Self management

[edmeshscot]

Everyone has their own self management strategies to manage M.E.

Here are some I've found useful:

Pacing - managing activity during each day, but also balancing rest and activity through the week so I'm not doing too much on consecutive days. (I suspect everyone with ME does this!)

Relaxation - I try to take half an hour every day to rest, even on the good days. I usually listen to a relaxation routine on my iPod. Sometimes I fall asleep, proving I really need the rest!

Diet - eating healthy food, and cooking from scratch as much as possible. I like to batch cook food like soup, which can easily be frozen and reheated at a later date.

Avoiding stress - easier said than done sometimes! Saying 'no' is a key skill here. If I take on too much from others and don't look after myself, I get stressed.

Being kind to myself - this especially applies when going through a bad patch. It's hard enough coping with a dip; beating myself up about it generally doesn't help.

Why not join in and share your experiences here.

[Maggie-mae]

I've found batch cooking good too - having a small stock of portions of soups,

pasta sauce, chicken casserole etc in the freezer for when you are in a dip means you are eating well at least - the small bottles of milk also freeze well

as does bread and bacon which can be frozen in small portions too. Frozen

fruit and veg have the same food value as fresh too. I so agree with being kind to yourself - give yourself small treats especially when in a dip.