‘TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH’

We’ve all have times in our lives when life just seems to flow, our body feels good, we sleep well, we take on healthy challenges at work and home, the stress of a busy demanding life is there but we’re not overwhelmed by it. Of course there are still the minor symptoms of aches and pains, tension, indigestion, colds and flu. That is life in balance.

Unfortunately many of just keep pushing, ignoring an ever-growing list of complaints, refusing to accept the fact that our balance point is being challenged. Years may go by before we are forced to confront the fact that we have done a poor job of taking care of ourselves and, many times only when we are faced with the more dire circumstances of chronic illness such diabetes, cancer, heart disease and obesity.

It’s never too late to start back on the path of health and healing. Consider the following steps

1. Accept your situation for what it is- recognize that symptoms don’t just happen to us, we create them by the choices we have made.

2. Set Goals- writing will crystallize your thoughts and feelings. Be sure to write short, medium and long-range goals. Set goals that are attainable, especially the short-term goals. Nothing will add up to failure more quickly than unrealistic goals that you cannot achieve. Long-range goals can be loftier as they can always be scaled down.

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3. Use as many safe and proven alternative healing modalities that you are comfortable using. It will be important that you keep your focus here. It ‘s all too easy to buy into programs that are unproven, helpful yes, but not the complete answer.

4. Spend your alternative care dollars wisely. Most insurance providers will not cover the cost of nutritional counseling, massage therapy, acupuncture and other proven useful therapies. Try one therapy at a time. If you are feeling better continue with that therapy until you have achieved its full benefits, then move on to the next. A trial of 4-6 weeks is long enough for you to figure out if it’s working. If you find it is not working, cut your losses and move onto the next.

5. Choose a physician that you can work with. Don’t hide the fact that you are using alternative therapies that compliment your traditional health care. If they are not your partner in this venture maybe its time you found another physician.

6. Educate yourself about your illness, traditional therapies and alternatives. Make sure that your sources are reliable and up to date. Treatment modalities are changing more rapidly that ever.

7. Take into consideration what your friends and family have to say- whether you know it or not your illness impacts them as well. Let them know that you appreciate their input but the ultimate decision is in your hands not theirs.

Given the current state of the economy and our broken health care system it’s never been more important than now that we learn to manage our health. Especially when faced with an illness. Till next time, Rebecca