Getting Back On Track

Hello Tenacious Tribe!  Did you miss me?  I missed you all!  Sometimes balancing life with chronic illness means taking a step back from some of the things you normally do.  In my last (far too distant) post, I talked a bit about that.  I shared my strategies for tackling unexpected obstacles without losing sight of the bigger picture and derailing your health in the process.  Finally on the other side of one of those unexpected obstacles myself I can say what I did worked well, what I didn’t do well showed, and I made it to the other end relatively intact.  Yes, my inflammation is still riding a bit high, my diet needs a recovery plan, and my exercise routines all flew out the windows, but I made it through relatively unscathed and as is often the case in a much better place.  I have never been surer of where I stand and where I want to go from here. 

Getting there will require getting back on track with my health plan.  Returning my focus to stress management, nutrition, movement, and rest will all help to bring that inflammation down so I can do the things I hope to do.  Notice I put stress management at the top of the list, because without stress management I don’t stand a chance of getting the other three back on track. 

Luckily my stress management toolkit is jam packed.  Breathing exercises, meditation, reading, and crafting are my go-to stress management techniques.  Being more intentional about reserving time to calm my nervous system after what was an unavoidably stressful few months will get me in the right frame of mind to support myself with other loving behaviors.  It will also help me stop reaching for soothing foods and quiet my racing mind so I can get some sleep at night. Because stress has been shown to increase inflammation, I also know stress reduction will help to bring the inflammation down. 

Turning my focus to nutrition, I know that I have allowed some inflammatory comfort foods to slide back into my diet.  I also know that the right foods will help me recover faster.  Pulling back on the things I don’t need and being sure to include plenty of nutrient dense options will get me in a much better place all around.  Eating well will also increase my energy level, making reaching my movement goals much more possible.

While I certainly have been moving enough the past few months, I haven’t been doing any targeted exercise.  This has led to some areas being overworked and others being neglected.  Rebuilding a routine of daily stretching and strengthening will help me get back in better shape.  It will also hopefully provide some relief to the strained parts of me.  Being mindful of the parts of me that are particularly unhappy will be key to sticking with the new routine.  Building a routine that is more flexible than I am helps.  

As I take the steps to reduce stress, nourish my body and support it with loving movement, the reduced inflammation and pain will certainly lead to more restful sleep.  Until then, being mindful of my limits, taking naps and making rest a priority will help. 

Getting back on track when life sends you off the rails is challenging, but it is a challenge that is well worth the effort.  Shifting my time and energy to the things that I know help me feel well will open up more time and energy to do the things I want to do.  Until then, making myself a priority will at least get me on the right track.