I first heard about the concept of weak link problems versus strong link problems while listening to a Revisionist History podcast while on a road trip.
A weak link problem is like a metal chain. A metal chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. To make the chain stronger, you're better off strengthening a weak link than a strong link. A strong link problem is the reverse. In the podcast, he uses a sports analogy.
In soccer, the better team is the team with the best worst player. In other words, in order to improve your team, you need to improve your weakest player. In basketball, however, adding one superstar can make the difference between winning the championship or not - as the Raptors learned in 2019 when they added Kawhi Leonard.
Well, health is a weak link problem.
Imagine your health is a chain. Every facet of your genetics, lifestyle, history, and environment is a link in the chain of your health.
To strengthen your chain, you can either improve your chain - drink more water, exercise more often, etc. Or you can support a weak link by building around it - adapt your exercise routine when you are in a flare or avoiding allergens would be examples of that.
You can't change the fact that you have arthritis, but you can build habits and routines that take your arthritis into account. You can take charge of your life rather than feeling pushed around. And you can still be healthy even though you have a chronic illness.
Until Next Week, -Samantha.