Members Only Newsletter: Getting Started When You're In A Flare
To My Wonderful Autoimmune Strong Members:
Not so many logistics this week but lots of important tidbits!
A number of you asked for the link to the replay of the Members Only Facebook Live I hosted last weekend, so here ya go: click here to see it now.
I wanted to give you a reminder to mark your calendars for the next members only zoom call on Thursday May 14th at 1pm Eastern. Don’t worry, I’ll send you another reminder closer to the day, along with the link!
Danica, a member, wrote this really helpful blog post about her Autoimmune Strong experience that you can read here.
New member Jamie asked about how to begin to exercise when you are experiencing a flare, so I wanted to share my answer to her with you all here:
“Getting started is very hard, especially when you are in a constant flare and have so much on your plate. I have seen many many people start this program in situations like yours, in a flare, feeling weak and fatigued and overwhelmed with life's responsibilities. Here are the steps I find to be most successful.
1) Start by taking a deep breath and release it slowly. I bet you are so busy that your body is accustomed to shallow tense breathing. This act of deep breathing will start to slow you down and release the tension.
2) Recognize that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Flares are triggered by stress. Pushing through life will only exacerbate this. So, taking some time everyday for yourself is not selfish. It will actually help you recover so you have more energy to devote to your family.
3) Ab bracing and foam rolling (the first two sections of the Autoimmune Strong program) will help to decrease the flare. So don't wait until the flare ends to start- that may never happen. Start now.
4) When you start, go very very slowly. Start with 5 to 10 seconds of ab bracing. That's it. And gentle foam rolling. A little goes a long way. And as you get accustomed to it, you can add more.
I hope this advice helps you! As you know, you can always message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@getautoimmunestrong.com. I am always here to support you! (My response time is a little slower than usual because I am still recovering and need rest- but I promise to always respond!)
Stay home, stay healthy, and keep going!
With Love,
Andrea