By Christina Heiser
About six months into my celiac diagnosis, I hit rock bottom and suspected I was suffering from burnout related to managing a chronic condition. Adhering to a strict gluten-free diet (currently the only treatment option for celiac disease) had turned out to be a whole lot more challenging than I thought it would be, and I was completely wiped out.
I was tired of reading food labels. I dreaded having to cook another meal for myself. I’d say no to social invitations just so I didn’t have to deal with asking questions about the food. I felt like I had to have a detailed food plan anytime I left my home; and if things didn’t go exactly according to said plan, I would break down. At the time, my thoughts revolved almost entirely around food, and I found it difficult to concentrate on anything else.
According to the National Institutes of Health, burnout is typically used in professional settings to describe the consequences of high stress on the job and is characterized by three key symptoms: exhaustion, alienation from work-related activities, and reduced performance at work. My symptoms were very similar, but instead of being caused by my job, celiac disease was to blame.
I know I’m not the only one who’s ever been stressed about living with celiac disease or experienced burnout related to this condition. Research published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that celiac patients find treatment of their condition to be more burdensome than patients with other chronic illnesses, while a study in the journal Chronic Illness revealed that women with celiac disease were more likely to develop mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
I knew I couldn’t go on living this way, so I actively took steps to get myself out of this funk. So, what did I do to overcome my celiac burnout, and what strategies might you be able to implement in your own life if you, too, are utterly exhausted from having to navigate this chronic condition? Here are five tips that may be able to help.
1. Work with a medical professional to educate yourself about celiac disease.
Working with a dietitian was one of the best things I did to build my celiac knowledge base and boost my confidence. My dietitian was able to share literature with me about hidden sources of gluten, provide safe gluten-free product recommendations, and answer any question I had about celiac disease, no matter how silly I felt for asking. After a few sessions, I didn’t feel so overwhelmed about reading food labels or dining at restaurants anymore.
2. Utilize time-saving hacks in the kitchen.
Early on in my diagnosis, I cooked so many gluten-free meals from scratch; and cooking went from an activity I loved to do to one I hated. The last thing I wanted to do anymore after a long day of work was go grocery shopping and cook dinner, but given that ordering takeout every night wasn’t exactly feasible, it had to be done. To ease some of my burden, I relied on a few hacks: I had my groceries delivered, I rotated through a few gluten-free meal delivery services, and I relied on microwavable rice and veggies as side dishes to whatever protein I planned on serving.
3. Engage in regular movement.
I always used to enjoy working out, but exercise fell to the wayside once I was diagnosed with celiac disease. A study published in the journal PeerJ found that exercise could be effective in preventing professional burnout and I can tell you that getting back into the habit of daily movement definitely benefited my mental health and helped to reduce my celiac burnout. A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal found that the sweet spot for exercise in improving mental health is 45 minutes a day, three to five times a week. My favorite cardio workouts are indoor cycling and dance.
4. Practice mindfulness.
Similarly to exercise, I had really fallen off my game when it came to mindfulness but research published in various scientific journals has shown meditation can help ease stress and even alleviate symptoms of burnout. Now, I try to do a five- or 10-minute meditation three days a week, depending on my schedule. There are plenty of free guided meditations you can find online. I also like yoga and sound baths, two mindfulness practices that have proven stress-relieving benefits.
5. Ask for help.
I thought I could manage my celiac disease all by myself, but the burden was too much for me (or any one person) to carry alone. Although it was difficult at first, I learned to ask the people in my life for help. For example, if my partner and I get invited to a wedding, I’ll ask him to contact the venue on my behalf to ask whether they can accommodate me. Or, if I’m planning to go out to dinner or travel with friends, I’ll ask the group if they can do some restaurant research to find places with safe gluten-free options. That way, the burden isn’t always on me.
Author bio:
Christina Heiser is a New York City-based writer and editor living with celiac disease. She has over a decade of experience working for top beauty, health, and retail publications and brands and is the founder of the Celiac Self-Care newsletter.
Newsletter link: https://celiacselfcare.christinaheiser.com/
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/xtinaph/
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