A friend of mine told me about an article she read about a woman dealing with people’s reactions to her chronic illness. Having a chronic illness like an autoimmune disease can make life very complicated, as it’s difficult to get an accurate diagnosis of what is happening in your body. A general consensus from the medical community is that many autoimmune illnesses are not curable so the focus should be on treating the symptoms.
However, autoimmune disease symptoms, at different times, can be intense or minimal and can come and go. It is always good to check with your doctor before you try any new treatments, but there are two simple lifestyle changes that can help minimize the symptoms: diet and exercise.
Diet and exercise play such an important role for anyone looking to enrich their lives and sense of wellbeing. Transitioning towards a plant-based diet, rich in whole foods and fresh fruits and vegetables, is a great place to start. And for exercise, obviously I’m a fan of yoga asanas.
Whether or not we suffer from an autoimmune disease or other chronic illness, each of us can alleviate our stress with the regular practice of meditation. I recently produced a very user-friendly & Easy Meditation Kit, which is suitable for all ages and health conditions. You can easily learn how to practice meditation in the privacy of your own home, and practice at a pace that suits your lifestyle and limitations. You can also find soothing relief and relaxation just by watching some of the inspirational yoga wisdom meditations like this below.
10 Minute Guided Meditation Experience by Wai Lana
Keep in mind that a person suffering from an autoimmune disease does not always display the external symptoms of someone who has, for example, a broken arm or a twisted ankle. And it may be hard for those of us who are physically healthy to grasp that some people just don’t have the energy to get out of bed for several days in a row. Two key principles of the yoga lifestyle are being humble and not judging others. By developing a non-judgmental attitude, we can make everyone we come into contact with, whether they have an autoimmune disease or not, feel valued and loved.
Wishing you well,
Wai Lana
