Even for those with chronic disease, exercise can provide relief from pain and other symptoms. When you are debilitated by symptoms of disease, exercise may be the last thing on your mind. Most health care professionals agree, however, that the benefits of exercise far outweigh the potential risks.
Now for some this may be an excuse (I accept that not everyone wants the benefits of exercise), but some people may genuinely be afraid of the risks. Others may not be aware of the power of exercise to relieve symptoms of disease.
I have talked often of exercise as a means of preventing disease, but it is also beneficial when he disease is in place. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, asthma, back pain or other chronic conditions, you may need to check with your doctor before starting a program. In most instances, however, exercise will relieve or eliminate many if not all symptoms.
A Sports Med Update from the American College of Sports Medicine concluded that physical activity is associated with a reduction in mortality among patients with chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and Type 2 diabetes.
A recent study found that patients with two or more chronic health conditions, who had less than 30 minutes of activity per week, had a mortality rate of almost three times that of patients getting more than 30 minutes of activity per week. Triple your likelihood of living with an investment of a little more than 30 minutes of your time each week? Imagine what 60 minutes might do!
Individuals suffering chronic pain from fibromyalgia think medication is the only answer. The right type and intensity of exercise can relieve pain and lead to a reduction or elimination of medication. Surgery is often recommended for back pain, when use of the Roman Chair or yoga may alleviate the pain. Many diabetics think they cannot exercise. Yes, complications are anticipated and the patient will need to learn to control their insulin levels. But, did you know that through exercise many Type 2 diabetic patients may eventually restore near normal glucose levels? That’s huge.
Most people don’t recognize the control they have over their health, especially when faced with a life-threatening disease. Are you starting to see it? I hope so.
Carol Klingsmith is a registered nurse, Gold Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist and Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). She writes a monthly column, The Wisdom of Wellness and is one of the authors in a soon to be released book, titled "101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health." Her website is www.carolswellness.com.
What Is RSS? ![]() |