As a new year begins we often feel refreshed, energized, and motivated to make changes in our life. We all approach change in different ways, often influenced by many factors.
When people are struggling with autoimmune disease and/or chronic inflammation, research and knowledge of how to treat, manage, and prevent symptoms often leads us down a journey of understanding that there isn’t one change that is going to make it all better or easier. Instead, it is a comprehensive approach to diet and lifestyle that will help us feel our best.
When people are just starting out making changes it can feel very overwhelming thinking of all the changes we would like to make to feel our best. Sometimes it is so overwhelming that it becomes a barrier and we end up doing nothing. It stops us in our tracks.
Small steps equal big changes and moves us forward. When people are feeling overwhelmed with making changes and it is paralyzing to them, I recommend picking one thing to focus on. What is one thing you are willing to do right now to get started? It could be to drink more water, prioritize getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night, or eating more greens. Think of it as “adding to”, not taking away or giving up. Pick one. Start there. See how it goes and when you feel like you’ve got that down, add one more thing you are willing to do, even if it’s weeks later. Over the next 6-12 months, with consistent “adding to”, we will be able to look back and see the changes we have made, and will no doubt feel the benefits from them.
Not sure where to start? Stress management and sleep are crucial for managing autoimmune disease and inflammation. Prioritizing sleep will hands down have a tremendous impact on our health. When we are more rested, we will start to feel better. When we feel better, we are more likely to feel like we can tackle new changes, which can further move us forward. Sleep. It always serves us well.
I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2012 and immediately eliminated gluten. Most of my symptoms persisted, including infertility, so I began a more in-depth health and wellness journey. I learned more about leaky gut and how my diet and lifestyle choices affected inflammation. I began weekly acupuncture treatment. I then eliminated oats, soy, eggs, dairy, and sugar. I learned how important sleep was, especially with autoimmune disease and chronic inflammation, and began to make changes to ensure I was getting quality, restorative sleep like using a sleep mask and trying to go to bed at the same time every night. I also began to explore how to reduce the toxic burden on my body and got rid of my nonstick pots and pans and replaced them with stainless steel. I bought glass food storage containers and discontinued using plastic storage. I tried out different means of exercise because I don’t like going to the gym. I began eating organic. I started switching to safer household cleaning products. I ended up following the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol and further eliminated inflammatory foods. I swapped my skincare and makeup for safer options. When I became a Mom in 2016, I had new challenges and obstacles I had to overcome to ensure I was taking care of myself.
Those were just some of the changes that I have made over several years, not overnight. I continue to reevaluate what I need and make changes as necessary. I am always learning and most importantly, listening to my body. It’s a journey, not a quick fix. Living with and managing autoimmune disease and chronic inflammation requires a comprehensive approach. That can feel very overwhelming at first. Over time, it becomes a new way of life. I now know what my body needs to feel my best, support my immune system, and make my body more resilient to stressors that inevitably will come up.
Sometimes it feels like I am putting in work to feel good, but most of the time, it’s just how I live now. I get up and know what to eat and drink to nourish my body throughout the day. I listen to my body and do my best to give it what it needs, even if that means slowing down that day and putting off some things I had planned to do or going to bed early to give myself a little extra healing time overnight. I dial it in during high stress times knowing it can make or break how I will feel.
Looking back from where I started on this journey, I have made a ton of changes that support my health, but not all at once. That would have been too much for me to handle and expensive.
So in this new year, commit to yourself. It doesn’t have to be a commitment to making all the changes you desire at once. Commit to “adding to” as often as possible. Start small.
Baby steps will move us forward. What is one thing you are willing to do right now to move your health and wellness forward? Start there. Choose to move forward this year. You got this!
