Arthritis Wisdom

Inspired tips and information elevating autoimmune living

Lifestyle

Take Good Care of Yourself

Snuggling up with a hot water bottle when you feel chilled

Take good care of yourself because you are in the best position to do so!

Take Good Care of Yourself

Making decisions based on what is best for my health has been a constant for me this past month.  I got the same respiratory virus our son and my husband had.  The difference is they were both better in 2 days while it took me 3 weeks to see improvement.  That is how it is sometimes for those of us on immunosuppressants.

Into the second week of my illness, after cancelling many plans and commitments, I was reminded once again that I am in the best position to know what I can or cannot do.  Maybe should or should not do is more accurate.  After awhile I get sick of being sick and just want to do my normal activities and get on with my life.  The reality is being immunosuppressed requires diligence and patience while the body heals.

I’m not saying that friends, family and our healthcare providers aren’t essential.  What I am saying is that for the most part we have the final word on what we do or don’t do to take care of ourself.  I am the one that chooses what I eat, decides whether to cancel a commitment, whether to take a rest or go to bed early, and how to stay hydrated.  It is usually up to us to ask for help from our friends and loved ones because most of us are really good at concealing exactly how we are feeling or doing.  The same goes for seeking medical care.  We may be feeling too lousy or we don’t want to bother anyone.

My point is recognizing we are in the best position to drive our own care if we are adult age.  And because we tend to be good at masking how well we are doing, it is in our best interest to have a few key individuals to count on to give their advice and take it to heart.

After spending the past month feeling under the weather, I wish you all health and wellness.  Take good care of yourself because you are in the best position to do so!

XXOO  Cathy

photo credit: rawpixel at Unsplash

 

Time to Advance RA Management Lifestyle Wise

Time to assess RA management using lifestyle choices

January 1 is a perfect time to assess your lifestyle to better manage rheumatoid arthritis

Time to Advance RA Management Lifestyle Wise

Today is January 1, 2019.  The new year has arrived and although I’m not one to make resolutions, I like the idea of a clean slate.  Today is a great opportunity to look at my lifestyle and assess where I can become more disciplined to better manage my rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

For anyone new to reading my blog, which is a chronicle of my personal discoveries to keep my disease controlled, I believe lifestyle choices have been every bit as important to my RA management as the biologic I am on.  From time to time I like to reassess what I’m doing to better help my body fight inflammation.  I use the *FRESH* strategy, and it has been very effective.

This year I’m focussing on two points, more consistency limiting added sugar and decluttering.

  1. Limiting added sugar is an important piece to the F (food) part of my *FRESH* strategy.  I seem to do pretty well avoiding added sugar if I’m mindful and disciplined about what I put in my mouth.  The problem comes when I let my guard down and indulge in the yummy brownie or ice cream cone without considering the consequences.  What happens when I eat a little added sugar is I start craving sweets and if I’m not thinking I will continue eating goodies to satisfy the craving.  When I start feeling lousy I realize what has happened.  This is exactly what I want to get better control of.
  2. Decluttering falls under the R (rest or relaxation) part of my *FRESH* strategy.  When I’m in a cluttered space or I commit to too many things, therefore cluttering my schedule, I feel anxiety or nervousness.  I’m then wondering what I’m forgetting, missing or losing.  I want to thin out my belongings and give away or toss what I’m not going to use.  Fortunately, one of my college friends is arranging an online group to give each other helpful ideas, encouragement and accountability with our New Year pursuits such as decluttering!

As my first day of 2019 winds down, I have just shared my plans to not only continue with a lifestyle that helps my body fight the inflammatory autoimmune disease I have, but to fine tune it for even better RA management.

And that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

I’d love to hear what the New Year inspires you to do.  Leave a comment below!

XXOO Cathy

photo credit: Brooke Lark on Unsplash

4 Beliefs on Christmas Eve

Time to rest and enjoy the season to release stress when managing rheumatoid arthritis

The time is now to rest and enjoy the season remembering 4 Beliefs on Christmas Eve.

4 Beliefs on Christmas Eve

All month has been spent preparing for and celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa.  It is certainly a festive and fun time of the year.  It’s a perfect time to reconnect with those important to us.  The holidays are full of tradition and literally brighten the shortened daytime hours.

Today is Christmas Eve and I have adopted 4 beliefs, or mottos, for this day since my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis.  These beliefs help to better manage the disease.  It is a time of enormous expectations and my lifestyle had to change because of my RA.  In many ways it is a better lifestyle than before because I am taking better care of myself.  Here are 4 ways I’m doing so today.

  1. What isn’t done by now wasn’t that important after all.  I love this motto because it allows me to simply enjoy the Christmas lights and all I have done to prepare up until now.  It also allows me to enjoy my family and what is really the reason for the season.
  2. Release your inner child.  Go ahead and recall your childhood memories and indulge your imagination.  I’m remembering all sorts of memories, especially since losing my mother last summer.
  3. Have an attitude of gratitude.   This time of year causes me to think more acutely of all I have to be thankful for.  Relationships, provisions, and even with RA I am thankful for all the parts of my body that do work well.
  4. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep tonight.   I have found even happy stress is stress on my body.  All the excitement and anticipation takes a toll on my joints.  I need to purpose to counter that stress as much as possible and getting the proper amount of sleep is critical.

With my 4 beliefs on Christmas Eve I wish you all a very happy day.  And that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

XXOO Cathy

photo credit: Marina Khrapova from Unsplash