Autoimmune Diseases
If you suffer with an autoimmune disorder or know someone that suffers with one you are familiar with the anxiety, extreme fatigue, body aches and pain that can come along with these disorders.
These diseases are often difficult to diagnose and can be even more complicated and frustrating to treat.
Symptoms can be very non-specific and range from general body aches and joint pain and swelling, skin issues, abdominal pain and digestive issues, recurring fever, and swollen glands.
Some of the most common autoimmune conditions are Type 1 diabetes, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis , and Celiac Disease.
The issue can be that the symptoms of autoimmune diseases can also come from other common conditions.
There is no single test to diagnose an autoimmune condition so therefore it is often a lengthy and sometimes frustrating process for patients and their care-providers.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms don't delay. Seek medical attention to start ruling things out.
After you have done this though there are some things you can start doing to provide yourself some relief from the symptoms.
I have the top 4 recommendations to start.
1) Water intake. How much water are you consuming in a day ? And no coffee or tea (unless it's herbal) does not count. Caffeine is a diuretic so therefore actually increases your fluid requirements. Although because I am not a licensed nutritionist or physician I cannot recommend specific amounts for my clients to be consuming, I know for myself I take my body weight and divide it by 2 and that's how many ounces I aim for in a day. I like to add some fresh squeezed lemon and use a marked water bottle prefilled for the day. This helps me to visualize how much more I need to have. I challenge myself to get to my goal for the day by 3pm daily. That way anything else beyond that is just icing on the cake. And I've found it's also not super fun to have to use the washroom multiple times through the night.
2)Diet. This is a tricky one as it's not my specialty so all I will say is make yourself an appointment with a holistic nutritionist and start the process. Often diet plays such a huge part that this alone can help alleviate symptoms. There are definitely foods that can cause inflammation.
3)Control what you are feeding your mind. Ever notice that the more you talk about something, the truer the statement becomes. It's the power of manifestation. What we think about and how we talk matters. This is definitely one worth exploring further. There are a ton of youtube videos about this subject as well as the movie "The secret" . We have the power to change our circumstances and it starts with the way you think what you tell yourself, and the words you speak to others.
4)Reflexology- Of course I need to talk about reflexology. It is a huge help with different diseases and health issues. I've seen my clients have some amazing results. Autoimmune diseases can hugely benefit from it. More then just a massage reflexology is therapeutic applied pressure to the hands, feet, ears, and body. It has healing effects like providing deep relaxation, decreasing body pain, and strengthening nerve stimulation. It can reach different body systems, the endocrine system, nervous system, and the circulatory system. This can help bring balance to an immune system that's not functioning properly.
Living with an autoimmune disease can be very stressful, as the bodies of those diagnosed will most likely be attacked by their own immune systems for the rest of their lives. Fortunately a study published in the journal of education and health promotion found that anxiety, depression, and stress in women with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder, significantly decreased thanks to reflexology treatments. This is because its relaxation techniques have the ability to release muscle pain, which has severe implications on both a person's physical and mental health.
So if you or someone you care for is living with an autoimmune disease please don't give up hope. The right combination of things can mean symptoms that are minimal and a happy and fulfilled life. You are not alone in this.
Much love <3
