RECOVERY

RECOVERY for every area of your life

Whew! It is possible that, what with one thing and another, 2020 has brought you something to recover from. Whether it’s illness, job loss, stress, virtual schooling challenges, isolation from family and friends, tough business decisions, reckoning with social upheaval, or the loss of your regular routine, there is a lot going on these days. This might be a time to focus on the ways you can support your mind and body in the process of recovery. 

Convalescence refers to a period of time to regain strength and health after an illness. In our “push through it” culture, it’s a bit of a lost art. But recovery is an important part of growth and healing, and knowing when and how to rest and nourish can be key to actually moving forward. This applies to illness, stressful events, transitions, and even to exercise! 

Here are some tips for how to embrace recovery and support yourself during that process. Work with your health professional to build the best recovery plan for yourself. 

Mindset

First of all, understand the power of your mind. It is very true that you may not have control over many of the circumstances affecting your life. What you can control is the space between your ears. Your mindset and perspective are key to shifting your energy from worry to healing. Worry takes away your strength for tomorrow, and you need that strength to meet the challenges that come up. Instead, focus on gratitude and on speaking the good in your life. Instead of saying, “I just feel so tired and weak from being sick,” try saying, “I’m resting and rebuilding my strength. I’m grateful that my body is healing,” and see where that takes you. The words you speak, both out loud and in your head, are powerful. Choose to speak words of hope and affirmation over your life. 

Nutrition

To support your body during recovery, nutrient-dense foods are important. Warm, nourishing foods such as bone broth or other soups are more easily digested than cold foods or raw foods. Your body will not have to use any extra energy digesting and utilizing the nutrition in those foods and can put all your energy toward healing, whether that healing is healing from illness or healing from a tough training session. 

If you are doing intense exercise, you may need a little extra protein. If you eat dairy, you can look for an organic undenatured whey protein. If you don’t eat dairy, you can look for a high quality collagen supplement. And if you prefer to avoid animal products all together, look for a pea-based protein, rather than a soy-based protein. These