Health is something that can go wrong at any time. One moment, you are happily barbecuing in the backyard with your family and the next moment, you wake up in a hospital after a sudden seizure or a heart attack. It is indeed very scary, and you know that you have medical support to improve your condition or at least help you live with it, but the anxiety kicks in anyway. If not dealt with properly, this anxiety might turn out to be the biggest hindrance to you living your life fully. You must remember that whatever be the diagnosis, you are the master of your mind and it is time to take hold of the reigns.
If you are diagnosed with cancer or any such major illness like COVID-19, it is probably the scariest thing you might have had to face in your life. Managing mental health issues during and after major illnesses is certainly easier said than done, but it is a necessity if you want to improve your condition. Remember that you are not alone. You have wonderful friends and family who will be supportive, but it is up to you to reach out, forget your worries, and have fun. After all, survival is never enough, you must really live. There are many changes that you can do to your daily habits to remove the depressing thoughts and build physical and mental strength.
Accept the Change
Be open to the change that your diagnosis brings. Some changes are good and facing such a major obstacle might change the way you look at your life. Typically, the first feeling after a serious diagnosis is disbelief, followed by anxiety and worry. You worry about paying the hospital bills, doing your daily chores, not able to be self-dependent, and majorly, your diagnosis. Instead of fighting your emotions, let them in. Address every emotion and question that pops up in your head. If you are unable to answer any, ask someone who can. Talk to your doctor or nurse and understand the extent and management of your disease instead of panicking or looking for answers on the internet.
Discuss your daily chores and life with your family or friends and ask if they can temporarily help you with some of them. Be kind to yourself and patient with your recovery. You must not set unrealistic expectations for yourself. Your body will heal even if you do not do anything but setting a positive outlook will make the healing process a little more bearable, motivated, and maybe even faster. Accept your emotions and let them organically pass. Ignoring your feelings will be damaging to your mental health and might even slow down your healing process.
Improve Your Nutrition
Food is what makes our body the way it is. If you eat nutritiously, your mind and body will stay healthy and help you heal faster. It might be very difficult at first and the changes might take some time to be seen, but they are happening all the while once you start giving your body the dietary support that it needs. Diet changes are one of the most effective ways to boost every part of your body – the build, immune system, digestive system, increasing tissue healing, and improving mental conditions. Fast food might be your choice for the instant satisfaction they provide, but you are probably already aware of the addiction, bad fats, and plentiful calories they come with. When you choose healthy food over fast food, you will also be happy and proud of yourself for making the right choice, and that will encourage you to make similar recurrent healthy choices in the future.
You can try to switch to some diet plans such as paleo, ketogenic, low carb high fat, or zero carb approaches. You can also try cutting down on or completely removing sweetened food and drinks. They might be very difficult in the beginning because your body is accustomed to years of getting lots of carbs and sugar and you might feel very strong cravings. Remember that it is you who is in control and not your food. If you feel very hungry, eat fruits, or drink a glass of fresh juice instead of chips or any such snacks. Fruits can be a great substitute during sugar cravings too. Fill your plate with lots of greens, vegetables, and proteinaceous foods like meat and lentils. You can always try out new recipes from any part of the world instead of the simple boiled/baked and seasoned version. Include dairy products in your diet; they are full of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. You can take dietary supplements if you think your diet is lacking any essential component. If possible, consult a dietician to plan a diet that is perfect for you keeping in mind your health condition to focus on making you stronger.
Reach Out
If you feel very down, call up your friends or family. Try developing a habit of Facetiming one person every day or on alternate days. This will help you strengthen your ties with your loved ones and will be a constant reminder of the support system that you have. Talk to someone close who is a good listener. Talk about your problems to someone who you think will listen without judgment or unwanted advice and will be supportive of you.
Tapping into social support is a great way to go through any difficulties in life.
If you find it difficult to share your feelings with your close ones, you can consider joining a support group. You will come across people going through similar problems and it will greatly help to know how they coped with their problems. That will give you ideas and a sense of belonging. You can even join a disease-specific support group that will make you find others who have faced or are facing the same problem as you. If you know someone who has gone through the same condition, you can consider contacting them with your concerns to clear any doubts you might have.
Develop New Hobbies
Another good way to improve your fitness is to exercise. Try going out for a short run, walk, or hike. You can join group activities like yoga, boxing, or dance to make it less boring. You can take out some time for just stretching before you start your day every morning, so your muscles and joints are ready for whatever the day brings. Physical activities help strengthen your muscles while enabling you to take out some time for yourself. One huge advantage of physical activities is that they tire you out, which will make sure you get a good night’s sleep and wake up refreshed the next day. Sound sleep is very necessary for the body’s healing process. It is during the sleep hours that your body is completely undisturbed and heals the fastest, so make sleep a priority.
Learning something new is a great way to keep yourself engaged and forget about your worries. It can be something that you can do from the comfort of your couch, like learn a new language, learning to knit, sketch, paint, or play an instrument. Meditation is another amazing way to calm your mind and emotions and restart your thought process. You can try your hand at new recipes or gardening if you can. You can also ask your family or friends to join you for any activity so you can all have fun together, just like the old times.
It is important to take care of and be loving to yourself. You sure do have your family and friends, but they can’t help you if you don’t help yourself. You must initiate the change in your life, and once you do it, things will go uphill from there. Some major illnesses are not completely curable and the only way to live with it is to stop focusing on the illness and trying to live your life to the fullest. You are more than your illness; you are an amazing person with a circle of support and a life to enjoy which you should fill it with happiness, irrespective of the illness that might seem to pull you back. The lifestyle changes mentioned above are also great ways to prevent major illnesses as a good balance of physical and mental fitness can protect you against most health problems like heart diseases or even depression. You can also recommend these tips to someone you know who is fighting or has fought a major illness.
Want to learn more about holistic health and wellness? Check out our articles on the Gerson Institute and on boosting your immune system through traditional tonics.
