Immune-boosting Supplement Regime

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” ― Hippocrates

Supplements mentioned:

Bio-Kult probiotic

Vitabiotics Immunace

Fushi Organic Spirulina

Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract

Other helpful videos for immune-boosting/overall wellbeing:

Mood-boosting and body-boosting foods

What do you do to boost your immune system? Have any favourite supplements?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Top Health Apps and Trackers

“I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.” – Herman Hesse

March In Review video

Apps:

C25K

Runkeeper

Strava

Sworkit

Breathing Zone (on iTunes) 

Breathing Zone (on Android)

Headspace

Period Tracker (on Android)

Period Tracker (on iTunes)

Lifesum

Other useful wellbeing videos from Life In Recovery:

Nutrition

Sleep

Getting active after being bedbound

Gym workouts


Do you use health trackers or apps? Technophobe or tech-lover? What are some of your favourites?


How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Answering your questions - Walking

A video answering a viewer's questions about walking.

Lao Tzu - "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

More information from Life In Recovery on walking:

Article on the benefits of walking

Video on walking for your health

Video on getting active after being bedbound

Video on basic gym workouts and exercise

Video on progressing gym workouts (including step-by-step routine)

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Alopecia and Hair Loss

Dealing with hair loss and alopecia areata.

Coping with Alopecia - http://www.alopeciaonline.org.uk/coping-with-alopecia.asp

National Alopecia Areata Foundation - www.naaf.org

Alopecia UK - www.alopeciaonline.org.uk/

http://www.alopeciaworld.com

Have your own story of hair loss? Let me know in the comments how it affected you.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Wellbeing Basics: My Guest Series for The Olive Fox

Just a little post announcing some exciting news - I'm writing a Wellbeing Basics series for online magazine The Olive Fox.

I was sent an email by the lovely duo Suzy and Beth, that are The Olive Fox, asking if I wanted to write monthly for their online magazine and I (of course) said yes!

I came up with the idea of writing a Basics series for their Wellbeing section. In it I will address all the 'basics' - sleeping, eating, breathing, exercising, laughing, relaxing, crying, loving (and that's just for starters)! Article by article, month by month, I will write a piece covering each 'basic' to help you create a stable, balanced and holistic lifestyle.

The first in the series is all about sleep and can be found here.

Do you have any ideas for other posts that cover the basics of life? Write a comment below or use the links and let me know - I'd love to hear what you consider a life essential...

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

UK Blog Awards 2016 - VOTING HAS OPENED! #UKBA16

For the first post of the year it's an exciting one! Voting has opened for the 2016 UK Blog Awards...

Life In Recovery has been nominated in two categories this year - Health & Social Care and Best Storyteller.

When the blog was nominated I was asked to answer the question 'Why Vote For Me/The Blog?' the answer was pretty simple in the end: Illness (in it's many shapes and forms) can touch us all - no matter who we are. Health should be looked after, valued and nurtured; issues should be discussed; knowledge and experience shared. No-one should ever feel alone, lost, unheard or ashamed. If you believe this too - vote for Life In Recovery - a blog that tries to make a difference.

Voting opens today 4th January and closes on 25th January, so you don't have long to cast your votes!

So...if you'd like to vote for me - how can you?

• All votes are cast via the blog's profile page here (or click on the picture above).

• Once you're on the blog's profile page you will see a big 'Vote Now' button - press it!

• Because Life In Recovery is up for two categories you will have the choice to vote for both of the categories from a drop-down list on the page. 

• Please note, you can vote for each category, but this has to be done separately.

• Once you have entered your name and email address you will receive a confirmation email to say your vote has been registered. Hurrah!

• You can vote on mobile devices and desktop computers once a day...so you aren't limited to one vote! So that's one vote per person per day. Meaning (if you want) you can vote every day until the deadline!

It's a massive honour to be 'in the mix' with some incredibly talented people and companies - all who bring something special and individual to their corners of the internet. 

I urge you to have a browse through some of the other nominees!

I really appreciate and value all of your feedback, support and readership. This blog wouldn't be what it is without each and every one of you - so thank you!

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Reflections - things I learned from 2015

For the second of my 'Goodbye 2015; Hello 2016' blog posts I am writing a list of some of the things I learned in 2015.
Again, I feel like it's a good way to reflect on the past year and maybe one or two of these things might chime a bell with you.

• Sometimes I can't see what's right in front of me

• Sometimes I don't want to see what's right in front of me

• I can procrastinate like a boss

• I can't use phrases like "like a boss"

• First impressions can be very right

• First impressions can be very wrong

• How to use a semi-colon properly; life-changing

• Being kind to yourself is hard

• I always pack too much stuff

• I'd rather regret something I did than regret something I didn't do

• If it feels wrong it probably is 

• Decent haircuts in London don't have to cost the earth 

• Those little blue ticks on WhatsApp are the best thing

• Those little blue ticks on WhatsApp are the worst thing

• Trust your gut

• Forgiving others is easier than forgiving yourself 

• If you really want to spend time with someone you will - and if someone really wants to spend time with you they will

• If you're unsure about something just wait 

• Waterproof eyeliner/mascara ain't always so waterproof

• Just because you feel negatively about yourself doesn't mean it's true - or that other people feel the same about you 

• Wait until lasagne is cold before portioning it up for the freezer or things get very messy

• Even when you feel like your whole world is imploding you can still keep going (and it's probably not your "whole" world)

• Things do get better 

• Pacing is not overrated 

• I'm still recovering 

• Work and studies can get you through tough times

• Friends and family can get you through tough times

• YOU can get yourself through tough times 

• If you can't trust yourself you can't expect others to

• Don't say one thing and do another 

• Be consistent and congruent 

• Honesty is the best policy - especially with yourself 

• Listen to your body

• It's okay to ask for help 

• Don't see everything as a battle

• It's okay to feel like you don't know what you're doing

• However much you plan you will never be able to outwit fate/The Gods/time/death/accidents/illness/anything and everything else

• Happiness feels amazing

• I can surprise myself just as much as others can surprise me

• Life is an incredible, surprising, wonderful thing 

What did 2015 teach you?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

UK Blog Awards 2016 - #UKBA16

Sooooo...it's that time of year again when the amazing UK Blog Awards open up and this year Life In Recovery has been entered into two of the categories; ODEON Cinema Headline Award: Best Storyteller and Health & Social Care!

I'm incredibly excited and pleased that the blog is taking part again this year. Last year was a great experience; connecting with lots of fabulous bloggers/vloggers/creatives who fill the internet with some incredible, powerful and inspiring content.

Voting won't open until January 4th 2016 and I'll be sure to keep you all informed - so stay tuned! You can follow all the chat and discover other blogs entered into the UK Blog Awards 2016 by checking out the #UKBA16 feed on Twitter.

As ever, I massively appreciate all of you reading, watching and reacting to the (far too infrequent) bits and bobs I create on this blog.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Work: How to apply for a job if you've been chronically ill

If you've got to the stage where your health permits you to seek out work, then this video contains some helpful guidance on how to frame your ill-health.

Useful Links:

http://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/disclosing-illness-to-employer

http://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/blog/2013/march/how-to-explain-a-gap-in-your-cv

http://www.irishjobs.ie/careeradvice/writing-a-cv-if-you-have-been-long-term-unemployed-or-on-long-term-sick-leave/

http://www.michaelpage.co.uk/career-centre/cover-letter-and-cv-advice/how-to-explain-gaps-in-employment-on-your-cv

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say, so please do leave a comment below.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Education: How to apply to University with Extenuating Circumstances

This video contains some guidance about how to let universities know about extenuating circumstances and the steps you can take to make things easier.

UCAS website - www.ucas.com

The Student Room threads on extenuating circumstances - www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1402531
www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1614940

Common problems (including extenuating circumstances) - www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/university-personal-statement-issues.html

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say - please do comment below!

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Anniversary - two years on from hospital...

This time last year I uploaded a post that I had written on my personal Facebook page to mark the one year anniversary of leaving hospital. I wrote a pre-cursor to this saying:
"I have just written a 'status update' on my personal Facebook page to my friends and it occurred to me that I also want to say thank you to all of YOU. So I'm going to paste in what I wrote word-for-word on here. 
This isn't something I thought I would ever feel comfortable doing. I try to keep Life In Recovery and my personal life reasonably separate. Not because I am ashamed of the blog but because I think it works better if I don't use this as a platform to air my private life and that I use my past and present experiences in a constructive way to help others who may be struggling. That won't be changing.
Keeping this blog, creating videos and posting little (or a lotta) bits on Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I hope to continue the work I have only just started and love interacting and discovering all of you 'out there.' This is why I felt it was relevant to post the message I sent to my friends and family to you all as well."

You can read last years full post here in all it's gushy glory!

I am not going to re-word that pre-cursor for this year, as I think it sums up exactly how I feel now. Again, this is not something I would usually do (or feel comfortable with) but it does seem very appropriate and something I want to share on this platform. 

So, for a second year running, here goes...

"Some of you may know that today marks a significant anniversary for me. Today - August 5th - marks two years since I was discharged from hospital. (And no, don't worry...I'm not going to be doing this every year..!)

Last year I wrote about how thankful, amazed and appreciative I was to have a chance to live a happy and full life. Nothing about that has changed. Except maybe that I am more sure, more certain and more definite that that 'chance' is now more of a certainty - I am living, and will continue to live, that happy and full life thanks to so many people.

If I thought that first year out of hospital was an eventful and momentous one then I was unprepared for this year! I have no words left to describe how this second year has been. It has been indescribably *more* than I ever expected.

I don't want to bleat on about each individual milestone or experience...you were probably witness to a lot of those anyway! What I do want to say is that the last year was one of the best years of my life. That's not to say that it was perfect and it has had it's rocky patches, but that only makes the year all the more real and true. Those difficult times have taught me a lot, both about myself and others, and they have made the countless wonderful and overwhelmingly positive times so much more authentic. At times I have been unable to contain my excitement and happiness about everything that has happened this year. I have often had to pinch myself and I continue to be amazed and humbled by all the loveliness!

Just as I did last time, I want to thank you all for your friendship, support and for the shared experiences we have had together. I have met lots of amazing people this year who, along with the lovely people who read my post last year, have added so much to this year.

To the friends and family who have seen up close the changes these past couple of years have brought and who've been there with a solid shoulder, a helping hand, a beaming smile or a thumbs up - thank you.

I think the phrase 'wonderful and overwhelmingly positive' pretty much sums up the year. I'm so excited and curious to see what this next year will bring us all."

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Jargon Buster - Psychosomatic

A short film explaining the meaning of the word 'Psychosomatic'.

"Your body hears everything your mind says" - Naomi Judd

Links to online information:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mind-body-connection/201306/chronic-pain-syndrome-and-other-psychosomatic-illness

http://staroversky.com/blog/psychosomatic-illness

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/psychosomatic-disorders

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Drugs and Medication: It's re-think time!

I got an email from a lovely lady called Judy from The American Recall Center asking if I would like to contribute a blog post to help raise awareness about the importance of drug safety. The reason they wanted a post is because this week (January 26th - 31st) is National Drug Facts Week. 
As I believe strongly in being as informed as possible about medications and drug therapies I thought it seemed like a great opportunity to join the conversation and write a piece for National Drug Facts Week. Thank you to Judy for bringing this to my attention (and thinking of my blog!) and also for providing the informative pictures included below.

This is going to sound like a silly statement to make but I'm going to make it anyway...It's really important to understand what the medication you're taking is, why exactly you're on it and what it aims to do for you.

So many of us are now on some kind of prescriptive medication or taking over-the-counter drugs.

In western society we 'pop' pills like they're Tic Tacs, often with no thought to what the medications are really for, what prolonged use of them can mean or whether they're actually solving the problem.

I'm not trying to scare-monger, nor am I advocating ditching medications. Far from it. Many conditions require the use of drugs to control or lessen symptoms. There's no disputing that. I myself have, over the years, needed a cocktail of drugs to manage symptoms and try to 'cure' my ill health.

However, there's also no disputing the fact that a lot of the time we may not fully grasp the impact that taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications has on our psyches and our bodies.

All I'm aiming to do with this short post is to highlight the need for us all to be a little more selective and careful when adopting new drugs or medication regimes. 

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if there is anything you can do that will compliment or support your health, without the sole help of medication or even before you try taking medication.

Would a more holistic approach to well-being not reduce the amount of unnecessary antibiotics, antidepressants, sleeping pills etc. that are prescribed?

An holistic approach could involve looking at the underlying cause for repeated infections, insomnia, low mood etc. I believe that the stresses and strains of modern life can make us more susceptible to becoming run-down. 

Some doctors fail to grasp the need to ask questions of their patients, to be more sensitive to their needs and to have empathy with their ills and ailments. Those few extra minutes of concern and care may alleviate the patient's worries and address their concerns. This could help set about a positive chain of results, rather than ending up with the patient clutching a sheaf of prescriptions for unnecessary drugs, which may end up masking the main problem.

It's not necessarily a simple solution as it would involve a rather radical re-think in mainstream medicine. However, I believe it's an achievable and important solution to an endemic problem.

Let's start seeing, hearing and treating people as a whole.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Christmas - Help to get through the festive season

(Please excuse the ridiculous screenshot!)

A short film with guidance on coping during the festive season.

Blog post with more information: http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/merry-christmas-from-life-in-recovery.html

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!” Dr Seuss - How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

WEGO Health Activist Awards Nominee

Yet another announcement! You may be aware that Life In Recovery was recently entered into the UK Blog Awards and is up for Best Health Blog and the Young Person Recognition award too.
Further to this news I was delighted to learn that Life In Recovery has also been nominated for two WEGO Health Activist Awards.

The following is an excerpt from WEGO Health's website giving more information on the awards and the organisation.

"WEGO Health is a different kind of social network, built for the community leaders, bloggers and tweeters who are actively involved in health online. WEGO Health is a platform for committed Health Activists to foster new relationships, gain access to helpful resources, and grow their communities. Our goal is to equip our network with opportunities designed for the active contributor, relevant content, powerful educational resources and shareable interactive media."

"The WEGO Health Activist Awards were created to embody the mission of WEGO Health: to empower Health Activists. We connect with so many inspiring Health Activists who raise awareness, share information, support their communities, and much more - often without recognition. The WEGO Health network is centred around Health Activists, so we knew it was up to us to tell these leaders how great they are! We wanted to celebrate those who have made a difference and thus, the Awards were born. We've since found that these Awards are one of the best ways to introduce new Health Activists to the online community and have community members say "thank you" to the leaders they love."

Life In Recovery has been nominated for the Best In Show: YouTube and for Best Kept Secret awards. The way the awards work is that each individual or organisation creates a Nominee Profile once they have been nominated. People then have the opportunity to 'endorse' this profile.
An endorsement is a way to give nominees a visual show of support. The endorsement button is on each Nominee’s Profile and you can also see the number of endorsements that each nominee has received. The three nominees in each award category with the highest number of endorsements will automatically become finalists. You can select an award to endorse from a drop down menu. In Life In Recovery's case there is the option to endorse one or both awards and you can find the profile here: https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/7691

 

There are so many wonderful and inspiring individuals and organisations on the WEGO Health Activist Awards site, so please have a browse and feel free to endorse anybody who strikes a chord with you.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Mood-boosting foods and the science behind them

A film on the importance of a healthy diet and the science behind mood-boosting, body-energising, immune-strengthening food.

'One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.' Virginia Woolf (British novelist) A Room of One's Own (essay)

'Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.' Dorothy Day (American journalist)

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Useful Sites/Links - Introducing you to GeesGang

I have recently become aware of a new website and charity called GeesGang.
Set up and run by someone who suffers from depression to help benefit those who are struggling and suffering under the weight of mental illness.

So what's GeesGang's mission? (Direct quote from their website) "To train as a Talking Therapist costs over a £1000.00 and our mission is to raise enough money to pay for people to train as therapists to help the 1 in 4 adults and kids that desperately need their help. We’d also like to open a free phone call centre where people can ring in privacy and know with confidence that the person at the other end of the line can help them. Get Therapists into schools and colleges to help the kids that may be struggling with everyday life."
I personally think this is a hugely admirable mission statement.

You can check out the GeesGang website here. They're also on Twitter and Facebook.

I have been lucky enough to be included on their site http://geesgang.com/recovery and am so pleased that they have lots of other useful information for people including diet, exercise and details on different therapies.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Tackling the obstacles in getting active after being bedbound/bedridden

This is a video about some of the more obscure problems you may experience (and how you can deal with them) if you are slowly starting to get back on your feet after being bedridden or bed bound during a chronic illness.

'Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.' Thomas A. Edison

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say.

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Realities of Recovery: Navigating the sometimes treacherous waters of recovery

What is the best word to describe the opposite of illness? Health, wellness, being disease free are all great options to use. However, what if you’re not exactly ‘well’ and also not entirely ‘unwell’? I would imagine the words recovering, recuperating and healing might come to mind. But what does it really mean to experience them? Everybody knows what being well means and, unfortunately, many people also know what ill health involves however when you are going through a recovery process that can be months or years long it is harder to quantify. Obviously people’s experiences will all differ in many things but I'm going to try to cover some of the important things you may encounter if you are slowly regaining health after chronic illness. I felt moved to write this as I am experiencing exactly this phase and have come across many things that I didn't realise would be involved in recovery and many subtle elements that can all add up to make you feel overwhelmed, lost, tired, frustrated and a multitude of other unpleasant feelings that are not beneficial to overall good health.

·         Bruises – Six months on and I am still picking up bruises very easily. My guess would be that my body simply isn't used to going through the motions of everyday life yet. My knees and feet seem to always have bruises over them. Some people recommend rubbing arnica onto fresh bruises to speed up healing. I haven’t found a way to stop getting bruised (apart from never going near anything ever again!) but I think once my body has adjusted it won’t happen so much.

·         Forgetting to take your medication (for people who self-administer) – I found this happened to me for the first couple of weeks after I came out of hospital. When you’re an inpatient you have very set times for taking medication and a nurse will bring you them so there’s no chance of missing a dose. However once you’re home there’s usually no constant reminder. Obviously it’s very important to take anything you have been prescribed but I think it’s also important to take medication/supplements at the same time each day so your body can maintain it’s equilibrium more easily. Initially I set an alarm for each of the medicines I was taking (as I take them at different times throughout the day/night) and once I got into a good routine I stopped the alarm system and I haven’t missed a dose since! For those of you not so technologically minded then a note by the side of your bed may work or one by your kettle/toothbrush/front door may help to jog your memory.

·         Blisters and general feet issues – This has been one of those problems that I had never considered. I was bed-bound/bedridden for years and once I was starting to walk again I found that my feet couldn't tolerate shoes for a while. I wore slippers and then moved onto pumps and then trainers to help with support and comfort while getting used to walking again. Blisters and cuts were and still are a problem. When you haven’t walked for a long time your feet lose their calluses and hardened skin. Those of you who spend hours moisturising your feet to get them baby soft in the summer months will probably be wrinkling your noses in disgust but that tougher skin is there for a reason.  The parts of your feet that get the most pressure and wear need to be harder than the rest of the skin on your body. I found a good way of speeding up the calluses forming was to apply surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol) to the areas needed. The blisters are unavoidable but I have found that putting blister plasters over them is the most comfortable way to cushion them so that you don’t stop walking because of the discomfort. I tried many different types of plasters, bandages and surgical-grade dressings but the hands-down winner has to be Compeed blister plasters. The most important thing is to not stop walking when you are trying to relearn things like gait, pacing etc. Putting progress on hold while waiting for blisters to heal will only makes things more difficult and also the chances are you’ll immediately get another blister when you restart. I'm afraid it’s another case of grin and bear it or make that - slap a Compeed plaster on them and keep going!

·         Changes in the outside world and adjusting to life at a new level – this may seem like an obvious thing but I found that when I started getting out and about more I realised just how out of touch with the world I had become. There are so many seemingly inconsequential shifts that you become aware of that can create a feeling of disorientation and like you are in an unfamiliar environment that doesn't help you integrate. After my discharge from hospital I noticed things like plants that had been barely out of the ground when I had last been well were now great big trees, buildings had disappeared or been built, shops had moved locations. The list goes on! There were also the slightly more practical things that I had to get used to. I live in London and hadn't used an Oyster card before, being driven in a car at 50-70 mph felt like a white knuckle ride, getting back in touch with old friends, finding my way through the world of social media. I also found going into shops with their range of products quite overawing and I struggled to make decisions and choices. I am still finding that having not been in the loop for so many years in relation to current affairs, music, films, media news etc. can contribute to a sense of isolation or separation from your peers. Some of the new things are lovely like a lot of the ‘firsts’: first time you travel by yourself, first meal in a restaurant, first time you brush your teeth, first meal you prepare on your own, first bath…  However if you are feeling a little vulnerable (which you understandably would be) then all these adjustments can take their toll. I'm still experiencing firsts and attuning and adapting to my surroundings and new life but I think with time and the right people surrounding you that you will be able to absorb and digest all these changes and not feel disrupted or disturbed by them so much.

·         Rollercoaster of emotions – just because you may be feeling physically and/or mentally better doesn't always mean that you are going to be happy and smiling all the time. The process of recovery is a long, hard road and there are going to be bumps along the way. Please don’t be disheartened or concerned if you spend some time crying your eyes out or feeling very angry, hurt, guilty or confused. What I have found is that once your whole ‘self’ realises that things are looking up it’s almost as though something inside says “Okay, I can relax now, I don’t need to bottle all these emotions up anymore” Or in other words the barriers or walls you may have built up inside yourself so you could survive the worst times during your illness are starting to crumble. It may feel awful and you may feel as though you are lost at sea but in the end it will help you heal more completely if you can express and consciously feel those emotions.

·         Pacing activity and managing fatigue levels – I really think this deserves it’s own piece as it’s a tricky thing to address concisely because pacing is a very unique and particular thing to do and fatigue can be pretty subjective. However, from my experience I would say that recovering from anything be it an operation, a bereavement, a heart attack, a chronic condition like cancer needs care, self-love, understanding and a holistic approach. This includes pacing yourself and managing fatigue as best as you can. Somebody like an Occupational Therapist is very useful at helping guide you through increasing your activity and trying to assess fatigue states.

·         Family and friends - having enough support from friends, family, the community and the medical profession is vital and it’s sometimes the only thing that keeps you upright. You may be surprised by who is there to help you. I would like to address how best to access after-care in another article as it can be a huge problem.

·         Perspective - If your period of ill-health has lasted years or decades then how can you expect to attain good health in a matter of weeks or months? Keeping some perspective and remembering how far you have come is essential in recuperating as fully as you can.

These are just some of the points that I have learned on my journey towards health. I really hope that this article has helped you either during your recovery or to understand what someone else at this stage may be experiencing. I would like to put one last thing down in a hope that just one person reading this can learn where I have tripped up many times and that is that being kind to oneself, not getting frustrated and keeping expectations to a realistic level is essential when you are trying to navigate the rocky road to recovery. To anyone recovering from a long-term condition I salute you! Well done for getting through the worst intact and here’s to the light at the end of the tunnel. To anyone still in the depths of ill health I would like to say there is hope even if you think “Pah! What do they know?” there is hope. I believe in Cicero’s maxim ‘Where there’s life there’s hope.’

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
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How making a Bucket List or Wish List can invigorate your recovery from chronic illness

A video on how important it can be to think about compiling a wish list or bucket list in recovery. It is a useful tool for thinking about what exciting and interesting things you may wish to do or experience when you are able to.

Hope is a very useful and powerful feeling and in creating a wish list you can feed that hope with achievable targets and a sense of belief that you will be able to fulfil your wishes. This isn't supposed to be setting down in black and white your life plan or what you want to do for the next 50 years, but a compilation of your short term desires. Whether these wishes are as small as making a cup of tea or as grand as travelling to a far off country for a holiday or experiencing a feeling like sand squished beneath your feet or rain on your face they inspire and energise the people involved.

"To a resolute mind, wishing to do is the first step toward doing. But if we do not wish to do a thing it becomes impossible."
Robert Southey (1774 - 1843)

How to get in touch:

YouTube  - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life