Since my Lupus diagnosis two years ago, many things keep me awake at night.
Lately it is the alarming realization that after all this work: blogging and lupus don’t mix.
I sit for too long. Muscles seize. Eyes blur at one last blog post edit.
I lie awake at night knowing that motion (outside) is the answer to managing this disease.
Why Can’t I Get Myself Outside?
This should be easy for me. I just have to open the door and walk outside to the forest in my back yard.
But some days this feels impossible. Especially when a blog post is due. The fatigue overwhelms. Lying down does not help. Nothing does.
Unless I figure out how to trick myself to going outside.
Maybe it is not the Lupus, maybe it is this way for everyone?
Sometimes it is a text from a friend asking if I want to walk that jolts me out the door.
But mostly it is up to me to get moving,
Compelling Evidence on Trees
The really good part about writing my blog posts is that they make me dig deep into research.
The evidence on health benefits of being close to trees is compelling.
Every week new peer reviewed clinical trials show: tree chemicals keep us healthy and happy.
For example, this week University of Waterloo, Ontario published its pilot study on myopia in children.
Rx for Kids’ Myopia: Go Outside
This study of of kids 6 years to 13 years showed that going outside was the only child activity to have a significant impact on myopia.
An additional one hour a week outside decreased the chances of having myopia.
This is first Canadian study of its kind.
An earlier 4 year study in China showed that myopia in kids is increasingly due to too much screen time.
I am starting to extrapolate….hence the blurry blogger eyes.
Fellow Bloggers Provide Support
I am in a facebook group for bloggers called “Women of Wisdom”. We are older. We support each other.
One of the members, Vicki just wrote a post on how to get outside. Hint: keep it simple, inexpensive, and local.
As Vicki points out, a walk in the trees “should not cost more than a tank of gas”.
Vicki is an uber driver and a mom of millennials so she knows what is going on. See her blog post here.
This blogger helps me to remember what matters.
Poles Provide Support
Vicki too recommends hiking poles to make the jaunt easier.
I really love mine. My urban poles are designed by an occupational therapist to help with posture, momentum, and balance.
For me poles give me that needed support. They get me out the door.
In Canada shop here.
In the US shop here
Here is my video on getting out.
Trees Make It Work
I will just keep blogging. But I am fighting back. The means less sitting, less screen time, and more green exercise.
Trees make it work. The research, the memory of feeling good the moment I get outside, my walking poles, and my friends all help to get me to the trees. Then, the trees work their magic.
Maybe for most of us it is easier to stay inside.
We are not in the habit of going outside. The draw to stay inside is great – especially for writers.
On average we all spend 93% of our time inside.
Let’s keep helping each other to open that door.
And let’s breathe in the health benefits of tree aerosols.
“Healthy Tree, Healthy Me”
Verla
Photo credit: Mark Hume, Vancouver, BC.
Your back yard is spectacular! I have Fibro, and I too find that when I sit too long, everything starts to seize up. I am not good about getting myself outside, although I’m trying to find more ways to motivate myself to get up, get out and get moving!
I have twin cousins that have lupus. I going to share your blog with them.
Verla, you are an inspiration. It can be challenging to get outside even when you have such beauty right in your own back yard. You are encouraging me and others to choose outside more often. Thank you!
My step mother has lupus, and I know nature makes a huge difference for her. It makes perfect sense.
I am intrigued by the idea of walking poles! Totally going to look into that.
So sorry to hear that you have lupus! My Mamaw had it, and it made life hard for her for years before it went into remission. Like you, I have acres and acres of God’s beautiful creation surrounding our house, but don’t take advantage of it nearly enough. And yes–I can totally relate to the struggle of the desire to blog but also the need to be outside and to let my body thrive just as my mind does. Best of luck to you!
Thanks for the kind words, Verla – another great read,. You have this way with words that makes me literally want to hug a tree – can’t wait to read more!
I think a lot of people struggle with this, but I’m sure Lupus makes it much worse. I know I always feel better when I’m out and around trees and plants but I struggle to get outside all the time. I will say living in the city doesn’t help.
That fresh air always puts me in a good mood — blog post or not 🙂
It sounds like the prescription for many ailments is just to go outside (and spend some time with trees!) I need to be following this advice more myself!
There are so many benefits to getting outside and being with the trees. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Our “winters” are here in the summer because it gets so hot in Florida. The humidity just makes it almost unbearable to go outside for more than an hour. We love the winter here- the weather is the best!
I thought about you Tuesday during my daughters field trip to a natural Rainforest. It was so beautiful and calming and I thought of all the wonderful benefits you continue to write about! You would love it there. It was Jones Gap State Park.
Such great advice and so interesting there are studies on it.
Thank you for sharing with us your challenges with Lupus and how it affect your ability to blog. But, as you say, “Healthy Tree, Healthy Me”. Take care of yourself first, spend time outside, and the blogging will continue 🙂
I am the mother of a young man with severe, degenerative myopia (~19 diopters in each eye), and I say “Right on!” We really need kids to get outside more. My son’s myopia is congenital so he had it since birth. The poor little guy could only see vague colors and shapes until he turned 3 and the pediatrician finally agreed he should go get his eyes checked. Now he has to go every year to get his eyes dilated and check on the health of his retinas. Myopia of any sort is no fun. So get out there! And Verla, I wish you all the strength and energy in the world!
I am in my 40’s, and I just got my first pair of hiking poles for our last vacation, hiking in Utah. I loved them! So great for balance and confidence.
I have a six year old right now and I totally believe in getting outside as often as possible! And, yes, some days actually doing that is harder than others, but I can see and feel the benefits every time we do get out there in everyone! Great article, I always enjoy reading your posts.
Sometimes it’s a struggle! I’m a homebody by nature, yet I LOVE to be out IN nature! The ocean is the best therapy for me but the forest is a close second. Every time I read one of your articles, I seriously think back to a couple of years ago when I came upon the sweetest Sugar Pine tree (pun was not intended!) The bark on it was so interesting and I took a picture of it and look back at it often. I can’t wait to get back out to it next month either! I wonder how it will have changed since I last saw it?
Anyway, this is your article and here I am, rambling!
Thank you, Verla, for sharing! 🙂
This is so true! I struggled all winter with forcing myself to go out. I’m definitely not a winter person. We went hiking this weekend and just sitting underneath the pines was so relaxing, I came home and pounded out an entire weeks worth of content! Now I get to enjoy other blogs and the sunshine that finally found its way here.