Can you lead a normal life with an autoimmune disorder? Yes!

The catch is how you define your “normal”

Well, this might come in as a surprise if you had read my recent post where I had made a mention of how difficult it can be to lead a normal life battling an autoimmune disorder. But here I am, saying it loud & clear that, YES it is possible to lead a normal life with an autoimmune disorder; the only catch here is how you define your “normal”.

In the fast-paced era that we live in now, normal life is characterized by goals setting, chasing them constantly, extensive socializing, going with trends, dine-outs & take-aways, FOMO, YOLO and instant gratifications. If this is how your current normal too is defined, then I’m sorry to say- you need to redefine it.

Before getting into how you can define your “new normal”, let me warn you that this is not going to be an instant change or redefining. It is a gradual process and it may take months or years to get into a new normal where you can function at your best even while battling with an autoimmune disorder. So, take it easy, one step at a time.

So here are a few pointers on the changes you need to define your new normal:

Healthy homemade food

Dine outs or processed instant foods in packets may come in handy and ease your job in the kitchen but it is definitely bringing down your health in the long run.

To avoid any triggers through processed food, make sure to have fresh homemade food with a lot of vegetables and fruits intake. The less the processing of food, the healthier it is for your gut. Keep your diet simple & fresh.

Get your sunshine

While you may be the sunshine in the lives of your loved ones, you should also learn to prioritize yourself for your own good. It can start from the simplest act of taking time for yourself to start your day with exercise and soaking in the sunshine.

“Never give from the depths of your well, but from your overflow.”

-Rumi

Mind and movement

It’s definitely not easy to cope up with the unprecedented flare-ups that come along with an autoimmune disorder but panicking and stressing over it can only make it worse. So try taking time out on an everyday basis to practice breathing exercises, meditation or any other mindful activity like journaling that can get your stress levels down.

Make movement part of your routine. Do gentle exercises, stretches and slow walking to keep yourself fit and healthy.

Rest and rejuvenate

Autoimmune disorders come with their own share of fatigue and flare-ups. So it’s only wise to listen to your body, say no to whatever/whoever drains your energy and choose rest and rejuvenation over anything else. Don’t hesitate to get your goodnight sleep or your beauty nap. Everything else can wait.

Slow yet conscious living

While you may be afraid of slow living being a boring and dragging life, it’s actually not so. Slow living is all about conscious living and it helps you be in the present, experience every little thing to its fullest which makes it rich in experience while compared to a fast-paced living rooted in FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

Go for a lifestyle that suits your body, helps you cope up with your flare-ups and other symptoms. Change your career if you may want to. Stay courageous to choose what’s the best for you and simply not toil to fit into the norms of society.

I bet, it definitely takes time to come to terms with an autoimmune disorder as it’s quite unpredictable and symptoms may vary from time to time. The wisest thing would be to listen to your body and redefine your “normal” to get into your healthiest version. It takes time but with slow and steady changes, it’s definitely possible to live a normal life with an autoimmune disorder.

This post is a part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.

Cheers to health & happiness.

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