How I Support Myself When Sick - Simple, Holistic Health Tips
The past two weeks have been challenging to say the least. For the first week I had a bad reaction to bug bites and my leg was so swollen I couldn’t walk. I was mostly just uncomfortable but had to prioritize rest, elevation, and icing!
After my foot returned to normal size, and I could see my ankle again, I came down with a bug that completely wiped me out. I tested negative for rona and didn’t have any upper respiratory symptoms, it was mostly GI, but I’m not sure what exactly it was!
I was frustrated at first to have to rest for two weeks straight and for feeling completely drained, but I really think it was the Universe giving me a chance to properly stop, rest, and replenish. I had been so go-go-go, I hadn’t been able completely shut off and rest properly.
While I was sick, I made sure to prioritize things that would help me recover and nourish my body. Each day was different, I would feel better or worse sporadically, but I made sure to be consistent and practice listening to my body.
After a week, I’m starting to get my energy back and am feeling like I’m on the upside! So, here are a few things I’ve been prioritizing:
Rest. Sleep is one of the best ways our body can have time, space, and freedom to properly recover. Rest isn’t just sleeping, allow your mind to rest too - if you can, put away work, get rid of any to-do lists, and don’t distract with noise. Instead, try reading a book, meditating, coloring, journaling, watch a comfort movie, or something that doesn’t require a lot of thinking. If you feel fatigued, honor it and nap. I mostly read during the day, napped, and still slept 10 hours a night… your body will show you what it needs!
Hydrate. Hydration is important on a regular basis but even more so when sick. You lose fluids in a variety of ways depending on your symptoms so it’s crucial you replenish them. Drink TONS of water and add a pinch of Celtic sea salt to make sure you’re absorbing on a cellular level. Be mindful of electrolyte mixes, a lot of them contain unnecessary sugar as the main ingredient, dyes, and additives. I love LMNT because they’re made with salt, not sugar, and have simple ingredients! Other great things to drink are bone broth and tea. Try to limit or avoid caffeine since that naturally dehydrates!
Sweat. Only do this if you can tolerate and don’t already have a fever - you do NOT want to push your body too much because you want it to feel safe enough to heal. I personally try to use my infrared sauna for a short amount of time (15-20 minutes) when I am feeling stable enough, haven’t had as many symptoms, and want to get things moving without physical effort. When I say “get things moving” I mean the lymphatic system - getting excess fluid, toxins, and whatever else moving and physically out of the body. A gentle alternative is taking a warm epsom salt bath! The magnesium in the epsom salt is great for relaxation, muscle soreness, and overall absorption through the skin. The warm water can encourage you to sweat depending on how hot you make it! (Add lavender essential oil if you’re feeling boujee)
Meditate. This is the main way I stay grounded when not feeling well. With my past of chronic illness, flares, debilitating symptoms, whenever I experience any symptoms I tend to worry and have anxiety fueled by thoughts of the “worst case scenario.” It’s understandable to be triggered - there is a lot of trauma that comes from chronic illness and even if we are physically healthy, the body holds on to those memories of the original time we experienced symptoms and can bring up those feelings when similar symptoms are experienced now. Meditation, breathwork, taking time to ground into the present moment and into the body are CRUCIAL. I love visualizing healing light, my healthy self doing things (walking, traveling, going out with friends, etc.), sending healing energy to any areas that are bothering me, and focusing on heart opening. There are plenty of amazing guided meditations on Youtube, Superhuman App, and Insight Timer!
Nutrient Dense Foods. Nourish the body from the inside out and support it as much as possible by consuming whole, nutrient dense foods. Yes, supplements can be great but it’s best to try to get the vitamins and nutrients we need from foods first - our body absorbs it better! For immune boosting, prioritize citrus, turmeric, and ginger. Other good foods to consider: spinach, berries, grass-fed animal protein, ghee, bone broth, root veggies, etc. If you’re having GI issues, try sticking to smaller, simple, warm meals like soup / broth based meals. I’m not saying you have to only eat whole foods during this time, just try to prioritize when you can. I know when I get sick, I lose my appetite or get nauseous and NOTHING sounds good. Recently, I stuck to soups, a lot of broth, ground beef, tea, juices, and occasionally cereal or a sandwich (out of nowhere I wanted a runny egg sandwich??). When your cravings hit, listen to them because your body is trying to tell you something!
Sunshine. GET YOUR VITAMIN D IN. Vitamin D is actually a hormone in the body that plays a large role in immune system support. It’s difficult to get sufficient vitamin D through food alone and many of us are deficient to begin with (depending on age, weight, climate, etc.). If possible, try to get at least 15 minutes of direct sun - this could be physically going outside or through an open window - depending on your condition and energy levels. Bonus points if you can go outside, get some fresh air, connect your bare feet to the earth, and just soak up the sun!
Support. Ask for help, lean on others when you’re feeling low, and fully express yourself. Being sick can be challenging for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re isolating, living alone, living with family, simply don’t feel well, or are feeling triggered, PLEASE let others help you. Soothe yourself when you can but let yourself be taken care of to any extent you’re comfortable with. This could look like having Facetime calls with friends to keep you company, having someone drop off groceries, calling someone you love, etc. As someone who lives alone, I really struggled with having to isolate, not interacting with anyone, and hardly having the energy to take care of myself. I was fortunate to be able to lean on, connect with, and express my emotions to loved ones over the phone. It’s obviously different than having someone with you in person but sometimes we have to make the most with our current situation. It doesn’t matter who this support is, if it’s one person or a few, please reach out to them when you need - your mental health matters during this healing time too!
Notice that many of these tips are not based on supplements, treatments, or expensive alternative therapies. I really like to emphasize simple nourishment when I’m not feeling well. A lot of coming back to nature, resting, and taking time to slow down!
Do you have any tips or things you like to do when you’re sick? Let me know!