~Looking for the Lesson During Illness~
Recently I was knocked down with one of the worst flues I ever recall experiencing. It hit very hard and very quickly. Headache, body-aches, fever, dizziness, cough, and debilitating fatigue. I was reduced to having to lay in bed for 3 straight days, and shut the world off around me. It took over 9 days to begin to see the light and get back to the land of the living. Clients were cancelled, reports left undone, laundry left to pile up, and all I could do was let it all go, I had no choice! Normally I could push through and keep going..... but definitely not this time.
I remember thinking at one point, in my state of suffering, "I am so glad this is just the flu, and I am going to get well when it's over."This awareness left me with a deep sense of Gratitude for my health and my life. Some people have to live with chronic, incurable conditions with little hope of regaining full health, I just had a flu. So I focused on that, that was my positive in what felt like a very negative experience.
I nurtured my body back to health with green juice, lots of water water, herbal tea, and little mini meals to keep me going. I took 5,000IU of vitamin D, 8,000 mg. of vitamin C, Echinacea tincture, and Zinc throughout the duration. I took hot Epsom salt baths twice daily to sweat out the toxins (and survive the body aches which were unbearable at times) and rested as much as possible. I also felt so much appreciation for my husband who dropped everything in my time of need, and took over with the children and cooking meals when I couldn't carry on.
I am very dedicated to my health and wellness, as you are aware if you have ready my previous posts, and I have always believed that if I controlled what I put in my body, the chemicals I was exposed to, kept my thoughts positive, exercised, drank lots of water, and so on, I would be protected from illness, or at least lessen my chances of becoming sick. For awhile it seemed to be working, but each time I would come down with some sort of virus (usually brought home by the children from school) I would over-analyse it, questioning what I could have done differently, how can I be healthier? Reduce my stress more? Think more positively? Eat more green veggies? Exercise more? Do more Yoga? You get the picture.
While it is important to prioritize our health and wellness, and treat our bodies with respect, we must also realize that it's health and functioning is not always completely within our control. All we can do is our best to live a healthy lifestyle and let go of the rest. Taking care of the mind, body and soul is the best way to achieve balanced health. It is not enough to focus solely on nutrition, or exercise everyday and ignore our thoughts and stress levels. We can do all that is within our power to enjoy life, and treat our bodies well- but illness, and eventual death is something we will never escape. Buddhism teaches that illness, aging, and death are part of the human experience- a truth that we must not ignore or overlook. We must look our greatest fear in the face, and use this knowing- we are not here forever- to make the most of our days while we are still here on this Earth.
Life is a gift. Health is a gift. And both can be taken from us in the blink of an eye. This is something many people go about their days taking for granted. To be able to go for a run, walk the dog, carry on with our daily activities and experience the wonders of life and love, it is all a gift. We must enjoy the moments as they are given to us, and make the most out of each day. Take care of your body, let go of fears, love the ones who are in your life fully and completely, let go of attachments to everything and anything, live in the moment, be deeply Grateful for your blessings and the good in your life. This may just be the one truth that is the key to happiness! Focus on all that you have. If you are healthy today, say Thank you to the Universe for that. If you are unwell, thank the Universe that you are still alive to see, hear, breathe, touch, feel, and be with your loved ones. These are truly the simple pleasures of the human experience that make life meaningful.
After 9 days now...I am happy to be on the mend, and feeling huge Gratitude and appreciation for my body, and it's ability to heal. I am looking forward to getting into outdoor running again now that the snow is leaving, and Spring is just around the corner. Life is good, and I am happy to be well again!
Wishing you abundant health and happiness....and a quick recovery if you are sick too!
~Leanne
