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At one time or another, most of us will experience a scary, unnerving health event. Even if you are frightened and uncertain, you must figure out how to move on. You’ll have to find your path through that health crisis as well as learn how to move forward in meaningful ways.
Try these strategies to help you heal after a major health event:
Plan ahead
If your health event involves surgery or special medical procedures that you know about in advance, use the time beforehand wisely.
- Prepare by cleaning up your house, doing maintenance on your car, stocking up on groceries, paying bills, and other responsibilities. This way, you’ll have less to worry about when your big day arrives and during your recovery.
Give yourself time to heal
It’s easy to get frustrated that you’re not progressing at the healing rate that you’d hoped. However, abide by the timeline your doctor sets in terms of how your recovery should progress.
- Don’t be afraid to take all the time you need to feel better.
- Tell yourself that achieving your best health is worth the wait.
Baby yourself or let others take care of you
Lie on the sofa all day and flip channels. Swaddle yourself in your favorite comforter and nap all day.
- Ask a friend to bring over your favorite latte or your spouse to pick up a copy of your favorite magazine when he goes to the grocery store.
Call your friends and family
Keep in touch with the people you care about and find out what’s going on in their lives. Hearing about the lives of others can be rejuvenating and helpful to your healing process.
- Contacting loved ones reminds you that their lives are proceeding and soon yours will be too.
Ask for favorite foods
Although you don’t want to get carried away, it’s okay to indulge yourself a little. Speak up and say what you want! Allow others to cater to your whims for a short time. After all, you’re worth it.
- Are you yearning for your husband’s home-cooked chili?
- Are you feeling the need to have a bowl of your favorite ice cream?
- If you’re craving take out from the Chinese restaurant down the street, tell someone.
Spend quality time with your kids
If you have short-term physical limitations, it may be a great time to ask your kids to get out the old board games. You’ll talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company while playing. You could also ask your kids to read to you.
Accept the help that others offer
It helps them feel like they’re assisting you. Plus, you’ll feel positive inside knowing that people care about you so deeply.
- Nothing speeds up healing like feeling love and support from others.
Recognize the progress you’re making
Perhaps last week you couldn’t sit up without hurting, but this week you can. Maybe your steps are a bit quicker this week than last. Maybe you feel like getting dressed today, but yesterday you didn’t.
- Acknowledge your steps of progress, no matter how small they may be. Let those steps spur you forward with positivity, getting you closer to health and wellness.
Escape into a good book or movie
There’s nothing wrong with some good, old-fashioned escapism. Following an engaging storyline may be all you need to feel better and more impassioned to return to your normal life.
When you’re recovering from a major health event, there are many types of assistance you’ll require. Become inspired and create a plan to move you closer toward your personal recovery. Focus on your own pathway to healing and you’ll be back to normal in no time at all.
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I really wanted to talk about this topic today because your natural health and wellness is important. You can adopt healthy lifestyle practices that improve your health, your environment, and enrich your life, which can in turn improve the lives of those close to you. You have the power to break the cycle of poor health, including chronic disease, so that you can leave a legacy of health to your loved ones.
I use functional medicine and lifestyle medicine as the first line of treatment, before medications, to treat lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Lifestyle-related chronic diseases include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and some cancers, just to name a few. Lifestyle practices, such as eating a whole-food plant-based diet and regular physical activity, can help you lose weight, reverse some chronic diseases (if you suffer from them), and can even help you with detoxification. In certain cases, these approaches may even outperform pharmaceutical therapy.
But I always tell my patients that conventional medications may be appropriate at this time to prevent catastrophic illness, but over time, you can work to make the necessary lifestyle changes to possibly reduce and/or eliminate medications. Please remember to always consult your physician for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any decisions whatsoever.
Is Dietary Supplementation Right For You?
For some people, vitamin and mineral supplements offer important health benefits. Supplements are designed to fight deficiencies found in our diet and complement the food we eat regularly. Supplements are basically “helping hands” to our daily food.
If you suspect that you aren’t getting the nutrients you need, consider shifting your focus from supplements to eating better.
But it is very important to note that we are not eating the same foods we ate years ago because the soils have been depleted of critical nutrients through current industrial farming practices. And because the soil is not as good as it used to be, the food supply (grown from the depleted soil) is not as good as it used to be. For example, you are not getting the same levels of magnesium as you would have gotten 30 or even 50 years ago.
Second, much of the food has been genetically altered, which can impact the inherent and unique nutritional composition that each food possess. For example, ancient einkorn wheat has less gluten, more protein, more Vitamin A, and more beta carotene, than modern genetically modified wheat.
Third, the toxic load in the environment today is much higher than 100 years ago. We can see this with global warming, toxic landfills, polluted oceans and waterways, etc. Toxicity levels interfere with nutrient assimilation and absorption not just into the foods, but into our bodies as well.
So… if you are unable to eat better, the supplements in my MaxHealth Essentials Bundle may provide the extra boost you need.
These are my favorite Wellness and Immune-Boosting Supplements to use! This MaxHealth Essentials Bundle will ensure you have the intake of the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to decrease inflammation and boost your innate wellness day and night. Taken together, it’s a solid plan for increasing your body’s natural resiliency.
For best results make sure you use the supplements with dietary changes including a whole food plant-based diet, regular exercise (at least 2-3x per week), regular sleep (8 hours per night), and intermittent fasting (at least 1-3x per week).
Weight Monitoring
Since weight management is very important in combatting chronic diseases, I recommend that you be mindful of your weight and its fluctuations, and that you monitor your weight AT LEAST on a weekly basis. I recommend a scale that includes a body composition monitor (*this scale cannot be used with a pacemaker or other implanted devices).
Physical Activity
Physical activity (or exercise) can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several chronic diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, just to name a few. Physical activity can improve your mood, boost your immune system, help you maintain a healthy weight, and is a great way to detox your body!
I often recommend yoga and resistance training for physical activity, but as you are aware, there are plenty of forms of “movement” that you can do! But for the basics, especially if you’re just getting started, yoga and resistance training are where I would start.
Yoga
Yoga can be a great way to improve your strength and flexibility, manage your stress, improve your heart health, and lose weight! I recommend using a grounded yoga mat to connect yourself with the earth and reduce inflammation.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the mainstay for overall health. It not only has beneficial effects on reducing body fat, it also increases muscle size and strength. Check out some basic dumbbells/free weights that I recommend to everyone.
Another alternative for dumbbells/free weights are resistance bands. They are great for physical therapy, yoga, strength training, and excellent for traveling.
Remember, living a healthy lifestyle including eating a whole foods plant-based diet, regular physical activity, and reducing stress are the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Dr. Nicolle Martin
Dr. Nicolle is double board-certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. As one of the nation’s most acclaimed primary care and public health physicians, she is a nationally recognized author, speaker, researcher, consultant and media personality. She is the Founder and Chief Medical Advisor of DrNicolleMD.com, where she discusses actionable ideas and real-world strategies to help people take control of their health using integrative therapies and lifestyle change.
Dr. Nicolle also shares her knowledge via her popular social media accounts “Maximize Health” to help people pursue a healthier life. Her motto is simple: Minimize Medications, Maximize Health. With her credentials and warm “bedside manner,” it’s no wonder that the doctor is renowned as “America’s Favorite Family Physician.”
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Last updated on May 3rd, 2023 at 07:36 am
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