New Year, New Health Goals
When living with a chronic disease, it’s easy to get caught in a vicious cycle of only focusing on the things you can’t or shouldn’t do.
Positive lifestyle habits can significantly improve the quality of life for people diagnosed with chronic illnesses such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, and asthma.
This new year, become an advocate for yourself, make improving your overall health your passion, and work with your doctor to improve your disease management.
Try these New Year, New Health Goals tips to improve and reinforce positive lifestyle habits.
Enjoy Mealtime
Dietary restrictions are often advised to help manage a chronic condition. While you may not be able to enjoy all the foods you once loved, mealtime should still bring you joy.
Food is an integral part of our lives. Not only does it provide the nourishment our bodies need, but it is also an excellent opportunity to socialize.
Speak to your doctor to come up with a meal plan you can adhere to and one that includes foods you love.
Learn About Your Condition
Chronic disease diagnosis can be difficult for patients to digest. Many questions will inevitably arise, and while speaking to your doctor is the best recourse, as a patient, you may feel more empowered if you learn as much about your condition as possible.
Most people use the internet to do research. Unfortunately, there is much misinformation on the internet, so make sure you get the facts from trusted sources such as the:
- National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus – http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
- US Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Finder – http://www.healthfinder.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/
Additionally, you may ask your doctor to recommend an educational program near you.
Lower Your Stress Levels
Having a chronic disease shouldn’t prevent you from living well and having a fulfilling career and family life.
While it’s reasonable to experience anxiety, fear, and other emotions, you should strive to prevent these emotions from controlling your life.
Doing something calming can help you reassess and view things from a more objective standpoint.
These activities can help you lower your stress levels:
- Exercising
- Reading a Book
- Listening to Uplifting Music
- Guided Meditations
- Repeating Positive Affirmations or Inspirational Quotes Throughout the Day
Stay Physically Active
Depending on your condition, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise 5 or more days a week.
While the body requires exercise to keep muscles healthy, several research studies show that physical activity also benefits your mental and emotional well being by helping lower stress levels.
Going to the gym is optional. If you don’t feel comfortable in that setting, you can try going for a walk or practicing yoga in the park.
Ask Your Doctor if Biologic Infusion Therapy is Right for You
Biologic infusion therapies are revolutionizing chronic disease management. With potentially fewer adverse side effects and improved patient outcomes and compliance, infusion therapy is changing the lives of chronic disease patients for the better.
Consult your doctor to see if they recommend biologic infusion therapy as part of your chronic illness management plan.
At Altus Infusion, we help physicians implement and manage in-office biologic infusion suites that make treatment convenient and more affordable for patients.
In 2020, we will continue to advocate for improved access to therapies for patients across the country.
Altus Infusion helps private practices set up and manage their biologic infusion suites. We take care of every detail:
- In-Office Biologic Suite Setup
- Staffing
- Purchasing
- Management of Inventory
- Billing and Reimbursement
To find out more about how we can help your practice expand its services to offer in-office biologic treatments, contact us at info@altusbiologics.com.
