5 Secrets to Heal in Light of Your Diagnosis!
I was diagnosed with Cervical Spinal Stenosis. The "spinal" part is redundant. Basically, I had an old injury to my spine that created degenerative deterioration of C6 and C7 disks and forcing my vertebrae to create a bone spur for "protection." The bone spur started rubbing against the protective cushion that surrounds my spinal cord. Apparently I was born with a narrower than average spinal cord to begin with! (Insert Sigh!) As I bent and rotated my neck, the spur continued to wear away at the cushion and narrowed the space for the spine and as the nerves extend from the spinal cord to all the limbs in your body, my nerves got compressed upon exiting, and I started having numbness, tingling and hand arm and rib spasms that I would label as palsy or as my doctor corrected me, a cramp (it definitely was more than a cramp!!!) Being a masseuse and owning a spa, I was able to relieve and deal with these symptoms for a time, until finally the spasms were occurring more frequently (at least 5-7 times per day) making my life difficult to function at and outside of work (mainly wiping my ass and picking up utensils for eating...which are daily functional requirements in my eyes!).
So, I ended up quiting the massage part of my business, and increasing my staff at the spa to help offset the loss of personal income I was use to. Fortunately for me, the man of my dreams found me at the right time, and I thank God for him every day since! I've recently moved in with him at the Beach in NC, and got engaged! We are busy planning our wedding for 2024! I've applied for disability, and am in process of waiting on approval for that...not sure how that works with my limited business income and offset of personal loss of income, but we shall see! That will be another Blog story....But here's some tips I have for healing thru it all...
Tip #1 - Engage in researching your diagnosis
The more you know, the more you will be able to find a way to fix it. Talking with providers about your symptoms and getting referrals to get the answers you need! It took my slew of doctors over 7 years to come up with a diagnosis that started with just some mild tingling and arm pain...to full on nerve damage with severe symptoms within past year....keep at it...make them refer you to someone who can help...It's your job to manage your health, NOT theirs!
Tip #2 - Reduce Stress and Eliminate Cause
Once you know what you are dealing with...first destress...get a massage, relax, and then write down how you got here! (Check with your doctor first!) If it was an accident, ensure you don't do that again! Hehe...if you got sick because you are overweight, eating something that made you sick, are stuck in an environment that are inducing symptoms, using products that are toxic, increasing or decreasing vitamins or minerals to help the body heal from within, or whatever it may be...stop it...start there!
"Consumption of excessive sugar does not directly cause diabetes. It is a metabolic disorder that is caused by the lack of insulin hormone in the body. Dr Tejal Lathia, Consultant Endocrinologist, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi A Fortis Network Hospital explains in detail why a person can get diabetes even if he/she doesn't eat sugar."
Tip #3 - Meditate and Slow Down
If you're like me, I get worked up and agitated and tend to take it out of those around me when I feel I am unable to control my surroundings or how others approach me. It's not an excuse to treat others badly, and I know that...by meditating and slowing my thoughts and avoiding the feeling sorry for me attitude helps me to create a simpler world and easier for me to focus on healing and doing the things I need to do to get there.
Tip #4 - Exercise
Whatever you've been diagnosed with, maintaining your body's movement and agility is key to healing. My fiancé and I go to the fitness center 3 x per week. I get on the treadmill and walk for 60 minutes and then stretch and do my PT exercises provided by my physician. The PT is helping me to strengthen my neck muscles and eliminating pressure on the spine which in turn reduces strain on my nerves. It has definitely helped, but not eliminated...and from what I've been told, only surgery can fix the disks and increase space for my spine and nerves. So whatever your injury or illness is, do the work and it will help reduce stress and increase mobility.
Tip #5 - Finish with Eating Healthier
Reduce consumption of alcohol and processed foods. This alone will help you feel better...I've done it! I personally never ate much fruit as I thought it was too much sugar...but it's the good sugar...natural. Eat less red meat which is hard for the body to digest. I've also stopped consuming dairy for a bit, and boy...you'll seeeee...a hard thing for me as I grew up in Wisconsin and all we eat is cheese! I've found some nonfat products and vegetarian style cheese replacements that taste pretty amazing and I don't miss it as much as I thought I would!
I'm a coffee lover, but this too has been removed from my daily routine...it was eating my stomach up with high acid, and when I switched to coffee beverage made from chaga mushrooms and other essentials, I feel so much better and don't have the highs and lows. Check out my #founditonamazon for latest coffee faves and creams I am using.
Don’t Forget to Always be Healing
Keep it simple. Start today. If you mess up, start again...Healing is a process and it takes time to work, often 60-90 days to see real results. Don’t be crabby, it doesn't help . Check out my #founditonamazon finds today, and try my finds. You can also leave a comment below and I can do my best to recommend something similar that may help.
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