3 Steps to Put the Brakes on Your Next Flare-Up

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Katherine Greene Housh, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.

You know the feeling – the first twinge of pain, flush of fever, or wave of nausea. Like the check engine light in your car, your body has sounded a warning.

How do you handle it? Do you stop and pull over to figure out what’s wrong or do you push through the discomfort? After all, you are in a rush and people are counting on you – you can’t afford to stop! Tell me though, can you really afford not to?

The next time you find yourself in this uncomfortable position, try these three steps to avoid the even greater inconvenience of a blow-out on the side of the road (pun intended).

1. Rest

Do you know what “healthy” people do when they have sudden onset pain, fever or nausea? They take a sick day. They clear their calendar, crawl under the covers, eat chicken noodle soup, and nap all day if necessary.

The fact that you are a woman with a chronic illness does not mean that you have to behave any differently simply because these “sick days” may occur more frequently. That is not your fault.

In fact, the more often you push through your symptoms now, the more likely you are to suffer a major exacerbation in the near future. If you can’t afford to take one day to heal now, I can almost guarantee you won’t be able to afford an extended hospitalization a few months from now.

So do this for yourself: Treat yourself the way you would treat your child or a friend if they were sick with the flu. Stay home. Call in sick to work. Hire a babysitter. Turn off the phones. Get in your pajamas. Crawl under the covers and do whatever you need to do to feel better today. I give you permission.

2. Reflect

While you are snuggled there in bed, this is the time to do some thinking. Not the negative, self-blaming, destructive kind (though you are allowed to indulge in a healthy dose of self-pity since you are sick), but the positive, self-affirming, productive kind.

You know your mind, body, and soul better than anyone else. You’ve been living in it for decades now and you have ridden out the up and downs of chronic illness in a way that no one but you will ever fully understand.

There are times you’ve felt that your body let you down and deserted you in your darkest moments, but there are also the times you have witnessed firsthand its incredible healing powers when given the right tools and environment.

Ask yourself: What do you need to do to start healing right now?

I firmly believe that flare-ups do not happen by mere coincidence. Not that you are to blame, mind you, but that even if on the surface there may seem to be no logical reason for the sudden shift in your body’s functioning, if we dig deep enough we can begin to identify some of the triggers.

So tell me, have there been any major changes in your routine? New stresses at work? Trauma in close relationships? Or maybe a new food you introduced into your diet?

Sometimes the answers to these questions are readily apparent if we calm our minds and listen intently to our own body’s intuition. On the other hand, it can be helpful to consult experts such as a licensed mental health counselor for psychological stresses, a physician for medication and treatment changes, or a nutritionist for diet modifications. Whatever your concern, you can find the support you need.

3. Renew

Now that you have taken the time to rest and identified some of the culprits behind your symptoms, where do you go from here? It’s time to put to good use your expert skills and engage in some intense self-care. Let your body be your guide.

Have you ever noticed that when an old scab falls off, it’s nearly undetectable, but that when a new scab is ripped off, it results in pain and fresh blood? Your body is saying it was too soon to reveal the vulnerable skin below its protective cover!

Your body is made this way for a reason. If you try to take off running before you are ready, it will scream at you! Listen to it. Otherwise, you will be right back at step one.

Learn which foods are nourishing for you. Eat them. Explore which types of gentle movements are invigorating for you. Do them. Engage in breathing exercises that are calming to you. Practice them. Continue doing these things on a daily basis until they become second nature to you and when you are ready – slowly step back in to your routine. Your life will still be there waiting for you, I promise.