A Much Needed Personal Health Reset: Day 1 of 30
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As an adult? I'm also still sick often--more in the last two years than usual. As I write this, I am on my sixth (or seventh?) round of having Covid-19 right on the heels of a non-Covid respiratory infection that triggered some asthma symptoms. On top of that, I've also got a hip injury to contend with and mystery tummy ailments that are getting worse.
Over the past two years, I've also experienced a worsening of my vertigo and balance issues, had numerous random falls, and an episode of low enough iron reserves to warrant an iron infusion. I'm currently on more meds and supplements than I ever have been in my life as well, and they all feel essential.
That said, I am a lot healthier overall than many people I know, and I am by no means trying to complain or garner sympathy. Instead, I'm hoping to kickstart improving my health, little-by-little. Over the next 30 days, I'd be happy to feel even just 10% healthier.
The news anchor and writer, Dan Harris, wrote a book several years ago called 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works in which he documented his path to healing after a significant mental health crisis that involved a panic attack on live TV. Like Dan, I feel that approaching my health by trying to be 10% better is much more achievable than jumping all in and trying to fix EVERYTHING all at once. It is more sustainable to make only a 10% change at a time as well.
Over the past two years, my physical health has deteriorated quite a bit with a knock-on effect of degrading my mental health. I'm 52 this month, but for the past two years, I've felt significantly and increasingly older than my actual age. Funny given that people usually assume I'm about 20 years younger than my actual age!
I've been working closely with my healthcare team to address my various ailments and issues and you should work with your own medical and healthcare professionals to address whatever ails you--nothing I write here should be taken as advice or input into what you should or shouldn't do. This is exclusively what I am doing for me. Please do not do anything I post about without consulting with your own care providers.
Please also note, I am not going to go into an exhaustive overview of every little thing I do to improve my well being over the next 30 days.
Today marks day 1 of a 30 day journey to improve my well being by 10%. I'm usually terrible at 30 day challenges, so wish me luck! I don't have a specific plan other than every day doing something towards improving my well being. The plan will come together as I go along. Maybe not the smartest way about approaching this, but I'm where I am doing what I can do from this point.
All of last week and the week before, I found it extremely challenging to do any of my physical therapy exercises for balance issue or for my hip injury. A few weeks before that, I had missed several doses of various medications and supplements due to being a bit mentally all over the place.
TODAY, ON DAY 1:
💮I took my morning medications
💮I did one of the physical therapy exercises that I know I can do without too much stress (I purposely set up my house to make this exercise easy to get done).
💮I added plain water to my round up of beverages today (I almost always have multiple beverages going at a time).
💮I walked one mile, round trip, to do a time sensitive errand (wearing a mask and outdoors).
💮I did one of the physical therapy exercises that I know I can do without too much stress (I purposely set up my house to make this exercise easy to get done).
💮I added plain water to my round up of beverages today (I almost always have multiple beverages going at a time).
💮I walked one mile, round trip, to do a time sensitive errand (wearing a mask and outdoors).
These are all improvements over anything I've done for the past three weeks or so!
Before I finish writing this, I will also have:
✅Taken my afternoon supplements and medications.
✅Finished 16 ounces of plain water.
✅Used one my asthma tools to help my lung health.
✅Documented my physical therapy exercise using the HEVY fitness app; however, I'm finding pretty much all exercise apps difficult to use and am planning to go back to a paper-based journal.
✅Documented my meds and supplements using the Guava app (This app syncs with your healthcare provider medical records and is a great way to have all your notes and records in one place! Use it for free or pay for premium access).
✅Documented my food and beverage intake using the FoodVisor app (This is essentially a gamified calorie counter app that also can sync with various fitness trackers and also has an educationa component that I'm enjoying).
✅Documented my physical therapy exercise using the HEVY fitness app; however, I'm finding pretty much all exercise apps difficult to use and am planning to go back to a paper-based journal.
✅Documented my meds and supplements using the Guava app (This app syncs with your healthcare provider medical records and is a great way to have all your notes and records in one place! Use it for free or pay for premium access).
✅Documented my food and beverage intake using the FoodVisor app (This is essentially a gamified calorie counter app that also can sync with various fitness trackers and also has an educationa component that I'm enjoying).
Someone--anyone--please comment and keep me accountable so I come back day after day for the next 30 days!
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