Last month around this time I had Covid. This month I got blessed with a stomach bug!
Of course, at first I wondered… why? What am I doing to get myself so sick?
However, I have decided to focus on the positives of getting sick, and note some of the lessons I have learned.
1. My body is not indestructible
I can go years without getting sick, so it is easy to think that I have an amazing immune system. And truly, I do, but is not indestructible. I take this for granted and overexert my body in the gym, with work, and by consuming alcohol a bit too frequently. Getting sick is a nice reminder to be a little gentler on my body, and to not forget to take my supplements, get my sleep, or limit my alcohol intake.
2. My body IS hella resilient
Isn’t it INCREDIBLE how quickly our bodies can bounce back from being sick? Yesterday at this time, I puked my guts out, and today, I am writing this blog post. I mean, honestly, to “hate” my body is the most ridiculous thing. It works around the clock for me. No one else does that… except maybe my mother. Which brings me to my next point.
3. My Mother is always right
When I had Covid, my mom, dad and sister were all in Florida. This was so sucky, because I felt so alone at first. I wanted my mom to come over and deliver something for my throat, or to get me a glass of water, and tell me to sleep. This time, when she was around, she brought all of the nostalgia with Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, gingerale, and Gatorade. She was right - I didn’t puke again, and I was able to get some sugars and electrolytes into me.
4. I have amazing friends/family as a support group
As I said, when I was first sick, my parents and sister were away. I was so sad at first, but my friends truly stepped up to the plate. It was so amazing to have so many incredible people ask me if I needed anything. I had friends drop-off flowers, Covid tests, cold drinks, Halls, juice and more. It’s so wonderful to have people you can rely on. Sometimes it takes getting sick to appreciate that.
5. I still have some diet culture and “wellness” demons present
Ah yes, the little devil that lives on my shoulder sometimes gets talking. It isn’t always about food, but sometimes about pharmaceuticals. I didn’t take more than a couple of pain killers for years until I got Covid. I always “toughed it out.” Well, guess what? I can confirm, it’s better to take the dang Advil than to suffer in pain by yourself. I also noticed my mind thinking of healthier alternatives to the nostalgic sick kit my mom put together for me. As these things popped up, I acknowledged them, and let them leave my brain. What was “healthier” was to get any sustenance into my body, without puking. What was “healthier,” was to stop the pain, so I could get some sleep.
6. Sleep is the most magic potion
SLEEEEEEEEP! My favourite little weapon. Both times when I was sick, the more I slept, the better I felt. Yesterday, I slept at least 1/2 of the day, after having a 12 hour sleep the night before. I can’t stress this enough - if you aren't sleeping, you aren't healing. Always, find a way to sleep. Get that extra 20 minutes, instead of scrolling on your socials. If you can't get any sleep, please reach out to me for help!
7. Work can always wait
This might be one of the biggest take-aways. I like to keep myself busy, so when I miss a day of work, I think I am missing so much. But truly, most of what I do on any given day, can be done the next day, or even the next week. Working for myself for the most part, gives me an opportunity to be flexible. I am very grateful for that, and having a great team at my other job, who would fill in for me. We are allowed to get sick and/or take time off. This is also part of being healthy. Set a boundary. Take time off, or your body will find a way to do it for you.
Is there something you have learned from being sick? Is there a message in something crappy you've been through lately? I want to hear about it!
As always, feel free to email me at info@vitamindea.ca or send me a dm @vitamin.dea
Cheers to better health next month!