How Can We Help Ourselves?

It is so easy to just try to put the issue of "Healing" into our drs hands. But with these mystereious illnesses, it's more compliocated then that, we can't just take a pill and get better. Sometimes I feel this is a lesson to us all on how to change the way we live. We must become more conscious of our own choices. We have to change how eat, the stress we put ourselves under, and how we live our lives.


Now all this being said, I'm not doing the "blame the victim" game. I am just saying there is some things we can do. Here's some things to think about.

• We did not ask for this stealth bacteria to enter our bodies, but now that it  has, what are we going to do about it? Are we going to continue to eat crappy nutrition less foods and make our bodily environment great hosts for this new intruder? Maybe by simply changing diet we can make it harder for bacteria, parasites, and viruses to take hold and thrive. So maybe before we take that next bite, we should ask, are we feeding and fueling our bodies, or the bacteria?

• We don't ask for the outside stressors, like a shitty boss, or our partners getting laid off. But, we do sometimes take on an overloaded burden with our choices. I know I am a big offender of this. So is it fair to take on more then you can handle and then complain about how stressful it is? Maybe we  should be more true to ourselves. And by being true to ourselves, we will be more available for when people really do need us. So next time you are asked to run the carpool, or be the organizer of the next church event, ask yourself if you are physically and mentally ready to do these things, without it coming as a price to your own health. Remember the tree must be strong to bear good fruit. 

• Exercise, now I'm not talking about running around the block. I'm just talking about when we lay in bed or sit in front of the computer all day. Get up and stretch on a commercial. Take out a half hour during the morning or evening and watch a yoga youtube video and stretch along with it. I know with Lyme and other illnesses that it is very hard to exercise. Today I had a hard time standing in the shower. But there are moments we can do little things, like stretch or walk up and down the hallway.

• Rest, this is a hard one. Many with chronic illnesses feel like they "rest" all day long. But I'm talking about the kind of rest where you are really actually resting, not the kind where you are experiencing the "mind racing" of what do I have to try to do today, or what didn't I do, or what do I wish I could be doing. No, laying or sitting down does not mean resting. You have to find a way to let your mind rest. Whether you use imagery or meditation or just let your mind go blank. Find a small time period each day to let the stress just float away even if for fifteen minutes.

So after reading this, I'd like to hear you opinions and goals. What CAN you do to help yourself feel better each day, and what are you GOING to do to help youself feel better.