I don’t know about you, but I am really bad about taking time to care for myself. Or spending money on things that will benefit me. I often put others needs before mine and that is something I’ve always done that. Until recently, when I realized that my needs truly need to come before others and I need to do more to take care of myself and not just symptom management and doing only what I feel like doing. So I won’t usually take the time or spend the money to take care of me outside of what has to be done daily just to function. Sometimes it will really take a reminder to spend some time taking care of my skin and and body outside of my daily routines. I assume that others are like me as well. Over the last year I’ve actually been taking the time and spending the money to take care of me. So I decided to share some of my favorite products that I think others with Chronic Illness/Chronic Pain should have on hand and would enjoy.

Bath Bombs/Epsom Salt

One of the things I have found that I enjoy and can be both beneficial and a way to pamper myself is a good hot bath. So I wanted to tell you about a couple of my favorite items I use in the bath.

1. One of my FAVORITE things is to take a HOT bath. So the first thing on my MUST HAVE list is a good Bath Bomb. Most of my bath bombs come from an Etsy shop called “ThisLittleLymeOfMine.” Her products are not only aesthetically pleasing, they also have healing properties. She uses Himalayan Pink and Dead Sea Salt to make her products, both of which are known to have a healing properties. One reason that I like to support this shop is because it is owned and run by a fellow Spoonie. She is currently running a special for those who use the code 5OFF15, which will get you $5 off a $15 purchase. You can visit her shop by clicking on the link above.

2. Another must have in my opinion is a good EPSOM SALT! I’ve tried out many different kinds of Epsom salt throughout the years. And my most favorite is Relief MD Lavender Epsom Salt. I use this a lot at night due to its calming properties. Lavender is known to help one sleep, and the magnesium in the product helps to soothe sore and tired muscles and joints! I have found this in stores local to me but it can also be found on amazon. The link above will take you to the product on Amazon.

Skin Care

The older I get the more I realize just how important taking care of your skin really is. And not just the skin in your face, we need to take care of all our skin. We only get one face so we have to take care of it. I’ve been looking for some good skin products over the last few years and the following are the best I have found.

3. The next thing I want to share is lotion, because I have been having some major skin issues due to my illnesses. And I know I am not alone in this. Many with chronic illnesses will deal with skin issues. So I felt it important to share a good product with all of you. Recently, I have really been liking the Jergens Wet Skin Lotion! One of my favorite things about this lotion is that you can put it on your skin while it’s still wet and you don’t feel slimey. When it dries my skin feels so soft and nice!! By clicking the link above or looking at the picture below you will see that if comes on amazon in several size and quantity options, and 5 scents. My favorite is the coconut, it reminds me of being in a beach with a drink in my hand!!

4. Another line of products I’ve been loving is the Senegence Skin Care Line. (And no this is not a shameless plug because I sell them! I truly love them and that’s why I’m sharing!) I use the whole normal to dry line which includes a cleanser, a day moisturizer and a night moisturizer, as well as some other products. Including a polishing exfoliator. Even though I have some major skin issues on my face as of late due to my lupus this line has significantly helped those issues. My skin is much more even and much less red. The dark circle treatment has done wonders as well. You can see before and after pictures below. And if you want anymore information on the skin care products I use just click the link above.

Heat Products

One of the non-pharmacological ways I’ve found to deal with my pain is by using heat! That’s why I want to share my two most favorite heating devices.

5. When struggling with chronic pain a good HEATING PAD is essential. Over the last few years I’ve tried many different heating pads. Most of which didn’t hold up to frequent use. I just got the best Heating Pad I’ve ever had. They have a couple different size and color options for this pad. The things that I like about this specific heating pad is that it’s made more like a heated blanket. This particular product isn’t like the older ones where the cover and the pad are separate, and over time the heating pad gets misshapen and doesn’t fit in the cover. Another positive thing about this pad is that you have options of how long you want the pad to be on before it shuts off. You have the option of a two-hour timer or no automatic shut off. Another benefit is the automatic shutoff. I also like that the temperature can be set anywhere between 1 and 6. Not like the older models where you got not hot, really hot and way to hot!

6. Heated blankets are simply a MUST when you have chronic pain!! There are different sizes and options for these blankets. I have one that’s a heated throw that’s nice for cuddling up on the couch. And one that is queen sized and stays on my bed. All of my heated blankets have been made by Sunbeam. My all time favorite is the Sunbeam Dual Control Heated Blanket. One thing I like the most about this blanket is that there are dual controls so if you were sharing the bed with a significant other you can each set your own temperature. And there is a wide array of temperature options. My other favorite thing about this exact blanket is that you can preheat it. I like to turn on the preheat function about 10 minutes before I get into bed so it’s ready for me when I’m ready. When you are ready to buy this kind of blanket you should watch the prices. Certain times of year (usually during the holiday season) the blankets will drop in price. .

Sleep

Sleep is so important when you are chronically ill. Yet it is often one of the biggest problems we deal with. I have found a few items that have significantly helped me in my battle of with poor sleep.

7. One of my favorite ways to pamper myself is by putting my super soft sheets and fleece blankets on the bed. The ones I currently have are T-shirt sheets . They feel exactly like your favorite soft T-shirt. In my opinion there is nothing better than getting into a clean, super soft, set of sheets! The particular sheets that I have and are pictured below will come in 9 different colors so you should be able to find ones to fit your bedroom decor!

8. A good BODY PILLOW is a must! When you deal with chronic pain of any kind or insomnia good pillows are important. Especially a body pillow because it helps you to find THAT spot that is often very hard to find! When you look them up you will find that they are called maternity pillow because of the shape. My body pillow is a maternity pillow, but has really helped me sleep and I have less nights of insomnia since I got this pillow.

9. Anyone who struggles with migraines, light sensitivity or even insomnia needs a good Sleep Mask. Like many other items on this list I have tried MANY different sleep masks over the course of several years. Things you should look for in a sleep Mask is that it truly blocks all light and is the correct size and will fit your face. Like many other products, you get what you pay for, and that’s the same with sleep masks. The cheapest is usually not the best. But you also don’t need the most expensive. Just try a few and find what you like. The product linked above and shown below is one of my favorites

Miscellaneous Items

10. I think all ladies (and men I suppose) should have a good foot spa! This spa is the one I have and I really enjoy using when my feet hurt! It’s also fun to use for a girls night in! I used it a lot more when I was working and had been on my feet a lot. But you can really use it anytime. It comes with interchangeable pieces that can be used for massage or scraping the dead skin off your foot. Any spa would be good. The one I linked is simply the one I have.

These are just a few of my favorite MUST HAVES that I discovered over the last few years. The items I mentioned and linked are good for all people and can be used by anyone. But they are all very beneficial to those dealing with a chronic illness or chronic pain. These days any product I find that will make my life easier is going to be high on my list of necessity and to share with other. I feel like we all need to support and help each other, one way to do that is to share the things we have found in life that make things easier. I hope my list will help one of you and possibly make part of your life a little better or a little easier. If you have any questions about any of the products please just leave them in the comments for me.

With Love,

Amber