The noble Tincup has raised again the perennial issue of exerise and I give below my serious but lighthearted anwswer.
A dear friend of mine in discussing the uses of exercise noted to me: "If you study the cytokines of inflammation and understand how they are found in the extracellular space (lymph fluid) and that the primary way that lymph flows is by movement, then you will appreciate movement even more....massage, walking...etc.
Moving lymph fluid dilutes these inflammatory cytokines and reduces inflammation.
It's all about inflammation!"
So, Tincup Oh Radiant one, I hate to tell you the bad news but the only thing that seems to really work to fight this madness and the vicious trailer trash burgdorferis -the Sherry guzzling Boris and his idiot wife Myrtle and all their perfectly ghastly ill mannered and ill raised relatives- is EXERCISE.
Since I am a walkaholic, and come from a long line of alcoholics-instead of getting hooked on booze-althought I do love the stuff-I am hooked on using my feet and moving. I love to get out and just wander around.
So the best exercises are walking and swimming. Having seen the incredibly ugly men in the locker room I no longer have a problem with going swimming. While I may be truly positively revolting in a bathing suit there are others even worse. I keep saying that I look like a pregant Walrus-and no I have not been doing anything kinky down at the Riverbanks Zoo-but my women friends tell me that is not possible. My fat is in all the wrong places.
There was even one brave soul down at the pool who looked about 198 who was just about ready to get in his coffin. He got in there-the pool, that is not his coffin- and thrashed about with the best of them. If he can do it-no modesty there- I can too. Just to swim a few meters a day or every other day is wonderful for your system. Even if it is painful just keep moving. When you quit moving you are dead.
You are putting oxygen into your system and Boris and Myrtle Burgdorferi and their 900 million naseating relations just hate oxygen. For them it is a poison. So just get out there and breathe and up your metabolism away and think Poison the Micrscopic Vermin.
Walking is just wonderful. Find an area which brings you joy and go for it. Bicycling is just great. Get out and run over the people and dogs/cats/sheep that get on your nerves. It will be so satisfying. You will even get to see a lot more of the world than you do lying in bed being in misery.
I feel awful you say. Well of course you do, but even so get out there and root hog or die. After all if you lie abed, and I realize-boy do I realize-that there are times when you just cannot go. But there will be those times when you can. So get out there and do what you can, and try to make yourself do more than you think you can. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Besides as I have said you are making the microscopic swine miserable and you will be amazed at how many times how much better you feel. Besides you can get out and talk to people or compare yourself to them and often it turns out that you and things are not as bad as you thought.
You will discover that sunlight is beautiful, Clouds are delightful, trees refresing and breating fresh air is as satisfying to you as it is unpleasant and indeed painful to our dear friends Boris and Myrtle. Cheers!!!! Thomas Parkman
[ 12. October 2006, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: Thomas Parkman ]
Posted by Ann-OH (Member # 2020) on :
Tincup? Noble? well okay, maybe fiesty, outspoken, fun-loving, persistent, loquacious but eloquent, and damn straight, but I had never thought of noble.
Thomas, you are a gem and a priceless writer! Thanks so much for this incredibly inspiring, funny essay!
Ann - OH
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Thanks Thomas!! You've got me all geared up to go out and make Boris and Myrtle and all their relatives MAD!!!!
Posted by nomoremuscles (Member # 9560) on :
Yeah, exercise is great.
Except for those of us it wrecks.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
Atta man Thomas! Great overture as usual; we all need humor in our lives, and we've got you and Tincup plus many others on here
especially COBWEB CAROL with her wonderful poetry...Bettyg Posted by Thomas Parkman (Member # 3669) on :
Dear Ann,
Re the Noble Tincup,
Fiesty, loquacious etc. you say, to which could be added courageous and kind. My dear if a person who is all these things is not noble, then would you please tell me who is??? Nobility is that quality of a compassionate and awakened heart. Actually it is there in all of us. Perhaps Lyme disease can be that kick in the seat of the pants that will cause us to wake up and realize that in ourselves.
As for those who are physical wrecks and cannot walk or swim, then more gentle but persistant efforts should be made. YOu perhaps would want to talk to a competent yoga instructor to devise exercises which could strenthen you and help to relieve the stress and pain. Further message may well be an excellent option.
Working on breathing and meditation could be very useful. Discussions with a competent physical therapist is also a possiblity.
My point being, and it is a serious one, DO NOT JUST LIE THERE IN YOUR PAIN AND GIVE UP!!! By making an effort you actually will feel better and greatly help yourself and others.
Turn to those things which bring you joy and help to give you strength. Cheers. Thomas Parkman
Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :
I wholeheartedly agree with Thomas! When I first started feeling badly, I resolved NOT to give up my daily walk. I may not go as far or as fast as I used to, but I still go.
I also go to a pool, that instead of chlorine is kept clean with mineral salts ---aahhhhh - it is heaven. (water at 93 degrees) I do Ai Chi in that pool for about 50 minutes twice a week. Because of the buoyancy of the water, you don't even feel the workout you are getting. Ai Chi is a lot like Yoga with the breathing and the gentle movements. It's based on T'ai Chi.
I have in the past few months been able to add a little weight training at the same time - in the pool. Mostly to build up shoulder area and pecs. On the days that I can't make it to the pool, I feel seriously deprived!
Posted by dontlikeliver (Member # 4749) on :
That sounds very sensible....BUT, I seriously do wonder IS it best to get out there and exercise when you are either herxing, relapsing or feeling much worse than 'usual'(or sick with something else, virus maybe?)...
For instance, I did some form of exercise virtually every day last week.
I am now sick. Either herxing, or relapsing, not sure what but feel VERY sick, fatigued, achy, etc....DO I push myself? I am SURE if I do, I will wind up in bed even more days???
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Dr. B's guidelines say exercise is vital but:
1. No cardio during treatment
2. Only exercise every other day
I break the second rule, I do yoga whenever I can,, often three days in a row. But it took me time to build to that.
Posted by Thomas Parkman (Member # 3669) on :
Do I exercise too much? you ask. Well the response is not too tight and not too loose. It is such an individual thing. I know one time I went and got in the pool in a towering rage, no Lyme rage there, ha! and swam 2,000 meters. I then got out of the pool, staggered off and had to go home and go to bed.
So exercise is like chocolate, there can be too much of a good thing. It is a personal individual thing, and like everything else in Lyme, you must be your own judge. Sigh!!! Cheers.
Posted by troutscout (Member # 3121) on :
If I think about it...I excercise while my abx are at their peek...ie; walk or lift some weights.
I don't feel that walking is best in the beginning...however, I do agree with weight lifting. Every third day.
Trout Posted by prismvision (Member # 9648) on :
Thanks for the inspiration!!! If a pregnant walrus can do it, well, so can I!!!!!! Posted by karatelady (Member # 7854) on :
No Cardio???
Ooops, I'm in trouble.
I love my karate and its the hardest workout I've ever done - each class I think to myself ~ can I get through it? Of course, I always do and feel sooooooooooooo much better.
That's my best time ~ 3 or 4 hours after a hard workout. Of course, good stretching is a must too.
I must add, I am continuously kidded in class because ~ Sandy HAS to have her fan blowing on her. I don't care ~ whatever works!
Sandy
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Hey..
I just heard someone was talking about me over here.
Ain't ya'll so sweet... blush blush.
And TP.. you are too funny!!! Between you and Ann with her humor, you've got me laughing!
Thanks!
Posted by char (Member # 8315) on :
Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
-Mark Twain
Posted by trails (Member # 1620) on :
I have to put in here that I was in my top physical condition, training in the three sports and feeling GREAT when I relapsed. I hadnt had any abx for 4 years.
Since then I have had MUCH less faith in fitnness being the answer for me.
no doubt it is mentally a great thing, but as far as keeping lyme away I BEG to differ.
and also I am so jealous of the salt pools---oh how I would love to get in one of those every day!!
Posted by Thomas Parkman (Member # 3669) on :
Dear Trails,
No, physical exercise is not the answer. You need to get back on abx it seems. But physical exercise is part of the answer. You did go for four years without abx, after all. It helps to keep you physicaly strong, which is vital, even if you were not sick with LD, it helps alleviate the pain, or certainly the emotional side of it, it stimulates the immune system and as I said in my posting it helps dampen down infection, always an inportant consideration.
I myself am very sick with this kaka and I can tell you if it were not for the fact that I do make myself walk, and bike and swim I am certain I would be a bed ridden invalid. Further I am in serious pain all the time. It helps with some of that too. Of course you are not going to relieve, for example, a serious attack of GERD by going out and walking.
We have to use common sense here. It is not the cure all but an important weapon in our arsenal of tools to maintain our well being.
As for too much chocolate? Well, Cave, my dear it is obvious that you are not a chocoholic. Yes, you can eat so much of that devine substance that you may have reason to fear gallstones. I adore chocolate ice cream. Even in cold weather. My doctor put me off of all sugars at one time. I promptly renamed him Beelzebub. Cheers.
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