation both are equally important. Stress can build up in our lives sometimes without us realising and have significant impacts on our immune system and therefore our ability to cope with any illnesses/ health condition. By learning relaxation and meditation tools we can learn to effectively manage stress and also improve our overall calm and focus. Enabling us to manage our day to day lives far more effectively. These are both valuable life skills to have.
Take time to laugh and feel good , this gets us out of any negative thinking cycle that can often happen when you feel ill or tired. Do something regularly on a daily basis that you know makes you feel good and takes your complete focus, Just getting in to this habit will reinforce habits of positive thinking and help to release more endorphins (feel-good hormones). Taking time to laugh in any and everyway can also help the healing process, Laughter is the best medicine:)
Lastly surround yourself with people who support and encourage you and who also believe in you and your abilities, this will help you to feel to feel stronger and face things easier. If you dont have these people at the moment then find them where you can, places of interest etc. Support groups can sometimes be good also but be careful not to focus on symptoms too much, as this can bring about a negative thinking cycle, it is all about what we focus on. We can have many things going on in our lives but it is what we are focusing on that effects how we ultimately feel. In addition always look after you, as you are most important in this all, never forget your own needs and how much you deserve your own love as well as the love of others.
Miranda Adams Coaching 