DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I have been sick all winter. I know part of it is because I have been going too hard, but I don’t know how to stop. My job has me out and about many evenings during the week. That came to an abrupt stop during the pandemic, but it seems we are back in full swing. The only times that I have stayed home have been when I was too sick to go out. But I’m noticing that I will be OK for a week, ramp up to my normal speed and get sick a week later. This is not a good cycle. But if I want to keep my job, I don’t know what I can do differently. Do you have any suggestions? -- Chronically Sick
DEAR CHRONICALLY SICK: Immediately go to the doctor and get a full physical. Be sure to describe your lifestyle and habits. Do not leave out any details, so that your doctor will understand your habits and how you live. Ask your doctor for advice on how to become healthier and maintain that.
I suspect that you will be encouraged to sleep more, eat better, drink a lot of water and exercise. Review your day. How often do you include those essentials in your routine? Chances are, you get up at the crack of dawn for a work deadline. What do you do for health optimization? To get healthy, you must put your health first.
You already know that you will need to curb some of your activities. Maybe you can negotiate with your boss to go out two or three times a week rather than five or more. Or you may need to change your job to something that better reflects what your body is capable of doing now.