Staying Healthy

For those of us with chronic illness, our immunity is already suppressed and the risk of our health status changing due to viruses or a flare up upsetting our body's delicate balance is a threat not to be ignored. It's a constant struggle to maintain proper electrolytes even without the presence of an additional illness. The consequences of an upset balance can easily land us in the hospital. It seems like even the symptoms of a non-severe virus, such as a cold, are multiplied for the immune suppressed.

Over the course of the last couple months with my husband's health changes I've noticed my stress levels peaking and the wear of it upon my body. Although the stress of his health crises have quietened, my stress has changed focus from him to work and my dwindling energy has become more apparent. Although I am sleeping soundly, I'm discovering I'm not obtaining the amount of restful sleep I truly need in order to function properly. Most nights I awaken early in the morning and am unable to resume sleep for 2-3 hours. And even on nights without any insomnia I continue to struggle with my energy the following day. My days are long and difficult, leaving me mentally and physically exhausted and my only salvation is the weekends when I can sleep in late. The perplexing issue is my lab values have maintained their usual levels - remain anemic but not any lower than usual and my B12 is above average. My only conclusion is stress is robbing me of truly restful sleep.

I've worried about my health deteriorating due to the combination of a lower immunity, high stress, and sleep deprivation. This is definitely not something I can afford, particularly at this time. My doctor, advocating for me as always, immediately suggests I reduce my work hours and offers to help me do so medically. My fear is that full time employment will no longer be an option if I can't find a way to maintain my health. I nearly required hospitalization after my first attempt at full time employment several years ago due to the effects of stress upon my body. I've survived full time employment since that time and I want to maintain that ability.

We can help to reduce our risk by controlling our stress and boosting our immunity. And the Immunity-Boosting Guide by the lifestyle blog Fix.com couldn't have appeared at a more opportune time. I had been placed on a special diet and supplements to cater to my electrolyte imbalance during the rough years of my health. At the time I tracked the essential vitamins and minerals in particular foods so that I could incorporate them into my diet regularly. Since that time I've forgotten that wealth of information and the Immunity-Boosting Guide sums up a lot of this information and tips in one infographic to help reduce illness risk while naturally boosting our immunity through food and behavior.
Granted, anyone with a bowel disorder and who has gone through abdominal surgeries needs to be mindful of foods that may risk an intestinal blockage or excessive diarrhea. Review the UOAA Diet and Nutrition Guide for further information.
I hope you'll find both sets of information helpful for your arsenal in maintaining health and reducing further health complications.