Let’s revisit one of my most popular posts on social media, which is all about how people determine which lifestyle pillar will give them the most “bang for their buck,” so to speak!
On episode 72 of the Arthritis Life Podcast, Dr. Saimun Singla @rheum.to.grow.tx and I discussed four “lifestyle pillars” for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Dr. Singla is a Pediatric Rheumatologist, Integrative Medicine doctor and rheumatoid arthritis patient, so she brings a very unique perspective! We discussed these four pillars:
- ✅ Stress Management & Mind-Body Tools
- ✅ Sleep & Rest
- ✅ Nutrition
- ✅ Exercise & Movement
When you first look into “lifestyle” for RA, it can be super overwhelming. Some people SWEAR that diet and nutrition are the MOST important, while others are adamant that exercise is key. Additionally, evidence exists for *each* of these pillars being effective for helping reduce pain, fatigue and inflammation for RA.
So, how are you supposed to know which are the MOST important tools for you? Dr. Singla and I realized through our conversation that over time, we each learned how important each lifestyle factor is for *our* bodies. Check out the graphics below to see the balance for different friends of mine who have rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis.
🌟For Dr. Singla, sleep and rest are the most important and she make sure to organize her daily routines so she gets adequate rest.
🌟For me, exercise, sleep and mental health have been critical, so I’ve invested in personal training, therapy, and sleep maximization.
🌟For some people, like Renee, nutrition has been the most important lifestyle tool in her disease management toolbox. @the_rheumatoid_arthritis_mama
🌟 For Stefanie, all four lifestyle pillars are equally important and she spends equal time and energy using each pillar. @rheumatoidarthritiscoach
🌟 For Lauren , who has Ankylosing Spondylitis, exercise is the most important, followed by sleep, stress management, then nutrition.
These pie charts show that there’s no one, universal balance. Be patient with the trial and error process! Additionally, they can change over time – exercise is a bigger piece of my pie now than it was 2 years ago.
I also want to put lifestyle in context of medications. While lifestyle factors are can improve quality of life, medications have by *far* been the most effective in slowing down my disease activity, and that is the typical pattern statistically for RA. But it’s not an either/or, it’s a both-and! The American College of Rheumatology also has a great guideline for evidence based integrative treatments for RA if you want to learn more.
What is the balance for you? Let me know in the comments, and if you ever want to dive deeper into the best evidence for each of these variables, check out my Rheum to THRIVE self-paced course!
