“Health really shouldn’t be defined as the absence of disease.” That was the first sentence I read this amazing book by Dr. Nicolai. “Health is a wholeness and balance that gives us the resilience to go through the world without being knocked down and staying that way.” I am in agreement here. I have been knocked on my butt a few times with this disease and I am experiencing such a thing now with my trach. My hole is hurting, it is red and swollen, which means I have to call my ENT and see what is going on. I don’t want to, but I know I must.
I learned about SMART goal setting while I was going to school and it helped me plan out what I would do when my illness made things difficult. It helped keep me on track and I appreciated being reminded again.
The best part of this book, in my humble opinion, is the section he writes about breathing. Breathing seems to be the theme of my life at the moment, hmm, I wonder why? “The breath speaks directly to the autonomic or automatic nervous system that part of the body that functions without you have to think about it.” He talks about doing a breathing-walking meditation. Which basically is focusing on your breathe while walking and looking at the wondrous things that God made for us, praying, breathing, and allowing the oxygen to move through your body as you walk. I want to do this, I am hoping after I go through pulmonary rehab I can incorporate this into my daily life.
I enjoyed reading this book. A lot of helpful information, I especially love his knowledge and appreciation for breathing. I am happy to be reminded and encouraged even further on making wise food choices and self-care choices to fight even more for me. I recommend anyone to read this and gather the info.
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