New Normals

Having a disability or chronic health issue you weren't born with means adjusting to "new normals." This "adjustment" might just be a nicer way to say grief. We identify with our expectations of our bodies and our minds, whether it's what our bodies can do, or how they look, or how it feels to just be able to think clearly without your mind wandering or getting exhausted. What am I, who am I, if I can't walk easily or drive normally or can't follow a conversation the way I used to?

Diets and Chronic Disease

But what if healthy eating could be simpler than all kinds of rules? What if all we have to do is eat more fiber? After all, for all the disagreements between specialty diets, the part they seem consistent about is vegetables. Granted, there's some disagreement about fruit, since some fruits have a fair amount of natural sugars in them, and beans, which pack a lot of complex carbs in with the fiber and protein. But everyone agrees that eating more veggies is good for all of us, especially the green leafy ones.

Resolving to Slow Down in 2018

The important aspect to creating more time and space is to be intentional—pay attention to how you're really spending your time, what it feels like you're spending your energy on, and ask yourself if it's absolutely necessary. How much space and time can you make in your life? Only then can you start committing to new things, like creative pursuits and exercise plans.