Exercise and Chronic Illness: How to Pull it Off

Since everyone knows that moderate exercise can keep you healthier and even extend your lifespan, most people at least make the attempt to keep moving. Unfortunately, having a medical condition, illness, or serious health scare can permanently put you off taking care of your cardiovascular health. Bar very few illnesses, there are ways to keep exercising. First and most importantly, anyone with a chronic illness needs to go easy on themselves while exercising. Pushing yourself is fine to a certain extent, but you don’t want to hurt yourself and potentially exacerbate your condition. Next, you have to really know your body in order to exercise on a schedule and at an intensity that will keep your body healthier.

Listen to What Your Body Tells You

For a person who is relatively in shape, putting in 10 extra minutes at the gym won’t do anything but leave them feeling a bit sore. In the case of someone who is managing a serious health illness, going extra hard at the gym could possibly land them in the hospital. You should only go at a pace that feels comfortable yet slightly challenging. Listen to your body as you go for a leisurely walk and you will know if you can consider jogging. Lift light weights, to begin with, and don’t jump right into trying to bench press the equivalent of your body weight.

Have an Exercise Companion

You can take it easy on yourself and do all of the right things as you embark on an exercise plan, but if you have a chronic illness, then you know that anything can happen. This is why those with chronic illnesses are best served by having an exercise companion. You can go to the gym with a friend, or simply invest in a medical alert system that you can take anywhere. While exercising, such a device can alert medical personnel help if you need assistance when you are completely by yourself. Bay Alarm Medical monitors patients to ensure that they are able to get in contact with medical emergency services if ever there is a health scare. Remember that exercising in hot conditions, accidentally becoming dehydrated, or experiencing a physical injury could leave you in need of medical intervention.

Remember to Go Slow and Steady

While you are out around town sweating up a storm, you will probably run into people who regularly put in 5 miles plus a day. There will be days when you see people wearing sauna suits in 90-degree weather, or world-class cyclists preparing for their next marathons. As someone with a chronic illness, you have to constantly think of keeping things slow and steady. One day, you too might be running eight-minute miles or walking around literally for hours. In the interim, be proud of yourself for being able to have enough mental strength to even be thinking about maintaining an active lifestyle while also dealing with a chronic health issue. When you first begin exercising, do everything as slow as possible. Spend extra time stretching so you don’t pull a muscle and don’t forget to cool down.

If you are determined enough, then you can exercise as often as your doctor recommends is safe for you. By exercising regularly, it is also possible that you could help to make some of the symptoms of your chronic illness less severe. Be safe, protect your health, and know that tomorrow you can do even more to get into better shape. Just take things easy today, listen to your body, go slowly, and bring along a companion to help monitor you as you work out.