Three Ways to Nurture Your Health When You’re Under the Weather
I think given the choice, most of us would choose to be shining beacons of health every day rather than feel like crap. Unfortunately, being human means accepting the good along with the bad in all aspects of life, including our health. Health can be like the weather in here in Virginia lately: unpredictable (and sticky, very sticky….).
In working with many clients with all manner of ailments and in dealing with my own, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am still learning. Since our bodies are constantly changing, it helps to have a beginner’s mind when figuring how to swim with the ever changing current.
Getting curious about what our bodies are trying to say takes patience. In recent years it’s been discovered that our bodies are not simply connected to the outer universe but more like individual universes unto themselves. Through lifestyle interventions we can foster a healthy internal eco system, effect our own electromagnetic field, and build new neural pathways. I’m getting exhausted just thinking about it.
Though it’s empowering to think about all the things we can control, it’s equally frustrating when we experience something we can’t. On our health hero’s journey, sometimes it’s more helpful to focus on surfing the waves rather than calming the storm.
The following are three ways to nurture yourself when you are feeling low:
-Keep a Bird’s Eye View: Dr. Google can be a fickle friend. Though I believe it is inhumane to recommend not googling symptoms at all, watch out for tunnel vision. If necessary, set a timer or have someone else google for you and relay pertinent information. The human body hasn’t been completely figured out in hundreds of thousands of years, so odds are your’s won’t be figured out with one (even if it’s six hours long!) google search.
-Plant a Seed: Do something simple that makes you feel more in control of your health. Contact a doctor or therapist to make an appointment. Cook an anti-inflammatory dinner (or better yet let someone else cook it for you!). Though we may not experience all the direct physical benefits today, investing in our future health can be soothing for the mind (which in turn might improve our overall physiology….).
-Create Community: Join a support group of others who share your struggles. Depending on your comfort level, this could be in-person or online. Having someone to talk to who “gets it” on the bad days can be a reassuring reminder that we are all in this together.
For more tips, tricks, and musings on health, head over to the Joyful Gym Rat page on Facebook!
Poor T feeling under the weather…he finds cars very nurturing….