Waking Up on Jupiter

I woke up on Jupiter this morning, where the gravity is 2.5 times that of Earth. My 120-pound body felt like 300 pounds. It was hard to lift my arms and legs. And then, I realized, I was still on my home planet; no one stole all the oxygen; this was a sudden fatigue attack and a hallmark symptom of my autoimmune disease.

Fatigue can come on suddenly. For me, it starts with ringing in the ears and then an overwhelming feeling of heaviness. In the past, I've experienced normal fatigue from lack of sleep, dehydration, stress, or the result of training, but this feels different - it is overwhelming and uncontrollable exhaustion. The cause is increased inflammation in the body.

Did I do something wrong? Did I do too much yesterday? Was it all that time in the sun? Was it the wine I drank last night or because I rebelled and didn't take my supplements? Maybe it was that sugary bread pudding. It was probably all the things. But that is frustrating because I want to be able to do it all. I want to rebel sometimes; I want to paddle board with my friend during the day and go to dinner to celebrate events with my family and not pay such a hefty price.

As I explain to my athletes and patients, the answer to wellness and success is to strike a balance; it will take some time to figure out the recipe that works for me. But it won't change today. What can I do about today? What if I feel like this tomorrow and must go to work?

That's when I got to thinking. The brain is powerful. When I suddenly find myself on Jupiter, what if I visualize that I am instead on the moon? Maybe I am a helium balloon. Does this change the chemistry in my body? Will it help the inflammation that is causing the fatigue? Maybe! The conscious mind is powerful. It can partially control how much oxygen is delivered to the musculoskeletal system by regulating the heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. Wow, right?

More studies are needed to examine the effects of mindfulness on the immune system. But, regardless of the physiological impact, it is worth trying if it can even slightly alter my perception. So, with that in mind, off I go, on the moon in my space suit today, taking one small step into my new reality.