Top 5 wellbeing tips with Flic
For mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
Make a few small changes in your everyday life and see big differences. Corethentic founder and Live Fearless Challenge Ambassador, Flic Manning shares with us a few ways to treat yourself well and be mindful of your body and mind.
Tip 1
Having IBD means that wellbeing needs to be your first priority. You not only deserve great wellbeing anyway because you are a human (not just a set of symptoms), but your body will not tolerate anything less.
Tip 2
Breathing techniques can be game changers when used proactively and reactively for IBD. Something as simple as inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 4 for a few minutes changes you at a cellular level, can reduce pain and keep you calm. When I am having a bad IBD day I don’t say “breathe through it” I say “breathe into it”. Really use the breath, trust in it, invest in it, empower yourself with it.
Tip 3
Moving your body is essential for IBD, even on the days it seems like the hardest thing to do. The digestive system relies on muscle movement for much of its function in the first place. So even something simple like stretching in bed can help to reduce pain, gas, cramping and change the neurotransmitters in the body. A bonus is that it has a profound effect on mental health and boosts confidence immeasurably.
Tip 4
Approach your body with curiosity and love, not fear. See what it can do when you try new things. If you pay close attention to it, it is already telling you what it needs, and what it can do. The process of finding movements you can do, or finding a way to cook a food you like in a way you can eat it, or finding a breathing technique that moves the needle for you is like giving yourself hug after hug after hug. The most important love you will ever receive will come from yourself.
Tip 5
Think of your body and mind like a car engine with you being the mechanic. Your job is to find out what kind of car maintenance suits your machine the best, and it won’t be exactly like anyone else’s. Use your energy finding out what works for you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else’s car can do- only what yours can. It’s easy to see all the things you can’t do, so take the time to find out what it can do. You’ll be surprised what you are capable of when you switch the focus to what you can do over what you can’t.
By Flic Manning
