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Have a great pain-free day!
Melinda
Month: March 2022
Everyday Magic 3/31/2022
I’m so glad you are enjoying Everyday Magic. I find it a good place to wind down and ask some important questions.
Bella and Grace by Stampington
No matter if you’re an introvert or an extrovert, it’s important to spend time alone.
What are some of your favorite things to do by yourself?
Enjoy your day!
Melinda
Holistic Health: 5 Common Reasons You May Be Struggling to Achieve Your Fitness Goals
People choose to engage in exercise for many different reasons. Making exercise a part of your lifestyle can be challenging at first, but once you develop a routine, it becomes easier to follow. Once you’ve made it a routine, the next step is to not just get it done but to get it done efficiently and in a way that meets your reasons for engaging in an exercise in the first place.
If you’re struggling to achieve your fitness goals, you may be lacking a holistic approach to health.
What is holistic health?
Holistic health is a multifaceted approach to health that integrates all components of wellness. According to most definitions, holistic health has six components:
- Physical
- Mental
- Spiritual
- Intellectual
- Social
- Emotional
If you’re approaching your fitness routine exclusively from the physical component of health, you’re likely struggling to meet your goals.
Health-related barriers to achieving fitness goals
Some of the most common reasons you may be struggling to achieve your fitness goals include the following five non-physical health-related barriers:
Drug and alcohol misuse
While drug and alcohol abuse affects your physical health, they tend to develop due to deficiencies in the mental, spiritual, intellectual, social, and/or emotional components of holistic health. Substance abuse can affect your fitness performance by impacting your sleep, caloric intake, heart and liver health, and overall energy levels during workouts.
According to drug abuse statistics, substance abuse is more common than you might think. If you’re struggling with substance abuse to the extent that you feel unable to control your use, consider contacting a reputable detoxification center to start getting your health – and life – back on track.
Mental health issues
So much emphasis is placed on physical health that many people prioritize this over looking after their mental health. Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can make engaging in regular exercise challenging.
These mental illnesses can also impact your overall energy levels. Without high energy levels, you may struggle to put in the time required to make healthy meals and push yourself in your workouts.
Disordered eating habits
A person can have disordered eating habits without having an eating disorder. Disordered eating habits include overly restricting calories, restricting certain food groups, ignoring hunger signals, and overeating.
Disordered eating habits can impact your metabolism and negatively impact the work you put in at the gym.
Aesthetics-driven exercise
Everyone knows that exercise benefits mobility, longevity, and overall quality of life. However, exercise is also often engaged in changing the appearance of the body. Both men and women are frequently plagued with images in the media that set a standard for what an attractive person ‘should’ look like.
If your primary motivation for engaging in exercise is aesthetic-based, you’re likely approaching exercise from a punishment perspective and have an increased risk of injury.
Poor self-image
Aesthetics-driven exercise is also often caused by a negative self-image. Without believing you’re worth it regardless of the way you look, you’ll struggle to meet your fitness goals.
To pursue health, you need to believe that you are worthy of health. You also need to recognize that the appearance of your body does not reflect your health status.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Mini Me Health Update 3/30/2022
I had an appointment with my Immunologist yesterday and it didn’t go as I thought it would.
A total disappointment this time. He laid out that my Hypogammaglobulinemia isn’t bad enough and insurance will only approve Antibody Infusion Treatments if I have been on antibiotics several times in one year. I didn’t understand that from our last appointment.
He did order a complete set of labs to see how my body is doing but I don’t think that is going to make much difference.
My ear has been bleeding and he found it was infected and prescribed a short-term antibiotic.
I go back in three weeks to see how the antibiotic is working and discuss my lab results.
He did take a look at the physical symptoms overview I shared with him and he encouraged me to see a Neurologist. I have a referral for a Rheumatologist at this time and will go from there. If no diagnosis comes out of the Rheumatologist then I’ll go see a Neurologist.
Melinda
Wordless Wednesday*Prized Lilly
Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate your comments each week.
Melinda
Overview of Pain Management App Clearing
I’ve heard it said a thousand times how doctors aren’t listening to their patients and their pain needs are going unmet. Clearing is a new Pain Management App that answers the call, it hears your stories and addresses each with a personalized regime backed by a professional team of doctors and has 24/7 support.
50+ million Americans deal with chronic pain, yet frequently feel stigmatized, dismissed, or left addicted to opioids. Combining technology with a patient-centric approach, we can build a new model of care that provides opioid-free relief for millions, while making it more affordable & accessible.
We’re transforming our broken pain care system by making it easy & affordable for patients to access the specific physical and mental treatments they need to find relief. We are the only vertically integrated chronic pain management platform, combining prescription medications, physical exercise, health coaching, and 1:1 doctor-patient consultations.
“There are way too many people who are suffering without getting the care they need, and it just doesn’t need to be that way.” ~ Dr. Jacob Hascalovici
Your pain treatment, on your terms and your schedule
Your time and mental health are too important to give up. Let Clearing handle your treatment plan, support team, and pain history in one place.
Whole-body healthcare to treat your pain from home
Comprehensive
Treatment that addresses physical pain, emotional strain, and the need for support.
Personalized
Each program is personalized for each patient, evolving over time and under the care of doctors trained in treating chronic pain.
Convenient
Treatments delivered to your door, virtual doctor visits, and 24/7 messaging access to your care team really make a difference.
What is the biggest issue you have with healthcare providers?
The list is long isn’t it? Clearing is addressing each of the issues with a comprehensive system backed by some of the biggest names in Pain Management from Harvard to John Hopkins.
Clearing’s Medical Advisory Board
A network of highly trained Neurologists, Anesthesiologists, Psychiatrists, and Orthopedic Surgeons who specialize in treating pain.
How does Clearing work?
Clearing starts by gathering all medical information, and life experiences and asking a series of questions to better understand your pain-needs. From there, your profile is reviewed by a medical specialist and a telehealth appointment is scheduled.
After meeting with your doctor a comprehensive personalized regime lays the groundwork for moving forward in your pain journey as the team works side by side with you to fine-tune the plan.
Here are a few types of Pain Clearing Supports
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Wrist Pain
Sore Ankles
Back Pain
Shoulder Pain
Feet Tingles
For a comprehensive list go to Clearing here.
It’s important to understand Clearing is an opioid-free solution. The types of therapy offered can include nutraceuticals, a prescription compound cream, CBD cream, targeted exercises, and access to pain specialists who can guide you toward better pain management.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your pain journey, get started now with a trial.
Melinda
Help Us Celebrate Our 8th Anniversary — Survivors Blog Here Mental Health Collaborative
In 2014 an idea was hatched to create a site that would allow everyone to share their story in a safe environment and Survivors Blog Here was born. Now it’s 2022, it’s hard to put into words what the past eight years have meant to me and the contributors of Survivors Blog Here. We have […]
Help Us Celebrate Our 8th Anniversary — Survivors Blog Here Mental Health Collaborative
Blogger Highlight-Bipolar: A Way Of Life
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week I highlight a new blogger, Bipolar: A Way Of Life.
Diagnosed with Bipolar and BPD, I have been managing these illnesses for the last 30 years.
I’ve lived a pretty good life and have stayed out of trouble. I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. Really it’s all about living a balanced life and everything in moderation.
I’m a Fur Mom to Luna, a Former Professional who went out on Longterm Disability, and also a Single Living on a Budget.
My Interests include: Psychology, Christian Living, Healthy Living, Reading, & Jigsaw Puzzles.
I talk about a variety of things in my blog.
Mostly the things I’ve learned and how I live my life.
Be sure to check out her blog to read her most recent posts. She’s hit home on several posts I’ve read recently, most recent the need to shop to fill a void. I fall into that category even with happy home life and years of therapy. Maybe you do too?
Melinda
See last week’s Blogger Highlight here.
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Every March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month, a time for sufferers, family members, and supporters to share information, sympathy, and camaraderie, drawing attention to this disease of the central nervous system. If you’re not familiar, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) happens when one’s immune system attacks the nerve cells and renders them unable to properly transmit information, causing balance issues, weakened vision, fatigue, and other unpredictable symptoms.
Approximately 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis. The cause is unknown, and there is no definitive cure as of this writing. However, there are many effective treatments, so those afflicted with MS should not lose hope. This month is all about raising awareness, educating wider society, fundraising, and getting behind those scientists that seek to advance our understanding of MS.
This month is also an opportunity for the family and friends of people with MS to gain an accurate, better understanding of the disease.
MS affects everyone differently. Some may experience mild symptoms, whereas others have severe symptoms that limit mobility. MS Awareness Month brings awareness to the condition’s many forms.
In addition to this month-long awareness campaign, other days throughout the year also focus on MS. For example, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week is from March 7th to 13th in 2021. There is also World MS Day, which takes place on May 30th every year. Both offer additional opportunities to get involved in the MS awareness movement.
If you have MS, educating yourself can help you cope with the disease. And if you don’t have MS, learning more can help you understand how a loved one feels. Getting involved during MS Awareness Month every March can raise awareness for this condition, and help lead to a cure.
Melinda
Reference
https://nationaltoday.com/multiple-sclerosis-awareness-month/
https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/multiple-sclerosis-awareness-month#when-is-it
Book Review How To Breathe Like A Badass by Hannah Jane Thompson
I want to say a special thank you to Managing Editor Soraya Nair of Trigger Publishing for sending me the book How To Breathe Like A Badass by Hannah Jane Thompson for review.
![Breathe Like a Badass: Beat Anxiety and Self Doubt, Calm Your Inner Critic & Build a No-Nonsense Mindfulness and Meditation Toolkitme and Build Your No-Nonsense Mindfulness and Meditation Toolkit by [Hannah Jane Thompson]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/414L7Xo49KL.jpg)
Follow the Author
About the Author
Blurb
Breathe Like a Badass is a no-BS guide to creating a life-changing, burnout-busting emotional toolkit – one breath at a time. Want to quieten your inner critic, rediscover your inner badass and build a successful, freedom-filled life you love? Then BREATHE.
Hannah Jane Thompson is on a mission to help ambitious-but-anxious women like you banish patterns of self-sabotage.
This down-to-earth guide teaches you how to start – and stick to – a non-woo woo meditation habit (no chakras or chunks of rose quartz here, sorry) that will help calm anxiety, beat self-doubt, and build a focused, fulfilled and happy life.
Using scientifically proven mindfulness, meditation and self-reflection techniques, Hannah will help you turn your inner critic from b*tch to badass and create an emotional toolkit to use when life gets tough.
Through acceptance and self-compassion, you can transform all areas of your life – from working on your mental health, calming anxiety, stress and depression; to giving fewer sh*ts about what others think and improving your sex life, body confidence, relationships, career and finances.
My Thoughts
I love this quote she includes in the book.
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor and mindfulness expert”
Learn to surf we must if we are to move forward in life. One key is to learn to be aware of our self-talk and inner criticism. Hannah’s goal is to show how to slow down, learn to listen to your inner voice, and bring more balance into your life.
This book is unlike other meditation books I’ve read in that Hannah breaks things down to the bone. There’s no fluff here, no sage burning or mystic crystals. Just straightforward conversation in a manner you can understand and can make part of your daily routine right away. If your looking for fluff don’t buy this book.
Excerpt From
Breathe Like A Badass
“That’s how I realized that making new habits isn’t about willpower, or how much you want it, or finding the exact right time or moment. It’s about repetition, and not waiting until everything is perfect to start. If I had waited until I felt calm enough, ready enough, or had the perfect place or the perfect time to begin learning to meditate, I would never have got started.”
Isn’t this paragraph about life, really? If we waited for everything to be perfect to happen in our lives, nothing would happen, or something we aren’t controlling. That’s the point, we have to take the wheel in life.
She lays out the basics of what is meditation and she makes it easy to see how meditation can fit into your life with practice and a little patience.
I recommend this book to all women who want to learn how to calm their inner voice.
Trigger Publishing
TriggerHub.org is the first mental health organization of its kind. We are bringing mental health recovery and balance to millions of people worldwide through the power of our books.
We have built a first-class resource of curated books produced and published in-house to create a unique collection of mental health recovery titles unrivaled in quality and selection. We work with experts, psychologists, doctors, and coaches to produce our books, but we also work with real people looking to share their stories to reach out to others and provide hope, understanding, and compassion. These brave authors also aim to raise awareness of mental health’s “human” face and its impact on everyday lives.
Melinda
lookingforthelight.blog 