Well my last trip sure took a lot out of me! I feel like I'm still recovering from travelling across the continent of North America where I was poked and prodded for a few days at NIH. I admit I'm not super chill when traveling by myself and "scanziety" is a real thing!
My cortisol levels were extremely high while I was there. Cortisol is the stress hormone that is released by the adrenal glands. It regulates so many things. My GP told me she's not surprised in the least that things were out of whack for so long! It's a whole cascade of events that happen due to hormones but she said she's more concerned when the adrenals don't recover after something like that happens. So after the test results showed high levels of cortisol, of course now I'm being investigated for cushings. They did find an adrenal adenoma, so that makes sense.
In the meantime I'm looking at ways to relax and bring down those levels.
So one of the things I've tried to do is really change how I use social media. For the last few months I've been very actively reading about my condition(s) and how others are coping or what others are doing to treat their illness. I found it to be both educational and stress inducing. So, I'm taking a break from doing that. I have all the checks in place now and unless I'm getting a test done, I'm going to use my valuable time to really enjoy my life!
Another thing I've looked into is meditation. I'm not really into the "new age" type meditation about chakras and third eyes, but have found a couple apps that helps me relax and focus.
My favorite is called "Abide" as it is Christ centered meditation. There's another really good one that many people like called "Calm" but it requires a really pricey membership. The other one I use is called "Insight Timer" which is a mainly free and very useful app. I'm not very good at meditating yet so I think this is a great way to start learning how to do it.
Mild exercise like swimming or yoga is also very good. Everyone talks about how good yoga is; the breathing, focusing and building strength is very good for everyone. I admittedly haven't been able to exercise much for a number of years due to overwhelming joint, muscle and bone pain but I recently came across something so wonderful I wanted to share: Remember Pro Wrestling? I used to watch WWF wrestling with my brother as a kid and we loved it! Well now that I'm (much) older I've discovered what those wrestlers have been doing with themselves after treating their bodies like that! Anyone remember Diamond Dallas Page? This man has the biggest heart! He discovered, like I did, that the foods we eat contribute to inflammation and pain and he's dedicated his life to helping people like me find a way to exercise and eat better and he's helped so many people turn their lives around! I just love what he's doing! Anyway, his exercise regimen is sort of like yoga but as he says - it ain't your mama's yoga! He has exercises for everyone, from those who are bedridden to very advanced. I highly recommend checking him out. #DDP #DDPY
Another thing I've been doing to lower the stress in my life is something I would have never even considered had my friend not mentioned it again. Have you ever heard of a castor oil pack? The first time I heard about this, it sounded pretty "out there" and not something I was ready to consider. I also figured it wasn't really worth the hassle - especially if it was going to give me the poops!! Haha! Then I started listening to this Doctor Marisol, what she had to say: her 5 important reasons for implementing them into every one of her patients' regimens. And it made perfect sense to me as to why I needed to give it a try right away! One of the many benefits is the way it calms the body, which can help lower cortisol levels! I've been using her pack for a few nights now and I look forward to putting the soft pack on at bedtime. I've already noticed I'm sleeping even better at night!
I may write a whole blog post on these castor oil packs as I've been learning so darn much about them. There's even some great beauty tips using castor oil, so you're going to want to read that post for sure!
Other things that chill me out:
Epsom salt bath or a soak in a hot tub, getting a message, going for a walk or bike ride, coffee with a friend, cuddling with my dogs, gardening, reading, and art! I love making things with my hands! I just signed up to take a new painting class that uses resin to create a beach scene- with my BFF! I cannot wait!!
And for a while there, I was creating my own patterns and sewing little simple dresses for the little girls in my life!
More recently I've been using my creativity to come up with delicious recipes that my family will love.
I remember going through a crisis in my life after my first cancer diagnosis: I wanted to really make a difference and help people but I didn't really know how my career as a designer was fulfilling that need. I loved art and designing beautiful spaces but at the time I couldn't see how it fit into this new burning desire to help people...Now I realize that creativity is such an amazing gift from the ultimate Creator! Without creativity, the world would be so dull. I can't even imagine my life without that thing that finds solutions to problems and takes my mind off of my own suffering. Many people have chronic, debilitating conditions that render them unable to get out and do much.
But by allowing themselves to be creative, they may find that they're able to break free from the chains of chronic pain and monotony; they may find joy again, and joy is the ultimate way to de-stress!
What have you done to experience joy yourself today or bring joy to someone else?
Comentários