Let’s be honest - you’re most likely living a sedentary life, primarily fueled by processed, fast, cheap, and easy food. Not all the time, but more than you or your wallet care to admit. You have tried to change habits cold turkey, and yet you go back to your “default” way of living. You know, the stuff that is comfortable and easy to do yet not healthy for you. We all have them. I bet you can name one default pattern right now that you know is not good for you yet change seems too difficult to even try.
Think about it this way: you are where you’re at now, healthwise, because of what you’ve been doing thus far. And chances are you don’t like being here do you? The reality of experiencing daily disruption due to pain, numbness, and balance issues is a constant reminder you have neuropathy. The only way to break the cycle is to change your habits. Did you know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Raise your hand if you’re guilt of doing this ! I can sure raise my hand. Only you can make the decision to change your life and habits in order to see different results. We know change isn’t easy, If it was, then everyone would have already done it. Change requires you to make the decision, and have a plan to stick to and see results.
Your health is not going to change overnight. It’s more than just making a decision to change; it’s about identifying the factors that go into your bad habits and then focusing on positive changes one step at a time.
If you’re like many Americans you’ve probably been played by the food industry. They have taken out nutrients such as fiber and have replaced them with harmful chemicals, more sugar, and preservatives that make so many people addicted to junk food.
Let’s be real here, it’s much harder to give up the convenience and addictive tastes of a drive-through burger and fries for the foods that require more time and preparation but ultimately heal and repair your body such as quality protein, veggies, fruits and good fats. But you can start by swapping out a meal a day with something new and healthy. The more changes you start to make, the easier it is to develop healthy habits and make progress toward your goals.
It’s the same with exercise. The longer you lead a sedentary life, the longer that life becomes a habit. Muscles that have barely been used in years will take a little nudging to wake up.
With neuropathy, the symptoms you are so acutely aware of are just the outer effects of the physical damage going on inside your body. You have been told there is nothing more that can be done except maybe taking more medications and/or just living with it. At Momentum Health, we work with you to build a plan that works for you. Experience has taught us that our holistic approach works best for people who commit to a healthier life all around. The sooner we can help you achieve a healthier, balanced life, the sooner you’ll begin making progress towards relief from neuropathy. Seems too good to be true? Are you willing to bet on yourself?
Seriously- I really do. Why? Because I’ve seen so many people just like YOU, who thought they were too set in their ways or too old to change. If you wake up in the morning and can breathe, then you can bet on yourself and start making changes to get back to living your life free from the harmful effects and pain of neuropathy. How? One step at a time. Progress, not perfection. If you have ever thought having neuropathy meant exercise was off the table. It’s not! It may not look like what your thought exercise is , but we can work together to find exercises that gently nudge your muscles back into action and get your body working safely and more comfortably again. You are more than just pain, numbness, balance issues, and low energy. You deserve to work with a team that builds an approach that looks at you as a whole person and helps determine the best steps for you to help your body begin to heal itself from within.
Take it one habit at a time. It’s easier to make small changes separately than changing everything all at once. Don’t think about what you have to cut out, think about what you can add in to build those positive habits. When you focus on the benefits, it’s much easier to stick to them.
Imagine it like a domino effect; what’s one change you can commit to sticking with, so that it naturally leads to the next great change? Here are some simple positive changes that can turn into great habits:
Identify the habits you know you need to develop and create a roadmap to move you towards making it second nature to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Each time you commit to a small change long enough to make it part of your routine, you’re making great progress! Commit to conquering the next small but necessary change and before you know it, you’ll be living a healthier life.
It’s so important to be honest with ourselves when we examine our own habits, both good and bad (because we all have both!). As long as you’re realistic about setting goals and committing to the changes you need to make, you can map out a path to developing better habits and ultimately living a healthier life. We all know it’s not easy, and we know no one is perfect – have grace and allow yourself some flexibility as you adapt. The goal is to make progress, so keep moving forward in your goals.
If you take it one step at a time, before long you really will be able to look back in awe at how far you’ve come!
What is one positive change you are willing to commit yourself to, in order to help relieve the pain and numbness from neuropathy? Share it on our Private Neuropathy Empowerment group on Facebook! Your success is worth sharing and celebrating. We would love to hear about your success one habit at a time!
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Yours in God and in Health,
Dr. May