Habits To Help You Take Control Of Your Health*

Hello loves,

*This is a pre-written/collaborative post


Having a chronic illness or an invisible illness can be tough to live with day in and day out. So it can be completely understandable that from time to time, it can be something that can get you down. Feelings of helplessness can be tough, and can actually make things worse in some instances. For example, a study found that cancer patients that who were feeling helpless got worse or even died sooner than their more positive counterparts that were looking to make changes in their life. So how you embrace your illness and health in general can have a part to play in how well things go.

With that in mind, here are some ways that you can take greater control in your life, especially when it comes to your health, so that you can move from despair and helplessness into action and making changes.


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Stay Informed

Being up-to-date on all of the ins and outs of your condition and health in general is a really good idea. A site like patient.info can help you identify any new symptoms, as well as be in touch with a whole community of people that can be experiencing the same thing. You could also read up on a site like pubmed.gov as it will have all of the latest scientific and medical articles. You can easily search for something relating to you and see what the latest studies have been showing. When you’re more informed, you’ll be much more motivated for change.

Keep Active

Modern life is wonderful in many ways. But it is also part of the problem in a lot of other ways. Think about how inactive modern life can make us; we drive from one short destination to another, as well as being sat at desks in a lot of work places, and then sat on tablets or scrolling screens in our spare time. So you have to make an extra effort to be active, especially if you have a pretty sedentary job. Even just waking for thirty more minutes a day can have a big impact.

Stress Management

If you are feeling stressed, for whatever reason, then it can leave you in a constant ‘fight or flight’ mode, with your adrenaline high and your hormones all over the place. This can weaken your immune system and leave you feeling worn out even when you’ve been doing very little. So look for ways to combat the stress in your life, so that you have more chance to rest and heal, rather than constantly feeling ‘on the go.’

Relax

In a similar vein, being able to relax and unwind can be just what you need. So choosing something that works for you is a great idea. Think about meditation or yoga, for instance, as well as a craft or hobby that gets you to focus on something other than everyday life. That time to be you and to be alone can be just what you need to help you to heal from the day and feel a little better.

Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo