There are many stories about other people’s lives changing in an instant, in a car accident, work-related injury or succumbing to a life-threatening infection. We hear about these on the news, on social media platforms or on the radio.
You feel sorry for them. You reflect on the tragedy and give silent thanks it didn’t happen to you. Phew, dodged a bullet, again.
Except sometimes the bullet finds its mark.
You never saw it coming.
You never thought it would happen to you.
It wasn’t supposed to happen.
Until it did.
The stealth bomber of chronic disease.
We used to get sick and die from infectious disease.
Today, thanks to the availability of antibiotics, antivirals, anti-fungals and vaccination, we are far less likely to succumb to infection.
Which is good.
But what we have to deal with now, is the growing burden of chronic disease.
And it affects many of us.
Fifty percent of Australian adults are living with one form of chronic disease.
Think, heart disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes, mental illness, osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.
It’s defined as a medical condition lasting six months or more.
It requires ongoing medical management and review.
It might require medication or other forms of therapy.
It may impact your ability to function as you did before the diagnosis.
You may have to change your job, take extended time off or even give up work.
Beyond that, 2:5 adults are living with two or more chronic diseases. This is because one diagnosis is often linked to what’s called other co-morbidities.
And the older you get, the greater your chance of adding more to your chronic disease portfolio. Oh, the joy.
Typically, the management of these will require you to see your GP or allied health practitioner on a regular basis. No matter how much you like and appreciate your GP, I’m sure you don’t want to be calling on their services every five minutes.
What’s also easy to overlook is the fact that being diagnosed with a chronic disease or illness isn’t about something that has just popped up overnight.
Small incremental changes have been taking place over time, unseen and unnoticed until the symptoms or signs become visible.
If you are someone like me who finds dealing with the winter sniffles and lurgies lasting just a couple of days an inconvenience and a bore, how would you cope with something that’s going to stay with you, potentially forever?
What if you had some strategies to potentially prevent the onset of future chronic illness?
The challenge of managing chronic illness.
When Tracey was diagnosed with anxiety, she was relieved to know that she hadn’t been imagining something wasn’t right.
She was grateful that treatment was available.
She was prescribed medication and referred to a psychologist.
But twelve months later she was still struggling with bothersome symptoms. She had had to reduce her working hours, and she and her partner were finding it tough to make the rent payments. Her partner had been initially supportive but was now angry that she hadn’t fully recovered. She was frustrated and upset and didn’t know what else to do.
Dealing with chronic ill-health comes riddled with guilt, shame and loneliness.
It can leave you asking, “why me?”.
You may find yourself grieving for what has been lost or for what might have been.
Disappointment and despair set in like winter.
However, help is at hand for people like Tracey.
Lifestyle medicine practitioners understand the challenges chronic disease brings. Their work is evidence-based, focusing on the root causes of disease and illness, not just the symptoms. The aim is to assist those living with chronic disease to find ways of better managing their condition and in some instances reversing it.
Health coaching is an integral part of lifestyle medicine, providing you with practical strategies to feel back in control.
This is not about being “coached,” rather, it’s a way of reclaiming your energy, developing a positive mindset and creating those healthy habits you know will work for you.
This is not about abandoning traditional medicine either. It’s a powerful adjunct that keeps you firmly in the driver’s seat moving towards better health and well-being.
What difference would it make for you, to find a way to manage your symptoms more effectively, to function better and return to getting the most out of your life?
This is why having the right support from someone who has the expertise and understands your situation is so important.
Now, you’re alive and kicking well.
Right now, I have two places left for my next well-being intake at $249 per session before prices go up August 1st.
To discover how you can better manage your chronic health condition, book your obligation-free call by scanning the QR code.
