Wellness Beyond Illness: Finding Peace in Chronic Pain

Life throws curveballs that force us to reexamine our fundamental understanding of wellness. After receiving multiple autoimmune diagnoses—oral lichen planus, xerostomia, and lichenoid mucositis—I've spent four challenging months navigating chronic pain and severe dietary restrictions. No more coffee, cocktails, spicy foods, or my beloved animal crackers. This dramatic shift prompted me to attend a Buddha wellness retreat during spring break, seeking strategies to protect my peace and find relief from my constantly burning mouth.

Through personal experience and research, I've come to understand wellness as far more comprehensive than simply feeling physically well. True wellness encompasses multiple dimensions: physical health through exercise and proper nutrition; mental resilience built through meditation and stress management; emotional balance sustained by self-care and gratitude; social connection through meaningful relationships; and purpose-driven living through work that feels meaningful. As I often tell my students, "When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life"—a philosophy that keeps me grounded despite physical discomfort.

The journey through chronic illness has taught me that wellness isn't the absence of disease but rather a holistic approach to living well despite limitations. I'm discovering strategies like grounding myself by walking barefoot on earth during meditation, exercising my memory by avoiding immediate Google searches (what I playfully call accessing my "brain files" like Spongebob), and focusing on meaningful social connections. Whether you're battling health challenges or simply seeking greater balance in your life, I hope my reflections inspire you to consider what wellness truly means to you. How are you nurturing your physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being today? Share your thoughts and join me on this ongoing journey toward holistic health.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Elkivate Your Life
• 1:03 Exploring Wellness During Chronic Illness
• 5:15 Physical and Mental Health Components
• 9:28 Social Connections and Brain Health
• 14:03 Shoutouts and Sponsor Highlights
• 21:39 Closing Thoughts and Easter Plans

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Bow, chicka, wow, wow. Good evening friends and welcome to Elkivate your Life. I am your hostess, with the mostess L as in the letter L and key as in the key to your heart. So let's get into it. What's up? Party people? Thank you for tuning in, thank you for joining, thank you for listening.

Speaker 1: 0:34

Tonight I want to speak to you about wellness, and what does wellness mean to you? So I've been thinking a lot about this on what does wellness mean to you. Well, I've been thinking a lot about this because, as a lot of you know, I was recently diagnosed with some not so fun autoimmune diseases that are incurable. And if any of you know about oral lichen planus, or xerostomia or lichenoid mucositis, I would love to hear your tips and tricks on this, because it has been the thorn in my side. Let me tell you. Uh, last time I gave the shout out, I think I was saying it was 16 weeks, yeah, so we're at the four month mark. That's a long time to live. Well, it's a long time for me personally to live in chronic pain, and so it got me thinking about wellness. And then, during my spring break, as most of you know, if you follow and listen I went to a Buddha wellness retreat on the way to Santa Cruz to basically protect my peace and, yeah, just find ways to decompress, protect my peace and hopefully heal my mouth, because I'm tired of having such a restrictive diet with without drinking my usual coffee or having a cocktail on the weekend at karaoke, or eating poke bowls or sushi with extra wasabi or Mexican food or my favorite animal cracker cookies. I mean, the list goes on and on. Guys, I'm really tired of not being able to have those things and my mouth just constantly being on fire. So it got me thinking about wellness and what wellness means.

Speaker 1: 3:20

So I kind of did a little bit of research, a little bit. I mean, obviously I could summarize my own perspective, which, in my mind, wellness is. Well, it's multifaceted, right, it encompasses physical, mental, social, emotional. There's so much to it. So I wanted to kind of delve deeper into what that means. So, after doing a little bit of research and reading and yes, I looked up it involves.

Speaker 1: 4:01

It involves many things such as prioritizing healthy habits like regular exercise. Lord knows, I need to get in more of that, because the exercise I get currently is walking my dog a couple times a day for 20 minutes a piece. And then, on top of that, I I mean, I occasionally go to the gym, but it's not an everyday thing, or even an every other day thing, and I'm supposed to be rehabilitating my knee, to help my hip. That's another podcast episode, that's another story, anyway. So I read that it involves prioritizing healthy habits, for example, regular exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, while also nurturing emotional resilience, fostering meaningful connections and finding purpose in life. Fostering meaningful connections and finding purpose in life. Hmm, so are we doing this? Are we following this?

Speaker 1: 5:17

So the physical health part it says that exercise, regular physical activity, even moderate intensity, can significantly improve physical health and well-being. Well, duh, significantly improve physical health and well-being? Well, duh, I mean it gets the testosterone or hormones. The vitamin d if you're out in the sun is good for your heart, right, your your cardio. I mean, there's, there's so much to being physically fit and well. And then sleep adequate sleep is crucial for a physical and mental recovery. Let's think about it. If we don't get enough sleep, we are like cranky, we are tired, as I'm yawning because I didn't get sufficient sleep last night. Also, what about regular checkups? Routine medical checkups help identify and address potential health issues early.

Speaker 1: 6:19

And then let's talk about mental and emotional health. Talk about mental and emotional health. Stress management techniques like meditation, deep breathing or spending time in nature can help reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Well, I am happy to announce that I am one of those people that does practice all of these things and I am trying to pass it along to my kiddos at school. Resilience, developing healthy physical habits, taking time for yourself and practicing gratitude can build resilience and improve your ability to cope with challenges. Hmm, that's something I could use some work. I feel like I do it, but we could always be better at it.

Speaker 1: 7:10

Right, and then purpose and meaning. Exploring values and aligning your life with them can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Can I get an amen? So I'm constantly telling the Hubster that this job that I do, that doesn't pay as much as I would like, and it's unfortunate that teachers and student aides suffer with this. I mean, there's I could say the same for nannies caregivers is that we don't make enough money. So why do we do it? When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. It's something I share with my kids all the time and I really believe that because I've been in the high pressure sales, got to meet my quota jobs and I was a bundle of nerves, a ball of stress, and it was no going on.

Speaker 1: 8:17

Positive mindset, cultivating a positive outlook and focusing on gratitude can enhance overall well-being. Okay, I agree with that. But here's one I bet you didn't think about or maybe you did, maybe I didn't is social connections and community meaningful relationships. Nurturing strong relationships with family, friends and community members can provide social support and reduce feelings of isolation, such as social engagement. Participating in activities connecting with others can boost your mood and your social well-being. Asking for help? No-transcript. And then let's face it, there's additional factors involved in this. There's financial well-being being able to manage your finances, having a sense of financial security, can reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Can I get an amen to that? I can attest to that. I mean the leading cause of divorce is usually because of financial reasons. And then spiritual wellness connecting with a higher power or finding meaning in life through spirituality can provide a sense of purpose and peace, of purpose and peace.

Speaker 1: 10:25

With the memory care we had conversations about how people come to have Alzheimer's and dementia. Well, there is a part where they talk about where, yes, it is. It can be a trait that is inherent. But one of the ways that you can help to prevent this and strengthen your own mind and I definitely do this is if I can't remember something I do I use a Spongebob reference where I go oh, I got to go in my brain files and find it. To any of you Spongebob fans out there, you know what I'm talking about. There was an episode where he had brain files and his brain was filling up with the files and the filing cabinets so he set them on fire and then he couldn't remember things. So he was like, oh no, I got to put the file. So, anyway, it was a great episode. It stood out in my mind and I just always think of that. So whenever I am trying to remember something, rather than Googling it or looking it up, I try to exercise that muscle being my brain and try and remember it, and that actually exercises the muscle and helps to create a stronger memory. So think about it. Continuous learning is working that muscle right. It's making keeping that muscle strong so that your mind will stay active. So that's what I wanted to share with you this evening.

Speaker 1: 12:18

Uh, a couple things I will also want to just chime in about one. I am working with Dr Cedric Stewart about chyrothin. For those of you that are looking to lose weight, chyrothin is a great alternative. It is prescribed through a chiropractor and you are monitored through that chiropractor. I like to say it is the non-injection form, liquid form, of Ozempic and they provide you the tools. They provide you a meal plan, a guidebook to the foods you can and cannot eat. You can meet with the chiropractor via Zoom or telephone to go over a health questionnaire and your goals and then the chiropractor checks in with you periodically about your progress and to make sure you're staying on track. So it is a great alternative if you are not a candidate for Ozempic or Wagovi whatever you want to call. Anyway, it's an excellent alternative and it still works with your endocrine system, so I highly recommend it. Dr Cedric Stewart at Function Chiropractic Shout out to Dr Cedric, who I desperately need to come and see because my hip and knee is a mess, but, like I said, we'll get into that in the next podcast.

Speaker 1: 14:03

Basically, I injured my knee hiking I'm not even going to say how long ago, too long ago and I didn't take care of it and it my. So it started with my left knee and then my right hip started compensating for it. And now here we are. Every time I get up from sitting, it's like my hip has to catch up with walking, so it's almost like I have to put it back in place. And yeah, it's no fun. Ah, the joys of getting older. 56. Yes, but you are still only as old as you feel. So, moving right along.

Speaker 1: 14:44

I want to give a shout out to Persimmon Dental. They are a loyal sponsor and Persimmon Dental happens to be where I go to clean my teeth and all my dental needs. Persimmon Dental they are located in the Persimmon Plaza in Dublin and it is a family dentistry. They provide excellent service. They accept all types of plans, dental plans, great group of staff. Teresa, the manager, front desk. Dr Lam is my dentist. I mean the hygienist, kenzie I can't remember the gentleman's name, but everyone there is just wonderful. Welcoming, will put you at ease, especially if you are like me and afraid of the dentist. If you do decide to go there, be sure to use the code, which is hashtag Elkivate, so that they know that you showed up because of me, of listening to me.

Speaker 1: 15:57

I also like to give a shout out to my usual Kara and Tom Kara. I always brag about her art because it's amazing, and you can find her at lovemyartistetsycom and I always talk about her artwork. It's she does artistic design. She also does things with the computer. So there are photographs, there are personalized beach ornaments for weddings, there are Italian leather basketball shoes, tumblers Artwork that she's created. She also has a custom song lyrics video that she puts together for you. That's really cute. And there's those handmade lavender zebra boots that I want. Holy cow, they've gone up. See, this is why I was supposed to get them when they were on sale, darn it. Custom leather backpack that matches anyway. Let's just say there. She has an array of options on her page, and then we move on to Tom.

Speaker 1: 17:41

Tom Guzik, miner's Pick. Oh my gosh, I don't know why I can't ever remember his Miner's Pick Studios. Is that it? Oh boy, tom, don't kill me. I feel like I go through this every time and then I kind of have to once again go through my brain files and remember what it's called Miners Pick Studios. Minerspickstudiosetsycom Sounds right. Minerspickstudiosetsycomsy dot com. Woohoo, yes, got it right. Sorry, tom.

Speaker 1: 18:31

Anyway, his artwork is a little bit more. It's creative, rustic art, utilizing many different materials, modern technologies, um, he makes everything from dream catchers to ornaments to this really cool lighted autumn. It's really hard to describe Lighted autumn aspen tree scenery. It's like something you would hang on your wall and it looks 3D and a lot of the pieces that he has you can put on your desk, you can hang. He has a lot of great Halloween ones, so definitely recommend that you guys check them out. You guys check them out, let's see.

Speaker 1: 19:27

Did I forget anyone other than my loyal listeners? Thank you to Mike Kaufman, my water guy. I wish I could talk about their water company. That would be awesome. I got to get them on board, yeah, so that they can sponsor me anyway. Uh, so, mike coffin, thank you for listening and supporting.

Speaker 1: 19:52

Lisa. Roberts carbello. Love you bunches. Miss you. Hope you and the family are well. That's my hard-working woman, jeff para namaste.

Speaker 1: 20:06

Jeffra is the one that has helped me to implement some more meditation strategies that I didn't know about, like taking off your shoes and going barefoot and standing on the earth barefoot to sort of ground yourself. It's a new technique I have implemented with my meditation. So thank you, jeff. Also to kyle few. Kyle few, who has a book on audible, which is commitment to love. Love is a verb commitment to love and it is an audible that can be found on amazon and it just talks about love. What is love, what are all the different facets of what love means, why love is a verb. He goes into great detail about loving yourself, loving others, what that looks like and how to keep it consistent. Yeah, great, it's a great book anyway. Thank you, kyle's.

Speaker 1: 21:26

See, did I leave anybody out? I mean my loyal listeners Dory Travis, sarah Samina, iman, adam Parker. I mean I could go on and on with the list, but I'd be going on and on all night Trixie list, but I'd be going on and on all night Trixie. I think that's it for this. Mindful oh my gosh, mindful wisdom wellness Wednesday. See, that's how tired I am, guys.

Speaker 1: 21:58

Thank you for tuning in. Thank you for listening. Please remember to like, follow, share. I do have video clips on YouTube, so I am creating my video sneak peeks on YouTube where you can subscribe. It costs you. Nothing can be found on all of the platforms, which are Apple, spotify, youtube, amazon Music, soundcloud Too many for me to list, guys.

Speaker 1: 22:49

Podcastle, like I said, too many for me to list. You get the idea right. Thank you for tuning in. Thank you for listening. I hope you will watch, like, follow, share, subscribe.

Speaker 1: 22:55

By the way, if you do want to subscribe, it's as little as three dollars a month, as much as ten dollars a month. All you have to do is look on the subscribe button. It's available in the platform and you should be able to find it through the. Well, I know it's visible on the Buzzsprout. I don't know where it is elsewhere, guys, so bear with me, let me get to that point so I can tell you. For some reason, it logged me out. That's interesting. Okay, so logging back in so I can tell you. Oh, this is really interesting that it didn't want to log me in. Okay, there we go, all right. So how do you do this? Okay, well, I might have to save that for another time because, for some reason, I'm not able to get to it, uh. But if you do want to subscribe or become a sponsor, there's an option where you can text in your ideas, your comments.

Speaker 1: 24:23

I would love to hear what all of you have to say. And oh my gosh, happy almost easter. What's everybody doing for easter? Easter is on sund. All of you have to say and oh my gosh, happy almost Easter. What's everybody doing for Easter? Easter is on Sunday. Do you go to church? Do you take the kids hunting for Easter eggs? Do you get together with family, eat good food? Do you go out to Easter brunch? I would love to hear how you celebrate this joyous occasion that I do celebrate. It usually involves family and good food and, yeah, good company, good conversations. Okay, I think I covered everything. Remember like follow, share, subscribe and make sure that you subscribe to me on my YouTube channel. That's it for now. Namaste and ciao for now.