Taking Your Health Into Your Own Hands
Imagine what it would be like to wake up each morning with a powerful feeling deep in your gut that something terrible is going to happen. As soon as you open your eyes, you feel shaky, uneasy, and even a bit queasy at times. Your head is filled with an internal dialogue that cycles through themes like losing your job or being in an accident — though work is excellent and you haven’t even made it out of bed, much less into the car. But, then as you lie there waking up, you realize that the world is just as you left it the night before and there isn’t any immediate danger.
Hopefully, this is nothing but a hypothetical scenario for you. However, for me and millions of others, managing anxiety is a daily battle. People with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and many other conditions must learn ways to manage their illness every day. It’s not always a simple task, but it’s one that I can say is worth the work.
If you’re ready to take control of your health, here are a few practical ways to get started:
Learn How to Self-Advocate
If you’ve ever had to believe in yourself and your symptoms, even though you felt that no one did, there’s a good chance you know how to be an effective self-advocate. Along with trusting in yourself and how you feel, you may need to understand your rights as a patient, solve a few problems on your own, and proactively seek out the help you need.
Today’s medical environment is complex and challenging to navigate. However, waiting for a physician or other provider to take the lead isn’t always realistic. You must learn to take charge of the journey to wellness if transforming your health is the ultimate goal.
Make Healthy Changes
We tend to think that medicine is an exact science; however, when you consider that there are thousands of conditions recognized in modern medicine, and many have overlapping symptoms, you can understand just how challenging it can be for doctors to choose the right ones. If you’re waiting to find out what condition you might have or if you just need to learn better lifestyle habits, there’s no better time than the present.
Think about your symptoms and then make healthy changes. If you’re struggling with a burning sensation in your chest at night just after eating, you might have GERD. You don’t need a physician to tell you that an anti-reflux diet, where you control symptoms with the foods and drinks you choose, is a good thing. Another example might be if you live with daily pain. You can make lifestyle changes — like getting enough sleep, eating an anti-inflammatory diet, or scheduling acupuncture — without waiting for a provider to tell you these are good choices.
This isn’t to say that you should disregard the advice of your doctor. But you can be an active participant in managing your health, and you don’t necessarily need to receive advice from a doctor to make positive changes.
Search for the Right Provider
If you’re anything like me, you probably dread finding a new physician. Searching for a new provider can be challenging because of your insurance carrier’s rules, where you live, or finding one who shares your views on health. No matter the reason, sometimes, especially in the light of new symptoms, it’s just a necessity.
So, if you’ve been in an accident or had a sudden medical emergency, but your doctor doesn’t seem concerned about your persistent symptoms, it might be time to look at your options. Other individuals who may need to consider a different type of provider are those who suffer from anxiety, depression, or chronic pain. It’s vital to find a provider who understands your symptoms, overall health goals, fears, and what treatments you’ve tried without success.
Practice Prevention
When you’re ready to take control of your health, you must think about preventive health measures you can take to slow down the progression of any current conditions and stop others from ever happening. Prevention comes in many forms. For example, choosing a healthy diet and exercising daily are excellent forms of preventative health. Scheduling wellness checks and receiving all necessary immunizations also goes a long way to overall wellness.
You should also consider any unhealthy or risky health behaviors you participate in, such as having unprotected sex, since many health insurance companies don’t cover STD testing. This might mean changing your habits or scheduling an appointment with your provider to discuss your risks and have any needed testing done.
Cultivate Mindfulness
Your body is a complex machine, but you can’t achieve optimum health without putting some effort into your emotional, spiritual, and psychological well-being too. When you work on the mind-body connection through mindful activities, you’ll reap the benefits of comprehensive health and wellness. Mindfulness can also have significant benefits for people living with chronic illness, battling addiction, or managing long-term pain.
A few ways to increase your mindfulness include paying more attention during daily tasks like taking a shower or driving to work. You can also give yourself permission to have a wandering mind and gently remind yourself to bring it back to the task at hand. Another great mindful activity is to sit each morning quietly for five to 10 minutes while paying attention to your breathing, any sensations in your body, and the sounds around you.
Placing Yourself First
I’m terrible at putting myself first. I serve myself last at dinner and apologize for things that I couldn’t have possibly caused. However, because of where I’ve been with my health, I know when to say no to specific activities and how to tune out the voice of condescension that tells me I shouldn’t be first. If you struggle with this too, try using these strategies to place yourself at the front of the line heading towards health and wellness.
