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Autoimmune diseases are a type of chronic illness that affect millions of people in the United States. If you are one of these folks, you know how hard it can be to live with an autoimmune disease. Whether you are newly diagnosed or not, it can be overwhelming, at times, to manage your autoimmune disease symptoms and keep yourself healthy. This blog post will discuss five things that every person living with an autoimmune disease needs!
Eat a healthy diet.
Eating a healthy diet can help reduce inflammation throughout the body and may help to decrease the severity of autoimmune symptoms. This includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. It is also important to avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive amounts of saturated and unhealthy fats.
Exercise Regularly
It is crucial to get regular exercise. Exercise can help to reduce inflammation, improve joint function, and increase energy levels. Find an exercise routine that you enjoy and doesn't trigger autoimmune flares. Exercise-induced flares are common for folks living with autoimmune diseases. Read more about that here. If you are not used to exercising, are experiencing exercise-induced flares frequently, or aren't sure where to begin, click here to schedule a free consultation with me.
Manage stress levels
Stress can trigger autoimmune flares and make symptoms worse. The reason is that the same hormones (cortisol, etc.) that cause inflammation from stress are also the same hormones that can trigger autoimmune symptoms. Autoimmune bodies do not reset inflammation hormones the way normal bodies do because our starting level is higher. This is why it's so important to manage stress.
There are many different ways to manage stress, such as yoga, meditation, journaling, or spending time in nature. Find what works best for you, and schedule some self-care (aka me time) into your week!
Get 7-8 hours of sleep.
Sleep helps the body repair and restore hormone levels. Research shows that the ideal amount of sleep for adults ages 35-80 is 7 per night. The single best tip I can give you for this is to go to bed early enough to ensure that you allow for 7-8 hours of sleep.
If you have trouble sleeping, there are many things you can do to improve your sleep habits. Click here for my full article: How to sleep better by the end of the weekend!
Find a support system
People living with autoimmune diseases often feel isolated and alone. Thankfully, we live in the 21st Century, and connecting with people is easier than ever. Look for online groups with other people who understand what you are going through. Join my Facebook Group and exclusive content not found in my emails or elsewhere!
Do you have any other tips for living with an autoimmune disease? Please share them in the comments below!