What do you do when your immune system doesn’t keep up with your “To Do List”?
Last Sunday I was heading to NYC for an over booked week of both personal and professional activities and as I headed to the airport, I ended up in the emergency room instead. I was experiencing a severe sharp pain in my right side and feared I was having an Appendicitis. After being immediately admitted, I remember lying on my cot, in a hallway (all rooms were occupied) hooked up to an IV thinking “_thank God, now I can finally get some rest_”. I was alone, without laptop, no two year old , little to no mobile service, thinking finally I can pause. Two Percocets later, I was visualizing stop signs, pause and mute buttons and hearing my body say to me: “_hold please, we are having complications and can not move forward._”
I, like most women, read about how lack of stress management can lead to illness and even death but I guess I never really thought it would happen to me. After 10 hours in the hospital, they diagnosed me as suffering from cysts on my ovaries. I was sent home with pain meds, slept a great deal and four days later was awoken by a even worst pain than my “_Sunday, I guess I can’t head to NY pain_”.
I went back to the ER and this time they found that I also had developed the Shingles, which is the same virus that causes chicken pox. “_Have you been under a great deal of stress, Mrs. Rudan?_” the doctor asked, “a_ctually I have.” “I am managing a international marketing campaign; the integration of 3 companies recently acquired; am writing a book at night; have a two year old and also started my own blog_” I responded. After hearing myself, I realized how crazy it all was. “_Well most adults who get the Shingles get the infection in a nerve root because of stress,_” he explained. And guess what ladies and gentlemen, Shingles can only take over those with a weakened immune system and I had destroyed mine.
It has been another 5 days I am feeling better and am at the final stages of my Shingles which is the itchy, burning rash phase.
As a result of this experience, I have learned a great deal about our immune systems and have incorporated the following to help rebuild what I destroyed. Please learn from this experience and take from it what you can.
- Eat your blueberries = antioxidants are key
- Have lots of beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A.
- Sleep at least 8 to 9 hours a night = the only way to heal is to rest
- Take Olive leaf extract = fights viral infections
- Green tea is key = antioxidant and energy
- No more meat! Back to the Veggies!! We are what we eat.
- Yoga twice a week is a must..I sign up next week = great for relaxation
- Put down the black berry and start writing = helps release stress
- laugh at least once a day: helps build your immune system = Netflix = comedy
- and most importantly health first and foremost before any project.
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