We have all heard on the research about exercise and the amazing health benefits it provides.
What hasn't been talked about as often as it should is the type of exercise that is right for you. So let's talk about it and find out what you need to thrive.
WHY IS PICKING THE RIGHT KIND OF EXERCISE IMPORTANT FOR HEALING?
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When I first began exercising, almost a year into my illness, I started walking around my house and was using my stationary bike at home. Soon afterwards, I felt confident enough to walk outside in the fresh air by myself. It was a great accomplishment for me. Several months later, I had a goal that by October 19th, 2020 (my 1 year anniversary of the first day I became ill), I would run, even if it was only for a few seconds. I reached my goal and felt like my life was starting to move forward. I was still feeling sick each day, but I was reaching goals, which was all that mattered to me at that time. Many months later, I started to struggle while running. I felt faint and almost blacked out after each run. My nutrition was good, so I couldn't figure out what was happening. I was able to run 3 miles without stopping, so I wasn't going to let my progress go to waste, so I ignored my body's warning signs. I continued until one day I was no longer able to run. I felt flushed, and my eyesight became hazy, so my running days were over. I slowly began to lose the ability to even walk long distances anymore. I was crushed. |
Not being aware of your body's limitations can further cause problems for your healing.
Understanding what is causing your body's limitations can give you a greater advantage when choosing the type of exercise you need.
Once you learn what issues your muscles, organs, and different body systems have, you can alter the type of exercise you need to choose what will be beneficial. You can then feel confident that what you chose is helping you strengthen your body instead of curtailing your progress.
WHY COULD THE WRONG TYPE OF EXERCISE BE HURTING YOU?
Doing the wrong type of workout can definitely harm you instead of helping you.
If your workout routine causes lactic acid buildup, pain, nausea, cramping, or you simply don't feel well afterward, you should reconsider your exercise routine.
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After I stopped running I visited an acupuncturist to help me with horrible upper back and neck pain. The second she stuck a needle in my hand, it felt like a 1/2 inch nail was being hammered into it. I pushed through the pain as she continued to drill these tiny torture pins all the way up from my arm to my neck. The acupuncturist walked out and said she would return in 30 minutes. She left me a bell in case I needed help. I rang that bell after 10 minutes. I could no longer take the searing pain, and she pulled out all the needles. She said to me, "You don’t have enough oxygen in your muscles, so the needles are painful." I didn’t know what this meant, so I spent the next few weeks researching to find answers. As I searched, it all started to make sense. I started to understand why I almost fainted when running, lactic acid kept building up in my muscles, why I couldn’t do arm work without feeling sick to my stomach, why my upper arms always hurt at random times until I massaged them, and why my upper back and neck pain would not alleviate no matter how many specialists treated me. |
Understanding what type of exercise to do during chronic illness is imperative to healing. Moving the lymphatic system is critical for those suffering from illness because it removes toxins from the body and prevents stagnant lymph from forming (increasing symptoms).
THE DETAILS ON EXERCISE AND CHRONIC ILLNESS SUFFERERS
Those with chronic illnesses need to pay close attention to their symptoms when working out or speak to a functional medical professional about taking some hormonal and muscle tests. These tests can give you a better picture of what types of (aerobic vs. anaerobic) exercises you should be doing for better health.
A CLOSER LOOK AT ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC EXERCISE
Both anerobic and aerobic exercise types require energy.
ANAEROBIC EXERCISE (means without oxygen)
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Process: During anaerobic exercise, glucose that is found in the muscles is used for short and quick movements and can also be used when the aerobic system is depleted.
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With anaerobic exercise, there is a temporary oxygen depletion of your muscles. For this process to work, the body must make glucose from glycolysis. Glycolysis occurs in muscle cells during high-intensity workouts without oxygen, which produces energy very quickly. It also produces lactic acid, causing fatigue after an energy burst. Anaerobic exercises used more often will allow the body to tolerate and get rid of lactic acid more effectively.
Other details:
- breaks down glucose
- uses glycogen stores
- is of higher intensity
- is short in length
- improves glycogen store acquisition after repetitive use
- uses a lot of oxygen
- exceeds the oxygen supply
- demands more energy from your anerobic system and relies on stored energy in your muscles.
Examples of anaerobic exercises:
- weight lifting
- jumping quickly
- high-intensity jumping rope
- sprinting
- HIT workouts
- biking
AEROBIC EXERCISE (means with oxygen)
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Your breathing controls the amount of oxygen produced, which is then stored in your muscles.
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Aerobic exercise necessitates the use of stored oxygen to convert fat into fuel for the body. It generates energy by utilizing both fat and glucose from the stored oxygen. The only energy used is what is already in your body.
Examples of aerobic exercises:
- running or jogging
- walking
- swimming
- endurance cycling
- Jump rope, slow jumps
- squats, lunges, pushups,
- stationary bike
- eliptical
- kickboxing, zumba
General guidelines for choosing an exercise type: *Always consult your medical doctor before attempting any exercise changes or additions.
Whether you have
- mold toxicity
- Lyme disease
- Fribomyalgia
- CFS
- Cancer
- IBS or any gastro-intestinal issue
- MS
- Physically limiting diseases
- any other chronic illness
It's best for you to think carefully about what is actually happening in your body so you can make the right decision on what you need to do to progress through your healing time.
WHAT TYPE OF EXERCISE DID I CHOOSE AND WHY
My health journey depleted my body so severely that I wasn't able to exercise effectively. When I realized I didn't have enough oxygen in my muscles (due to mold toxicity, which causes shallow breathing as a survival mechanism for your body and lowers oxygen levels), I started looking for ways to supplement it.
I found how to do so and was able to stabilize my oxygen storage and replenish my glycogen stores.
- During this process, I chose to walk and breathe deeply while taking some oxygen supplementation. This allowed my body to restore lost oxygen supplies in my muscles. I was able to go back to running and higher-intensity workouts.
- I was very low on stored fat and had to make sure I was eating enough healthy fat to be stored to use for exercise and for when I came across pathogens (which also use up fat to fight). This helped so I could start using low-intensity arm weights.
- I kept up with my glucose intake, nutrition, and hydration as well.
- I made sure I was staying hydrated since I was producing a lot of excess lactic acid.
All of these measures I took did take time to build, but I now have the appropriate amount of stores needed for the energy that exercise requires.
WRAPPING IT ALL UP
Knowing the specifics of your illness and what type of exercise, whether aerobic or anaerobic, will help you rather than harm you will assist you in thriving.
Changes to the type of exercise can also be made as you make progress.
Check with your health practitioner about the type of exercise you should be doing, and move that body!