Your autoimmune disease diagnosis does not have to control your life. You don’t have to feel constantly sick, in pain and deal with extreme fatigue for the rest of your life. There is much you can do to take charge of your health and get your life back.
Our bodies and our immune system have not evolved to be stuck in this constant “survival” mode. Being stuck in a “fight or flight” response does not leave much room for our bodies to heal. Addressing the root causes of your condition by supporting your body’s healing and recovery are critical if you want to get better.
The spectrum of autoimmunity is a progressive state of disease that runs from vibrant health at one end to degenerative disease at the other. In between, you have a broad range of varied but related stages of disease which are connected to each other. In other words, at any point, either you are moving towards disease or you are moving towards health.
The more clarity we have on how we plan to implement a new habit or reach a goal the more likely it is that we will be able to achieve it. However, if it is not very obvious when and where we need to take action it is not easy to implement it. Without setting clear health goals, it can become difficult to live the kind of life that you dream of.
Having some kind of support in the form of accountability is important when you are trying to make healthy choices. Only information and education are not enough. Making healthy choices needs to become a new habit that is a part of your daily routine.
By learning how to make sense of your struggles, surrounding yourself with a supporting community, and engaging in activities that go beyond your needs and desires can help you deal with your health issues. This is why having a sense of meaning is important for your health.
You don’t have to wait for anything to be different in your life including getting an exact diagnosis to start supporting your body by creating a healing environment. Whether this is by making healthier food choices, choosing one thought over another, reducing toxins in your immediate environment, or incorporating deep breathing/mindfulness into your life, there are many things that are in your control. When you start living your life in this manner you find that you feel more empowered, motivated, and confident in yourself, in your body and you are able to face any health challenges in the future from a place of strength rather than fear.
You need to remember that the immune system has been designed to be very, very strong to counter any kind of threat and keep you alive. It is the ability to regulate the immune system and keep it in balance is what determines an appropriate versus over the top response.
At the heart of any autoimmune condition lies immune dysregulation. Autoimmune disease is a progressive disease that has vibrant health at one extreme end and a degenerative state at the other.
The problem is that when we are in the beginning stages of an autoimmune disease, there may not be any obvious symptoms. This is why we can suffer from autoimmune damage long before we are diagnosed and much before any symptoms occur.
In my latest blog post I share with you why more and more people are realising that they need to make certain make lifestyle, dietary, and mindset changes in order to regain their health. Making better choices and creating new habits is key when it comes to healing from an autoimmune (and other chronic) conditions.