I have been working with a client for almost a year on their GI issues. When we first started working together, seeing the opportunity as an adventure in healing was far from her consciousness. With each session, we worked through process of an anti-inflammatory plan along with changing the way she coped with stress. It became evident today how far she has come in the time we have worked together.
Today, I commended my client on the amazing work she has done to bring her body back into balance. It was the first month of food logs where digestive issues were almost non-existent.
She recalled ‘OMG, last year about this time, I couldn’t even walk up the stairs, I was out of breath with the pain! I had so much inflammation going on… I was almost in tears.
Now it’s totally different. I have my life back.’
Many times, the GI issues were related to stress levels, too. An increase in stress resulted in an increase in GI symptoms and often an increase comfort foods creating more inflammation. When she started to make the connection between not just the food choices and her GI issues, but how stress was affecting how her body responded, she started to work through her stressors differently so they would not have that stress impact.
While talking with her today, I came up with this for reframing stress:
See the challenge you encounter as an opportunity for adventure and possibilities rather than a trudging through the storm.
The first part sounds uplifting and kinda fun! The possibilities bring positivity to your situation, while the other feels very constricting.
This thought of possibilities presents a challenge that brings good stress and growth opportunities. It is this stress that helps you adapt easier. The second viewpoint feels heavy and depressing….which will just make it depressing and create the negative stress. This is the stress that wreaks havoc with your body and mind, often leading to an increase in symptoms of ill-health and in this case, more GI distress, more food sensitivities and more discomfort.
If we can manage our stressors better, the body can heal itself because that is what it is designed to do. The body has an amazing ability to heal given the right tools. Reframing situations as an opportunity for adventure and possibilities can be one step to creating the right environment for the body to heal naturally.
Healing goes beyond an anti-inflammatory plan and food….How you view your situation may be just one of the steps needed to set the stage for healing. Implementing an anti-inflammatory plan, leading from your heart, self-care and movement that brings you joy are others to consider.
If you have questions about how to set the stage to allow your body to heal from inside out, consider how you view the situation you are in. Contact me if you want some guidance on where to start and how to make it easier for you to implement so your body, mind and soul heal.