Those of us with chronic illness are no stranger to needing to figure out what works well and what doesn’t, especially without the help of medical professionals. From finding a sleep routine, to yoga, to going keto or gluten-free, we try all sorts of things. Some help. Some don’t. And each person is different, which means that thought we talk and network, it really is up to us to find our own support and find our own help.
Recently, I’ve begun to look to the past. What have I done in the past that has really helped me? Kefir is one. My banana kefir smoothie in the morning makes me happy and I feel as if it makes my stomach happy too. I’ve gone back to eating a lot of popcorn and finding new snacks like pretzels and hummus. I back off on coffee when necessary (sobs!) and I am turning to drinking more tea.
It’s important to find your support and figure out what works for you. To have the space to experiment and to have the ability to do so. And most importantly, you need to have the permission to do so. Give yourself permission to try things. Put aside expectations or worries. Think about things that you can do to help yourself and then do it.
