A Healthy Way to be Sick

 

 

 The typical reaction of millennials when they come across a 70- or 80-something individual who finishes a marathon or has unblemished skin is: “How can that happen at their age?”

In truth, there is no secret formula for that. Such people are neither magicians nor drinkers from the fountain of youth. While some may indeed be born with fantastic genes, most merely know what to do and not do with their body both internally and externally. It’s highly probable that they don’t also have other vices than living healthily.

In case you’re envious of the oldies and want to get as close to 100 years old as possible, there are some unhealthy habits to ban from your life.

 

1. Binge-Eating

You need to eat to recharge your energy or boost your mood, but you should refrain from munching on chocolate or chips every hour just because you’re bored. Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes can result from that, which may effectively shorten your lifespan. Stick to an eating schedule and practice moderation for whatever you consume.

Binge eating can also be a disorder. “People with binge eating disorder feel like they have little control over their binges, causing them to eat large quantities of food in a short period of time, often to cope with emotional distress,” says Joel L. Young M.D.

 

 

2. Stressing Over Everything

Stress produces a mess. Apart from it lessening your efficiency at work, but it will also make you look much older than your real age. You have to chill out and learn how to cope with stress early to avoid that.

“When finding the stress techniques for you, the main thing to keep in mind is find “what works for you.” People cope differently with stress and what works for other people in your life may not be helpful for you. If you want to see professional help, reach out to a therapist or psychologist in your community,” says Erlanger A. Turner Ph.D.

3. Binge-Watching

Tuning into Netflix and other TV channels are sometimes beneficial since it takes your mind off demanding activities. However, allowing it to take over your days, to the extent that you call in “sick” in the office just to not miss an episode of your favorite show, is alarming. It’ll most likely turn you into a couch potato too, and any thought of exercising will go out of the window. That isn’t exactly a healthy way to live, is it?

 

4. Living Through Your Smartphone

The birth of electronic devices and internet will always feel like a gift from the heavens. They make taking notes, remembering significant dates, capturing images, and connecting with loved ones effortless with a single click of a button. Despite that, you can’t remain fixated on that digital screen for hours and assume it won’t be harmful to your well-being. Go out instead when you have nothing else to do and enjoy life without it as much as you can.

 

5. Lacking Goals

Dreaming isn’t only for kids. You need to have at least one right after accomplishing every goal so that you can direct your actions well. Not having a dream at any age may encourage you to procrastinate and focus on getting by alone.

Just a thought: “Self-direction is a person-centered approach to working with people to achieve their goals. This method has been applied to various populations, initially used for older people, brain injury patients, and the disability segments. Most recently it has seen success in the treatment of mental health disorders and substance/behavioral addictions,” says Adi Jaffe Ph.D.

 

6. Drinking/Smoking

Alcoholic beverages and cigarettes may taste amazing when you feel tensed or problematic, but they’ll wreak havoc in your system. Your liver and lungs are at high risk from the beginning; nonetheless, the other organs will also be in danger the longer you drink and smoke, respectively.

 

7. Looking For Social Approval

Another unhealthy habit that many are guilty of is seeking the approval of others for anything you wish to do. That lets them run – and ruin – your life, to be honest. You should dig deep in your heart to know what makes you happy rather than ask people if they like your decisions or not.

 

8. Keeping Toxic Relationships

Lastly, you are better off with affairs that don’t elicit heartaches, anger, and insecurity from that. In case you don’t break the relationship immediately, it can poison your mind and cause you to try all the unpleasant activities you’ve just read above.

 

Having multiple sclerosis is not a walk in the park. As an autoimmune disease, the doctors cannot honestly pinpoint what causes the immune system – your body’s first line of defense – to turn against you. Some days you feel as healthy as an ox; other times you lose your vision, feel numb, have trouble with your balance, etc. Undoubtedly, it doesn’t just bring physical pain but also emotional distress since the disorder robs off your capability to do even regular tasks. “Identifying the predictors of pain is important for both health professionals and researchers, because pain has repeatedly been found to be a strong predictor of activity limitations and participation restrictions,” Shahnaz Shahrbanian, PhD wrote.

Once diagnosed, a physician can prescribe medicine or therapy or both. The thing is, neither can cure the condition, and you may get short-term relief in exchange for thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills throughout your life. In case that fact doesn’t sit well with you, realize that there are ways to treat multiple sclerosis without drugs.

 

Manage Digestive Problems

The disease wreaks havoc efficiently and almost stealthily as it begins in your gut, the section where everything you consume temporarily settles before they go to their rightful places. “The gut is the second largest site of exposure of the body to the outside world after the skin, which is a largely impermeable barrier,” explains Daniel Mielcarz, PhD. In case your intestines become inflamed due to the unpleasant substances they have to deal with often, they can malfunction and push the contaminants toward the bloodstream. The harmful chemicals can then reach the nervous system at that point and disturb the central organ – the brain – that tells the rest of the body what to do.

To fight multiple sclerosis, therefore, you need to fix your digestive problems first.

 

Detoxify Your System

Now that we are in the modern age, it is effortless to inhale or consume substances that seem good yet are bad for our health. Fast foods, for instance, bring you closer than ever to saturated fats and sugars that most likely affect the progression of the disease. Every straw you sip on, every plastic cup or utensils you use, may allow heavy metals like silver and lead to enter your bloodstreams.

“What we eat influences the ability of bacteria in our gut to produce small molecules, some of which are capable of traveling all the way to the brain. This opens up an area that’s largely been unknown until now: how the gut controls brain inflammation,” Francisco Quintana, PhD explains.

In reality, a human body does not have the proper tools to transform all of that into useful nutrients. That’s why they often remain as toxins in there until you find a way to flush them out. Thus, you may do juice cleanses a few times a week. Or, drink green tea and other herbs with anti-inflammatory properties on a daily basis to detoxify your body.

 

 

Say No To Candida Overgrowth

Have you ever had a yeast infection? It is the ailment that results from the excessive amount of fungus growing either inside or outside of your system. How that usually takes place is similar to how bakers activate the dry yeast that makes the bread soft and fluffy – by feeding sugar to the microorganisms and leaving them in warm water.

What connects this issue to multiple sclerosis is the truth that you tend to cure the infection with antibiotics or steroidal creams. When they’re absorbed, your brain signals the immune system to blindly fend off the chemicals even though they mean no harm. But since your antibodies are under mutiny, the drugs can trigger the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, giving you pain.

For that reason, avoid the germination of candida at all costs. Stop eating dairy products or taking probiotics for some time as well as they contain live active culture that promotes yeast growth.

 

 

 

 

The people who live with chronic disease and mental health disorders and still manage to succeed with their goals are some of the unsung heroes on this planet. It is already difficult for healthy folks to deal with a slight cold or a minor injury. For the former, though, they may go under the weather when the pain hits, but they’ll continue to power through the day despite having an illness that keeps on coming back.

How can they do that, you ask? Well, it’s all about the life choices you make. When you think, “I won’t let this health issue take control of me,” you can work towards achieving that. And if you claim that you’ll survive any jab at your health, there’s no doubt that you’ll genuinely do it.

Below are more ideas on how to live well despite having a chronic illness.

 

Go With The Flow

Your new objective is to ride the current. In a regular situation, you may not need to take a break just in case you have a fever or a sore throat. But because it’s a lingering pain that you’re dealing with, it may be impossible to concentrate on your tasks while the disease is still in active mode. According to Trudi Griffin, LPC “Adding a therapeutic professional to your support team, whether it be a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or a licensed mental health counselor, can boost your feelings of safety and empowerment.”

What you can only do is accept that it is your reality now. On good days, you’ll be able to function like any member of your team. During the sick days, you may just want to stay in a fetal position, and that’s OK too. Your colleagues won’t ideally mind as long as they’re aware of your condition.

 

 

Stop Being Cynical

Having a chronic ailment makes some patients pessimistic about life and love in general. Since they carry an illness that may never go away regardless of how much therapy or medication they get, it’s easy for them to assume that they will be lonely forever. This idea is further strengthened by this phrase:  “Many people experience depression when coping with a chronic illness. There are a combination of factors that contribute to depression including lack of control, feelings of helplessness, loss of physical mobility, impact on career, chronic pain, strain on relationships, and medical complications” by Becky Reiter, MA, LPC.

 

That’s wrong, you know. Your illness does not equate to you being broken or being undesirable. Some individuals even have a health issue wherein it’s painful for them to have sex, and yet they are in a happy relationship. You don’t need to couple with anyone if you’re not into it, but at least make peace with yourself and stop being so negative.

 

Know The Triggers

Assuming you have the disease for a while now, then you already have an inkling of what causes the problem to spike up. It can be cumbersome lifting or lack of movement. Some foods may also bring you pain. With that said, it’s best to avoid the things that will trigger the chronic disorder.

 

Enjoy Your Life

Finally, you can live well once you prevent chronic illness from hindering your happiness and adventurism. Though the pain may strike almost every day, it won’t stay active 24/7. You should savor the times when you aren’t in agony, for that reason, and try as many activities as you please. This is further supported by  with Andrea M. Risi, LPC “  The mind-body connection shows us that if we feel depressed or anxious, the body feels more pain or fatigue. Changing negative thoughts to positive ones can decrease both physical and emotional pain.”

 

Whether you’re pain-free or not, you’ll only live once. Remember that whenever you feel like giving up and succumbing to the chronic disease. Cheers!

 

 

Have you ever felt like walking to the right, but your body just wants to stay in the other direction?

That’s the simplest way to describe what scoliosis patients tend to experience. This health condition causes your once-straight back to curve into a C or an S, depending on how severe the problem is. “Scoliosis is a spinal deformity consisting of lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebrae,” Joseph A Janicki, MD explains.

The thing about scoliosis is that it is mostly a side effect of previous injuries. If you received a surgery that made your pelvis uneven, you might develop the spinal curvature. In case your head, foot or knee went under the knife, it’s possible to have this disorder too.

Now, you got two options to correct the matter. The first one is another medical operation. It’s cool if you don’t mind the recovery period and the fact that the doctors will cut your upper body open. The second choice is to exercise your way out of it. When you are stressed out or anxious, your muscles often tighten. “Since scoliosis affects the muscles in the back and core, the more relaxed you are the less contracted the muscles may be. This can assist greatly with pain management,” Jason Lowenstein says.

Check out the most suitable workouts to ease your scoliosis below.

 

 

Side Stretch

Stretching your figure sideways is a great technique to kickstart the day. The activity can release the tension on the spine and improve your stiff muscles.

What to do:

1. Stand up straight and make the distance of your feet as wide as your shoulders.
2. Beginning with your right, put your arm upward, and then arch it to the side as if you’re trying to reach something.
3. Make sure to support your hip on the other half of your body to maintain your back’s stability.
4. Do it until you feel your muscles tighten.
5. Repeat on the left side.

 

Plank

In case you don’t like moving so much, you may try planking. It is both challenging and smooth at the same time because you need to hold a single position with most of your body parts off the ground.

What to do:

1. For starters, plant your forearms on the mat, keeping the elbows perpendicular to the shoulders.
2. Push yourself up from that pose until your weight is on the arms and tips of your feet.
3. Then, open your palms and extend your arms so that your body is in a diagonal shape.
4. Prolong the time you stay in that position gradually.

 

 

Downward Dog

This exercise is an upgraded version of the plank. It stretches your back and engages your abdominal muscles, which is a plus if you want to stay in shape.

What to do:

1. From the same plank above, move your hips backward.
2. Your arms can stretch to the back too, but don’t let your palms leave the ground.
3. After that, thrust your body forward until your shoulders are in line with your palms.
4. Repeat the steps while holding the pose each time.

“We have found that understanding the muscles that hold and move the spine yields a valuable way to reverse both common types of scoliosis. Yoga turns out to be a simple and effective means to apply it,” Dr. Loren Fishman, MD explains.

Hip Roll

The routine is perfect for making your hips more flexible. Rather than taking a toll on your spine, the movement may relax it.

What to do:

1. Lay down on the floor.
2. Bend your knees until your heels are almost touching your buttocks.
3. With your core muscles tight and your neck straight, raise your pelvic area toward the ceiling.
4. Hold the position for a few seconds once your back is straight and no longer touching the ground.
5. Once you’re ready to come down, you can start from your shoulders to the middle section.
6. Do it again in a minute or two before moving on to a different exercise.

We are in a world where everyone depends on synthetic pills a lot. If you have a fever or common cold, for instance, you can take paracetamol. In case you feel constipated, there are over-the-counter medications that you can buy as well. Life should be easy because of them, right?

Despite that, it is no secret that a lot of chronic diseases have come to surface since such innovations have occurred. It can make you wonder, “Would such illnesses appear if we avoided synthetic products altogether?”

In light of this, allow me to introduce you to Gotu kola.

What Is Gotu Kola?

Gotu kola is one of the many aromatic plants out there which is still yet to be explored fully by the great scientists out there. Although this herb is native to a lot of countries all over the world, it is commonly known as Ayurvedic medicine and has been called with various names in India like Bat-maina (Meghalaya), Karivana (Marathi), Tvashti (Sanskrit), and Muyalchevi (Malayalam), among others.

Centella grows anywhere like grass, so it isn’t hard to find. There had been on-going pharmacological studies on its chemical properties, too. They can prove the idea that Gotu kola can be the next famous and useful herb all over the world.

What Can Gotu Kola Do?

In India, the plant has been mistaken as Bacopa monierri because they were both called there as “Brahmi,” but later on they have cleared that the latter is called Mandookaparni while the former is the “Brahmi.” However, it’s safe to say that this confusion has a basis because they are both known as excellent memory enhancers. Besides, researches showed that aqueous extract prepared with the plant resulted in good cognitive learning for the albino mice they used. This extract is also a promising antidote for seizures triggered by Pentylenetetrazole with the added benefit of it as a hindrance to learning impairment which other antiepileptic drugs do have.

This plant is also said to have properties that can be therapeutic to tumors. Scientists are very enthusiastic into developing this into an anti-cancer drug with its extract. After all, experiments on mice showed that it has a direct effect on DNA synthesis without being somewhat poisonous to the cells. Asiaticoside, a chemical property of Centella, works well in collagen synthesis, making it worthy with wound-healing actions. Because of this, it might be helpful for cancer chemotherapy as it improves the anti-tumor activity of vincristine in cancer cells.

Aside from the illnesses mentioned above, as of today, Gotu kola is perceived to give people protection from cardiovascular damages, radiation, hepatoma, and neurological problems. People brew its leaves to make tea out of it so those who have dysentery, diarrhea, and other abdominal issues can drink it.

The good thing with Gotu kula is that it has very low toxicity. However, just like any other thing in the world, it has to be taken in moderation because studies showed too that a large amount of this plant could be narcotic.

 

Wonder herb or not, though, don’t forget to talk to your physician before taking any Gotu kola product.

Chronic disease can turn your life upside down when you least expect it. There are days when you feel like you can take on any task and be the best at it. When the pain is on, though, your vigor can go out of the window, and all you’ll be able to do is try to walk or breathe properly.

Many individuals face this problem on a regular basis, even the ones who have a career to take care of or build. It is difficult, no doubt, but you need to continue working for a living despite having a chronic disease and mental health problem. Here are some ways to work without stress with such a disease.

 

 

Open Up About Your Condition

Your goal as soon as you learn about chronic pain is to inform your bosses and colleagues regarding the issue. It won’t be smart to keep on doing your job without telling them that you may become very ill anytime. That can cause challenges, including others assuming you’re slacking off. According to Emily Whitish, LMHC “Willingness is about opening up to and embracing your experience, whether it’s pleasant or unpleasant, and taking action on something important and meaningful.”

In case you don’t wish to tell your workmates about it in fear of receiving their pity, well, you don’t have a different choice right now. Although some honestly do that, others will merely admire your resilience and strength. The wisest thing to do, therefore, is to just focus on the positive side of opening up to everyone at the office. In addition to that and according to Kellie Collins, MS, LPC, “Navigating chronic illness along with mental health symptoms can be difficult, but you don’t have to go it alone. I can help you utilize tools to successfully manage these conditions and have the best quality of life for you and for your family.” (She is a licensed therapist.)

 

 

Take Breaks Whenever Necessary

The breaktime for people who have a lingering disease to deal with may not be the same as with the rest of the group. In a standard scenario, the company only allows interruption thrice for mid-morning, lunch, and mid-afternoon. But because the illness can attack anytime, you should be able to take a break whenever you need to do so. Again, it has much to do with the scope of your bosses’ knowledge about your chronic pain.

 

Lower Your Stress Level

Physical and mental tension often make a health condition worse than it should be. That typically happens once your work starts piling up until you’re already drowning in them.

In truth, no one has to feel always stressed out. Even the ill folks who are in a hectic workplace, e.g., restaurant or call center, can complete their tasks without pressure. The key is never to take on more projects than you can handle.

Considering you’re not the only employee with the same position in the office, let your boss delegate some of your tasks to others. Arrange with them as well – if possible – so that it’ll be OK to leave your post immediately when the pain strikes.

 

“Research suggests that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways, making you more resilient to stress,” says psychologist Robbie Maller Hartman, PhD, a wellness coach.

Follow The Doctor’s Orders

Last but not the least, don’t go against your physician’s recommendations. Assuming he or she said that you have to move every 30 minutes or so, do it. In case the health professional asked you not to lift anything substantial to avoid losing your grip strength, follow his or her advice.

Quite often, it’s difficult to work without stress whenever you insist on doing what’s bad for you. The fact that you are aware of the extent of your chronic disease, however, means that you get regular checkups. It further equates to you wanting to treat the matter, so try not to disobey your doctor at all cost.

 

MS is “widely considered an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the immune system of an otherwise normal person is tricked into attacking healthy parts of the body, MS causes damage in many areas of the nervous system. This leads to symptoms that are often different for different people. These include things as seemingly diverse as fatigue, walking problems, depression, cognitive impairment, muscle tightness, or bladder problems,” says Lauren Krupp, M.D., and Robert Charlson, M.D.

Going to a specialist to receive an assessment concerning multiple sclerosis can be nerve-wracking. With the illness being an autoimmune disease, it already clues you in on the possibility that you may have to deal with it forever. Despite that, it may be difficult to gauge just how painful it is for your immune system to attack your nerve cells on a regular basis.

But things become different when the doctor finally confirms that you do have multiple sclerosis. While you may look for a second or third opinion from other physicians, there’s a chance that you can’t escape MS anymore. All you can do now is to learn more about the ailment to make your new reality extra endurable.

 

 

1. Its Primary Cause Is Unclear

When you ask a health professional why you, of all people, acquired the disease, he or she can give you a few likely causes. You may not hear them say that it’s due to your lifestyle, genes, or something else, however, since it isn’t easy to pinpoint. The scientists need to conduct further studies before they can make definitive statements about it.

 

2. The Symptoms May Change

The signs of multiple sclerosis can vary as well, although the immune system mainly goes after the nerves in the spine and brain. Thus, you can experience a numbing sensation in the beginning, along with faltering in your steps and exhaustion. Following that, you may feel dizzy and stiff at times and have issues with your thought process and bowel movement.

 

3. It Has Four Diverse Types

You also need to know that there are four types of MS. When a doctor tells you that you have a “benign” kind, it means that your immunity won’t always target your nerves. The relapsing-remitting type, on the other hand, entails that the symptoms can come and go. Nonetheless, the illness may be more severe if you get diagnosed with primary or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis as that’s when the indications intensify.

 

4. Stress And Other Things Can Trigger It

How does your body react when you have an infection or are too busy to sleep regularly? The brain automatically sends out a distress call to your immune system to protect your cells, of course. But for some unknown reason, the antibodies see the myelin covering of the nerves as foreign entities, so they damage it in the process. It is why you should live healthily from the moment you find out that you’re carrying an autoimmune disease – to prevent triggering it.

“When individuals are very stressed, particularly if they become anxious or depressed, their ability to think clearly and objectively may be affected. People can easily feel less capable or weaker than they truly are, and think that their situation is much worse than it really is,” says Steve Bressert, Ph.D.

5. It Becomes Apparent In Your Mid- To Late-20s

In case you didn’t notice the symptoms above when you reached 20 or 22, you can’t assume that you are entirely free from multiple sclerosis. They may appear from the age of 25 and above; that’s why it’s best to be aware of the MS signals to watch out for now.

 

6. There Are Treatment Options Available For It

The first remedy that a doctor may recommend to you is taking pills. You can try that, for sure, but bear in mind that autoimmune diseases are still incurable up to this day.

Another option is to improve your lifestyle and be selective about the foods you eat.

 

“Researchers combined two complementary brain imaging techniques to study the relationship between hippocampal immune response, functional connections, and depressive symptoms. As such, the findings suggest that hippocampal inflammation could be the contributing cause of high rates of depression in multiple sclerosis,” according to Rick Nauert PhD.

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological sickness that may be impossible to get rid of once you catch it. Regardless of that, your life shouldn’t stop after the diagnosis. Find ways to cope with the symptoms, for instance, and treat your body with more care. That’s the only thing that can help you prevent the health condition from worsening.