Run Toward Life: A message of Celebrating Life Every Day
Words of inspiration to help you through the most difficult days.
Updated February 19, 2023
So many people experiencing Long COVID have moments of hopelessness, frustration, self doubt, fear, depression and anxiety. Much of this is biological, caused by post COVID inflammation in the areas of the brain responsible for our emotional and physical well being. For those that are grieving more than the loss of your health, know that our deepest sympathies are with you and this community is here to support you through these challenges and transitions.
I wanted to share some inspiring thoughts to help you through the difficult times. Parts of this message apply to each and every person here and demonstrates the most essential component of healing: Embrace life.
Life is short. Don't waste your precious time, energy and health looking back at once was. Focus on solutions and keep looking toward tomorrow.
Every day is a gift, so find something to celebrate and smile about your accomplishments, even if you have to force it.
Every time you find yourself thinking or saying a negative thing about yourself, stop and treat yourself the way you would treat a stranger in need - with gentle kindness, caring and support.
Don't let fear fuel your choices.
Live fearlessly.
Run TOWARD life.
Don't worry about what people will think.
Focus on you. Be true to yourself.
Be your own best friend.
People who criticize or say negative things to you are not your people.
If the voice in your head says these unkind things, find a new voice.
Honor your mental health and seek out a good therapist with the same vigor you'd search for a romantic partner.
Be intentional about cultivating friendships that lift you up. As those friendships grow and change, don't overlook them.
Surround yourself with people who contradict that unkind voice, people who see your light, and remind you who you are: an amazing soul.
Learn how to receive these reflections from your people. Because they are speaking the Truth.
Love yourself, no matter how weird and silly it might feel.
Every morning, give yourself a hug before your feet hit the floor.
Look deeply into your eyes in a mirror and tell yourself “I love you”.
Say to yourself, out loud, "I trust you."
That voice in your head might say you're not worthy. Ignore it.
Things you can do to help yourself
Minimizing physical & psychological stressors is essential in recovery from Long COVID.
Nutrition: Try to eat protein and fresh vitamin rich foods daily and avoid chemicals, preservatives, sugars, fast foods, prepared foods and high histamine foods.
Don’t skip meals. Your body needs protein, vitamin C, and vitamin D to heal from any injury or illness. A low histamine or low carbohydrate (sugar) diet is recommended by doctors treating Long COVID (PASC), and many people report a reduction in symptoms within 1-3 days of the diet change, including decreases in sneezing, itching or hives, irritable bowel syndrome, body pain, along with a reduction in swelling and inflammation.Hydration: A minimum of eight 8 oz glasses of plain water daily is recommended.
Avoid drinks with chemical additives. You can easily make a fresh electrolyte drink yourself by adding a dash of mineral rich Epsom salt and a piece a fruit like a raspberry for flavor instead of spending money on commercial drinks like Gatorade that contain chemicals and sit in plastic bottles for long periods of time. Remember that caffeine and alcohol have dehydrating effects.Sleep hygiene: Getting 7-9 hours of sleep so your body can repair itself. You need at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep to get into the restorative phase of sleep.
Avoid stimulating activities after dinner like thrilling movies or books, arguments, negative news or frustrating stimuli.
If you wake up frequently or with a startle, you may be experiencing drops in your oxygen level, which signal your brain to release adrenaline to force you to take a breath. This could be a temporary inflammation issue or more enduring sleep apnea. Ask your doctor for a sleep study to evaluate your need for a CPAP or BiPAP, a machine that pushes air into your lungs when it senses an apneic episode (periods of not breathing).Stress management: Stress affects every component of your life.
The only thing you can control about stress is your reaction to it. Try to avoid or minimize your exposure to stressful situations: Turn off the news, make family visits that end unpleasantly short, wait for the morning to have intense discussions, let go of things that annoy you but don’t really matter in the big scheme of things, avoid intense conversations or entertainment in the evening.
Exercise within tolerance: Pace yourself and do not push your body to extremes in any way.
For some this may mean seated breathing exercises, walking to the mailbox. Rest when your body says to slow down. Gradually build on your activity endurance as your body cues you to progress. This can be hard to gauge, because when you feel good you naturally do more, but if you do too much you may experience symptom flare ups 1-3 days later as the post exertion inflammation builds. Some people describe this as post exertional malaise, others experience severe recovery set backs.
Breathwork: You can literally stop the fight or flight reaction by taking slow deep breaths.
Deep slow breathing shuts down the adrenaline flow, slows your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure and decreases stress related histamine release. When you do this, your blood reroutes back to your brain and nervous system to allow you to think clearly. It also allows your body to use its energy and oxygen to heal your inflamed nerves and organs.
Long COVID Support
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Our clinical experts advocate for those with Long COVID.
Individual coaching
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Keep moving, keep breathing!
Brought to you by covidCAREgroup, connecting the dots of long COVID through education, research &resources.
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