Limping in a Winter Wonderland

Dear readers

The festive season is finally upon us; it is one of my favourite times of the year. I love all the happy music, the bright lights and cosy décor. Nothing cheers me more than the thought of snuggling up on the couch, blanket wrapped around me, with a cup o hot chocolate and a Christmas classic on the TV. As a Christian, nothing delights me more than walking into church and seeing the advent candles lit, as the organ strikes up an old hymn and yet another service of Lessons and Carols begins. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that there's only one downside to the whole festive season...

The joint pain.

The absolutely horrendous joint pain.

Like many chronically ill people, I experience harsh spikes in my symptoms whenever I encounter cold, damp weather. As I spend most of my winters in wet, freezing cold Glasgow, I have a tough time adjusting to the change. Luckily, as I've been enduring these conditions all my life, I've developed a few handy coping mechanisms. If you want to give yourself the gift of a pain-free Christmas, read on...

1. Layer up!

Anyone who comes from a cold climate will tell you that the secret to keeping warm is layering your clothes. When you layer up, you trap air between the layers of fabric, keeping the heat that naturally radiates from your skin trapped too. You might want to consider a thermal vest and longjohns, followed by trousers and a thin blouse, topped with a thin jumper, perhaps a sweatshirt on top of that, and then a coat and a woolen scarf. All these thin layers will keep you warmer than the thick sweatshirt alone, and can always be removed if you get too hot. Keeping warm should keep your joints nice and toasty, and prevent extra pain.

2. Hold your horses!

Winter is a dreadful time for falls, trips and accidents. If you're a bit unsteady on your feet due to a chronic health problem or disability, you're more likely to fall over during the winter, because it's dark and often either rainy or icy outside. So take your time while travelling; use a mobility aid if you need one, and walk carefully. The last thing you want is a broken bone or dislocation ruining your holidays!

3. Cheat on turkey

Cooking a perfect, festive roast dinner is a time and energy-consuming task. Standing to chop vegetables, peel potatoes, and prepare a turkey can feel like an impossible task if you have a condition that affects your mobility... let alone the pain in your hands!

Thankfully, there are ways to make seasonal cooking easier. Don't be afraid to buy a bag of frozen, pre-chopped vegetables and just throw them in a pan to roast. Stock up on jars of pre-minced garlic, ginger and other spices. Chuck a bag of Aunt Bessies roast potatoes in the oven (other brands are available!) And if all else fails, order takeaway. There's no law that says you need to have an elaborate turkey dinner made from scratch, at the cost of your health.

4. It's called Christmas. Not Stressmas

People have turned Christmas into a pretty stressful ordeal. We can feel a lot of pressure to buy the perfect gifts on time, cook delicious meals from scratch and host the most amazing parties. But if you're chronically ill, stress will only make you feel even worse. In the long run, it doesn't really matter if the presents weren't immaculately wrapped, or you got your mashed potato out of a packet, or you didn't have the energy to cover your house in lights. So just relax, and enjoy your Christmas in your own way.

As for me, I'm spending this Christmas in the sunshine for once! I'll be escaping dull Glasgow and heading off to the sunny, sandy streets of Marrakesh, and I'm not coming back until the New Year.

Until then, my dear readers, have a very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca