Psoriatic Arthritis Journal 2- Equation for Change
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:32 pm
After three and a half years of great success in managing my psoriatic arthritis, I am ready for a new chapter.My old journal is practically a behemoth, and I am ready for a fresh start with my new found health.
At this point, my goal for the diet is to maintain my adherence despite my good health, which can be tricky since there are less reminders that the food you are eating might not be doing you good when you are pain-free. However, I am not too concerned about that - my one foray off plan a few years ago had such terrible consequences that I still feel slightly traumatized, and I have conversed with enough people online with autoimmune diseases who use diet to manage them to have learned that there is a trend to each slip being harder to recover from than the last. I do not want to throw away all this hard work in the slightest, and no truly unhealthy foods call to me at all, except coffee occasionally. But one moment's reflection as to how I'd really feel having a coffee (anxious, hyper, stomach ache, some other unmentionable digestive issues etc.) is always enough to keep me away.
Secondary goals are career-related and fitness-related. A good four years of being unable to focus on career has really made me antsy to GET GOING AND DO BIG THINGS, but my goals have changed and I need a new game plan. I am very grateful to my illness in many ways for helping me to whittle down to what the most important things are in life, and I would like to remember that and not get caught up in competing over things I am not really invested or interested in. I also appreciate how being sick has taught me patience, and the value of many small steps leading to a greater accomplishment.
In terms of fitness, I have been gradually building my strength and endurance to a point now where I feel confident in making some goals to strive for, although I have not yet decided what they will be. One thing I am working on for sure is getting back my flexibility - long-term pain and immobility have left tightness and weakness in many areas, and I know I'll feel even better working those kinks out.
I saw this the other day, and I loved it as a map for making changes, so I am posting it here to remind myself of the Equation whenever I need a boost:
At this point, my goal for the diet is to maintain my adherence despite my good health, which can be tricky since there are less reminders that the food you are eating might not be doing you good when you are pain-free. However, I am not too concerned about that - my one foray off plan a few years ago had such terrible consequences that I still feel slightly traumatized, and I have conversed with enough people online with autoimmune diseases who use diet to manage them to have learned that there is a trend to each slip being harder to recover from than the last. I do not want to throw away all this hard work in the slightest, and no truly unhealthy foods call to me at all, except coffee occasionally. But one moment's reflection as to how I'd really feel having a coffee (anxious, hyper, stomach ache, some other unmentionable digestive issues etc.) is always enough to keep me away.
Secondary goals are career-related and fitness-related. A good four years of being unable to focus on career has really made me antsy to GET GOING AND DO BIG THINGS, but my goals have changed and I need a new game plan. I am very grateful to my illness in many ways for helping me to whittle down to what the most important things are in life, and I would like to remember that and not get caught up in competing over things I am not really invested or interested in. I also appreciate how being sick has taught me patience, and the value of many small steps leading to a greater accomplishment.
In terms of fitness, I have been gradually building my strength and endurance to a point now where I feel confident in making some goals to strive for, although I have not yet decided what they will be. One thing I am working on for sure is getting back my flexibility - long-term pain and immobility have left tightness and weakness in many areas, and I know I'll feel even better working those kinks out.
I saw this the other day, and I loved it as a map for making changes, so I am posting it here to remind myself of the Equation whenever I need a boost: