There are lots of things to do when you’re coping with an illness: rest, drink green juice, find a good doctor, get support, reduce stress,… The list could go on for days.
As important, if not more, are the things you should not do when you’re sick. These are the tempting things that exacerbate symptoms, stress and prolong feeling better. Grab your green drink and join me…
I’ve done all of these and have learned hard lessons about how important it is to prevent yourself from giving in.
Spend hours online reading about your diagnosis. I am all for research. There is a fine line between education and just plain freaking yourself out. If you find yourself hours into blogs and message boards that are only highlighting the pain, fear and concerns of an illness, take a break. Focus on studies written by credentialed professionals or checkout sites that focus on how to heal instead of how you may become sicker.
Overextend yourself. I’m sure you’ve been in a meeting with someone who refused to stay home because they were sick. They are coughing, sniffling and exposing you to their germs. I know that we all think our gorgeous presence is always necessary, but the world will go on if we need to take a time out. Rest is vital for allowing our immune system to do its thing. Kindly delegate, say no, move meetings, sleep in, let the dishes go undone and give your body the relaxation it needs.
Automatically ask for a prescription. No one wants to be sick. Pills seem like easy fixes. Much easier than eating healthy, resting and practicing stress management. Yet, good old fashioned time and taking it easy can do a lot to reduce inflammation, clear up infections and restore energy. Talk with your doctor to see if there are non-drug alternative treatments that you can experiment with before you go for the prescription. I took a prescription for my digestive system for years that I realized I never needed once I focused on treating the cause of my issues rather than trying to mask the symptoms with a pill. We tend to forget that we have an immune system that is pretty dang good at repairing our bodies…all on its own.
Fail to take your medication. Of course there are going to be times when the hippie stuff doesn’t work and you need to take a medication. Be sure you understand why you need the prescription, what the potential side effects are and how to take it. Set a schedule and stick with it. If you’re on antibiotics, take them all. You don’t want to contribute to the super bugs that are plotting revenge on our attempts to eradicate them. It’s not fun taking meds, but, man, if you need them, thank goodness they exist!
Hide things from the doctor. Doctor’s know that you’re not perfect. They expect that you’ll slip up on your diet or exercise commitments. Be honest about your challenges, symptoms and concerns. It is important that you’re on the same page as you health care providers. Fess up about all of the alternative treatments you’ve been trying and the fear you have from your online research. See yourself as part of the health care team…the one that provides the most important information.
Most of this is about trusting your intuition. You’ll know when you’ve been online too long, when you need a medication (or don’t), when you’ve push your limits, and what you should have told the doctor about.
Trust me…you don’t want to know what happens when you fail to take your meds. Yowza!
Anything you’d add to this list?