In today's episode, I'm going to share with you why simplicity, when dealing with any chronic illness is helpful, and how simple shifts can make a huge difference in your own life. That's all coming up next right here on Embrace Your Healing Journey podcast.
Welcome to Embrace Your Healing Journey, a podcast for women with autoimmune and other chronic conditions to help them navigate the illness without fear of isolation and uncertainty and find relief from their symptoms. Your body is your guide and ally in healing. If you are ready to embrace this journey with compassion and awareness, then the show is free. During weekday, as I, a Functional medicine certified health coach, delivered tips and insights that demystify the healing process, guiding you towards the relief you deserve so that you can feel healthy and happy once more.
In each episode, I share pieces of inspiring poems, prose, stories, quotes that may help you to draw strength and inspiration as they have helped me in one way or another. For today, I want to share this excerpt from the superb book. It's called Atomic Habits- Tiny Changes, Remarkable result by James Clear. If you haven't checked out the book, I highly recommend it.
He says
All things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us, and the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.
he goes on to say
changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you're willing to stick with them for years. We all deal with setbacks, but in the long run, the quality of our lives often depends on the quality of our habits. With the same habits, you will end up with the same results, but with better habits.
Anything is possible and I want you to think over it. I want you to ponder about this. Anything is possible, even in terms of getting better, getting well, staying well either in mind, body, or spirit. No matter what your diagnosis. And this is exactly what we are talking about today in today's podcast episode, because I find that often a lot of us are actually confused and lost because we have been led to believe that managing chronic illnesses requires complex and overwhelming strategies. Yes, the disease may be quite complex. Maybe the contributing factors are quite complex, and there are many such factors, especially when it comes to chronic conditions like autoimmune disease. You know that I work with women without human conditions. However, the solutions need not be that complex,. Keeping aside medications and treatments which are which are often necessary to prevent further damage to make your symptoms more manageable. I am talking about the rest of it, the rest of it that we often are not really told about. So whether it's your lifestyle, whether it's your diet, whether it's your mindset, right, whether it's your habits, right.
As I just mentioned, I remember a client, Shweta, who worked with me. Years ago with a whole host of symptoms, including, you know, some immune dysregulation leading to her asthma leading to her eczema, some thyroid issues. And she was struggling to come to terms, you know, with the limitations that her disease had imposed on her life. And isn't that true for so many of us? There are so many limitations that are diseases often imposed on us. And she had tried everything from allopathy, steroids, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and the treatments had worked at various levels and stages but didn't work in others. So we started working together and we co-created a plan that involved her diet, food habits, daily routines, personal habits, and mindset. Right? All of this is actually important. And all of this is finally what the breakthrough was for her. And in her own words, this is what Shweta had to say after working with me, she says,
these changes are simple but not easy. And in order to help me break these huge shifts into small goals and achieving these small goals compounded into huge milestones, all this while actually enjoying the process and patting myself on the back every now and then while doing so.
You know, I see so many programs, so many health programs, courses that don't involve these critical pillars of long term health creation. And that's what I wanted to address when I actually created the framework that I call Body Wise Healing Framework. It's a three pillar framework that I use inside my one is to one individual coaching program for women with autoimmune conditions. That is called healing from within. And in this body wise healing framework, there are three pillars. And the first pillar is simplified because this whole process of getting well, navigating any chronic illness is so, so, you know, it can become so complicated and overwhelming that it, you know, people can really shut down,. They can stay lost and confused for many years. But healing doesn't have to be so complicated and difficult. And in fact, a lot of the foundations that you need to work on are actually quite simple. They may not be easy, but they are simple. And I'm going to talk about that today. So make sure that you are there till the end. I'm going to show you five ways that you can share with you, five ways that you can do that. See, living with a chronic condition is already hard enough. You don't need to make it harder on yourself when you're trying to get better.
Quite the opposite, in fact. You know when you start making these small shifts, it can make a huge difference for you in the long run. 1s So you may be feeling frustrated and disheartened with trying out so many different diets, lifestyle changes and, you know, other protocols without seeing any tangible or maybe sustainable results. Or you may be experiencing a range of symptoms that seem to persist no matter what you keep trying. And perhaps you're dealing with chronic fatigue that leaves you barely able to get through the day, or persistent pain that makes it so difficult to enjoy your life, to play with your children, to go and have enjoy a meal with your family. Or you may be struggling with digestive issues like bloating, constipation, diarrhea that just flares up without any warning
The real problem causing these symptoms isn't a lack of complexity in your treatment approach. It's not that you're not doing the best that you can. It's not that you know you're not using a quite a complicated protocol. In fact, by constantly chasing after the latest diet, the latest treatment, or trying to stick to rigid, overwhelming protocols without ever uncovering the root causes that's driving your disease progression, you may actually be exacerbating your symptoms. That means you may actually be hindering your progress. And the symptoms actually may be, you know, getting aggravated.
And the issue is that we have been conditioned to believe that healing has to be hard, that we need to constantly push ourselves and do more in order to get better. Right? Instead of instead of tuning in, instead of relaxing, instead of listening to what our body is trying to tell us, we actually are taught to ignore our body's wisdom and continue to rely on external inputs like experts or complicated regimens to fix us, because that's the only way that we believe that we can get better and we can get fixed. But this mindset of constantly striving, constantly pushing ourselves can actually create more stress and anxiety. And that itself can drive your disease progression. You don't need more of stress and anxiety that's already there. You know, when you're dealing with any chronic illness, you need to have less of that. Because that itself can worsen symptoms and make it harder to heal. Because when you are constantly in a state of fight or flight, constantly trying to control every aspect of your health, you don't give your body the rest that it needs. You don't give your body a chance to heal and to repair. You know, the restorative practices that I keep talking about in all my podcast episodes that often goes missing.
And as I mentioned earlier, this belief in complexity over simplicity can lead us to actually overlook these same foundational aspects of health, the same things that can actually make you get better and see long term sustainable results are often missing things like getting enough sleep, nourishing our bodies with whole foods, staying hydrated, incorporating mindful eating practices uh, moving our bodies in gentle ways when we are in pain, cultivating joy and connection. All of these are often missing and. We may dismiss these simple practices as not enough, or maybe not as effective, but actually they play an important role in finding true and sustainable healing. And that's what it's all about. It's about if you're trying to build, you know, construct a building, you need to have a very strong foundation, right? And if you are building a really tall one, then your foundation has to go really deep. And, you know, in the foundation is weak, then you can't, you know, really be sure of the quality of that construction.
So if you are like most people living with chronic illness, you may have tried different approaches to manage your symptoms. Perhaps you've gone down the rabbit hole of restrictive diets, cutting out more and more foods in an attempt to identify triggers and calm your system.
I had a client who was in this position, right, who was in this situation. She had cut out most of the foods from her, from her diet, and she hardly had anything to eat. And as a result, she was dealing with a lot of deficiencies and imbalances. And I had to find a way to get back those foods into her diet in a very slow and systematic manner. You may have also spent countless hours researching the latest supplements on natural remedies, investing in expensive products that promised to be the missing piece in your healing journey. And maybe you've tried various forms of exercise or movement, pushing yourself to do even more when your body is screaming for rest. And you may have worked with multiple health care providers, specialists you know, each hour, each of whom has offered you different perspective and different protocol, different treatment options, leaving you feeling confused and overwhelmed about which path to follow.
And the saddest thing is, despite all these efforts, you may find yourself struggling, still struggling with persistent symptoms, never quite reaching the level of health and vitality that you really want. Because the truth is, while some of these approaches may offer temporary relief or benefits, they often fail to address the underlying causes of your illness, and this can leave you feeling more depleted and frustrated because you're trying so many things. You are trying so hard. It's not a lack of effort, right?
It's a it's the approach that you are taking, and it's the perspective that we typically have when it comes to chronic condition. Because true healing is not about finding the perfect diet supplement or treatment protocol. This is something that I have to, you know, you know, tell my clients again and again. I have to remind them again and again. It's not about forcing yourself to adhere to a rigid set of rules or pushing yourself beyond your body's limits.
It's about coming back to the basics, listening to what your body has been trying to tell you, your body's innate wisdom, and making small, sustainable shifts that support your unique needs. In fact, I think this is something that, um. The differentiates my program from, uh, the, you know, some of the other programs out there. And, um, this is something that I focus a lot on, and I constantly have to remind my clients that it is these small, sustainable shifts that can make all the difference. So what can you do instead?
Here's what I recommend. These are five things that you can do from today.
Number one of course, is embrace simplicity. So instead of trying to manage your chronic illness with complicated, overwhelming strategies, focus on the foundations of good health. That I keep talking about this, uh, in in this podcast. And I'll share a couple of episodes below where I've talked about them. This means that you're making sure that you've got enough sleep. You're nourishing your body with the right foods for your body's needs. You are staying hydrated. You are practicing maybe meditation, self-compassion, gratitude. You know, it's all about not only the diet, the different protocol, but it's also about the mindset It's a lot of these things about cultivating joy and connection. The simple things, the simple pleasures in your life. You know, that we often end up overlooking.
Number two is letting go of perfectionism. So release the pressure. I give you permission to release the pressure to do everything perfectly, or follow strict rules or protocols. Instead, adopt a mindset of self-compassion and flexibility. And I think this is another thing that differentiates, you know, the way I approach, uh, getting better or healing from any chronic illness and many others because I, um, I allow and I teach my clients to embrace self-compassion because you will make a mistake, that you will slip up. So it is very important that you know, uh, that you can forgive yourself so that you can move on and stay on track. And you need to be, uh, you know, flexible. There are certain things that happen in life. So you need to know when to and when you're off track and how you can get back on track. And that's what creates sustainable healing.
Number three is tune in to your body signal. So pay attention to how your body is feeling in response to different foods, activities, and stressors. Right? Again, this is something that you need to do very consciously so that you can make intuitive choices that support your body's healing. So because your body has a tremendous capacity for self regulation and healing, but it needs your support. It needs the right conditions. I call it a healing environment. So you need to figure out how you can create a healing environment where your body can actually thrive and not just survive.
Number four is focus on joy and connection. To meet time for activities and relationships that bring joy, laughter, and a sense of connection. That means making your family a priority. I'm sure your family is already a priority, but somehow we lose sight of the simple pleasures of spending time. You know, playing board games, doing simple things, enjoying a meal together. These are things that we can do every single day, no matter how busy we are, no matter how ill we are. In the sense there is something that we can do together. So I always encourage my clients to find these ways to make meaningful connections with their loved ones. It can help reduce stress, boost your mood, and support your overall healing process. It's as important as any medication that you take or any treatment that you might follow.
Number five celebrate your progress. So acknowledge and celebrate the small victories along the way. Then, rather than just getting caught up in the end goal. So whether it's sticking to a breakfast routine, whether it's taking a bath before bedtime, whether it's actually creating a bedtime ritual, maybe it's a gratitude journal. No matter what you've been able to do, what you have been able to follow. Recognize that each simple action is taking you closer to your goals.
So here are the five things that I recommend. Once again. One is embrace simplicity. Number two is let go of perfectionism. Number three is tune in to your body's signals. Number four is focus on joy and connection. And number five is celebrate your progress. So these are simple foundational process practices, but you can create a solid base for managing your chronic illness just by practicing this, you know, on a regular basis. It also helps to you to create the resiliency that you need to overcome any challenges that may come in your way. And you know there will be ups and downs. A healing is never a linear process. There will be ups and downs that will come along the way. So it will help you to deal with all that.
Because healing is not about doing things perfectly. It's about consistently showing up for yourself. It's about being committed to your own health and showing up with compassion. Not judging yourself for the things that you can't do. So in fact, you will, you know, hear me talking about compassion in law because I believe compassion is a missing piece in many people's healing journeys, and it makes it so much more difficult to stay on track and see results. So embracing simplicity in your approach is so important because it allows you to tap into your body's innate healing capability, and it helps you to create long lasting changes. That's what you want, isn't it? You want not only to get well, but to stay well. And it is possible. It is possible to heal, you know, in some form or the other when it's mind, body, or even spirit for that matter.
So when you focus on the foundations of good health, you're giving your body the basic building blocks. So by letting go of the pressure to do everything you know perfectly or follow everything to the tee, you create space for self-compassion, flexibility, and you know it. It allows you to get back on track when you do slip up. Like when you, you know, when if you're, uh, not feeling too well and something, you know, you eat something that you're not supposed to be eating and you know, it's not going to help. But that's okay. You can actually come back on track. It happens to all of my clients. It happens to everyone, right? We are human, after all. But the very fact that we are able to show ourselves that kindness can actually, you know, helps us to stay on track, helps us to make these sustainable, lifelong changes. That gives us this lifelong results. And by tuning into your body's unique signals and needs, you can develop a sense of self-awareness and self-trust. This is what you need. This kind of relationship is what you need with yourself and your body. You need to because this helps you to recognize what foods, what activities, and what environments you know make you feel your best so that you can actually create that around you.
And this is a lifelong journey, my friend, right. This is not going to end in a week or two weeks or six months. This is going to continue. It's going to evolve. So the more self-trust that you have, the more aware you are. It's just going to help you. And uh, focusing on joy and connection, I just talked about anything that brings you happiness, laughter, a sense of belonging. You know, we talk so much about vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, we don't really talk enough about vitamin J for joy. Vitamin L, Alpha love vitamin P for pleasure. We don't talk about these enough, and without these, we can't really thrive as human beings. You know, we are wired for social connections. We are right for meaningful connections, right? We can't really thrive without it. And finally celebrating your progress, no matter how small, is essential for maintaining motivation and momentum. I cannot emphasize this enough. In each and every of my client sessions. I start the session by asking this question what are you celebrating today? And by that I don't mean my client has to tell me an amazing, amazing thing that happened to her. I what I mean is something small, something medium big can be anything that she has been able to do, or she know something that happened to her that she feels like celebrating. It can be the smile of her loved one. It can be a hug from her child. It can be the warm meal that she cooked for herself or somebody cook for her. Anything that you know you feel like celebrating. It helps you to build confidence, resiliency, and a sense of empowerment. It gives you the energy and the strength to keep going.
Because ultimately, embracing simplicity in your approach to managing chronic illness is about recognizing that you have the power to make healthy choices. And because you need to support, nobody else can do it like you, you need to support your body, the healing process, and that you have the power to make meaningful, sustainable changes in your health and well-being one small step at a time. If you have any questions, you can connect with me on Instagram at @aninditarungta
thank you so much for joining me today for this episode of Embrace Your Healing Journey podcast. In the next episode, I will be talking about a very important and a much awaited topic.
It's called Beyond Quick Fixes. Find True Healing with Functional Medicine, where you will learn more about functional medicine and how it can help you find lasting relief from chronic health issues. By addressing root causes and tailoring a holistic plan for your unique needs. Don't miss it! Your body knows how to heal. Are you ready to support it?
