This has been a stressful year for many. With stress comes new health issues, or underlying health issues that have come to the surface. There are also many people who have been scared to go to their doctor or to emergency when they aren’t feeling well, and this in turn has created even more health issues. Things that were less serious had they been found earlier, may have become more serious health issues, months down the road finally diagnosed and been told about the behavior modification they need to make. Then not taking aciton has led many to an even more serious prognosis. No matter what the diagnosis it is important to take the right steps to ensure that whatever approach you are taking none of the steps needed for your healing are missed.
In this series we are going to talk about what to do when a new diagnosed health issue comes up, and what are the things you are going to need to do to create the best plans of action, in order to create the best outcome for your health as possible.
Often, thoughts on behavior modification are pre contemplative prior diagnosis.
You received a diagnosis from your doctor. From something small like an allergy to something life-altering like cancer, diabetes, or another disease, a diagnosis always means looking at what you are currently doing in your life and altering it to create long-term positive changes to your overall health and well-being. Most people aren’t ready yet to take that step initially. It really becomes a matter most of the time in which people’s defences come up. It starts off with denial. “Why me?” “Did I do something to cause this to happen?” Sometimes it can be blamed on another person or circumstance. It is a grieving process and a painful one at that. We all have a tendency to examine the situation we are in, and we have to place it somewhere. Somewhere usually ends up looking like blame. When we don’t know where to put something, we have a tendency to try to find fault whether it is within us or someone else.
Before we move through that stage then comes “Well what am I going to do about this?” “Can I do anything?” We slowly start to figure out what is in our control and what isn’t. However, that doesn’t mean that we want to change yet. It may mean holding off on making decisions to your current situation in order to be able to process new information that is important to your health. Whether that is a particular kind of treatment, nutrition changes, and lifestyle changes, it’s a process of deciding what we are, and what we aren’t willing to do.
More often than not there is going to be one or more things that people are going to refuse to let go of, because it is comfortable for them. There are things that people are used to, that has become habit, some that are comforting, and people feel like has become a part of them. This could be something from eating fast food to excess, to their morning cup of coffee ritual, or simply just being able to indulge in their favorite dessert. If it means letting go of something that is a feel-good for someone, people would rather hold onto that feel-good at the moment. Even though deep down they know that their feel-good is going to take away the pain and help them to have better health and feel better all over, rather than just in the moment.
The time before a diagnosis is pre-contemplation, and something that by in large most people will go through because in its own essence is part of the grief process. When you know there is something wrong with you, you are having to deal with the pain of knowing that without treatment you are going to get sicker, or that you are going to have further health issues that are not going to be fixed without doing certain methods of treatment. Some of those of which are going to be at the hands of the professionals, and some that are going to be within your hands, as it is you who has to take care, and nourish your body in all the right ways.
The Takeaway
You can work on your nutrition from the pre-contemplation stage right through to the action stage but if you or your loved one is pre-contemplative, they won’t change. Good news though is that even if all you do is one little thing at a time, and move your way up to more, it is progress. If you do everything all at once it is a shock to the system. Druing this time, you are unlikely to make any changes. For example, you could add a spinach salad to your daily regime, or change up your cereal and add in chia/oatmeal and yogurt for breakfast but why?
You deserve straightforward, easy to apply, personalized nutrition information that helps you stay healthy so you can live the life you want to. It’s time to stop living a life limited by ill-health, and instead, live the life you want to. It’s time to get wise about what you eat. Book a call with a Registered Dietitian to learn how a nutrition expert can help you live the way you want to live.