By Corinne Yeadon, of the Being Better private therapy practice based in Newmarket Street, Skipton

RECOVERY from Covid-19 has proved a challenging and slow process.

The numerous declarations of being “on the mend” or “on the up” seemed to be followed by dips and resurgence of some symptoms, granted not to the depths of the first week or so, but debilitating none the less. When exhaustion hits, other symptoms seemed to resurface.

From a psychological point of view, the need to restore some sense of control and feel I was doing ‘something’ was important to me.

The starting point was cooking from fresh and calling on local friends in the wellbeing industry for guidance, support and suggestions to support recovery.

In addition to the vitamins taken from the beginning, plant based proteins were recommended and elixirs to boost the immune and respiratory system. Moisturisers were sourced for my parched skin and a smell training programme introduced to encourage the return of smell and taste using blended essential oils.

I am beyond delighted that taste and smell is returning. It shocked me how upsetting the absence of smell and taste was and how integral to my life it was.

I fell into the trap of overdoing it when feeling OK which knocked me sideways. I had to concede that the crucial element to recovery was pacing myself interspersed with rest.

The challenge as a business owner is placing boundaries and limits around work time, particularly when working from home; a phased return was put in place which needed to be tweaked further to support recovery.

Feeling unwell and being bombarded with pandemic statistics promotes feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, as does reference to ‘Long Covid’.

Without a doubt, the best recovery aid and motivator throughout it all has been the check in messages, encouraging comments and offers of help.

It is my belief that the healing properties of kind words and valuable emotional support, even from a distance, has a huge impact on physical wellness.