Posted 6/8/2011 2:02 PM (GMT 0)
IMHO, diet matters, sleep patterns matter, self-awareness matters, exercise matters.
If I eat lots of fruits and veggies, avoid fatty foods, and enjoy alcohol and caffeine in moderation, I feel better. If I have a high-calorie high-fat meal, I feel worse afterwards. I have two margaritas at the Mexican restaurant, I feel worse.
I get eight-and-a-half hours of sleep, life is good. I get six, life is bad.
I have to make choices daily about what I can do, and what I want to do, and what I need to do. I cannot do it all, and I have to be mindful of what I do when. For instance, we had a plan of going canoeing on Friday this week. However, a heat-wave has hit the region, and the travel to the Potomac, the exercise, and the neat together is a poor idea for me. I might have been willing to be achey just for the experience, but the temperature just makes it impossible.
Another example of choice is daily chores. What needs to be done, what would you like to be done, what is necessary, and what is just nice?
If I don't exercise, I feel worse.
Honestly, the hardest part of the fibro diagnosis was learning my limits. Learning to listen when my body communicates.