It’s easy to get lazy when you are in pain. When I’m not feeling well, I don’t want to play in the backyard with the kids, let alone go for a walk or anything else.
My husband has been taking the boys on walks at a Grant Park, a nature reserve near our house. I’ve been feeling left out and missing out. Yesterday, I decided to go with them… just a short walk. We took the red trail which amounts to about a half mile. It was perfect in length for me, at least that day – as I dressed a little warmer than I should have and by the end of the trail and I was hot and sticky.
I also forgot to take any pain medicine before we left and I was feeling a tad crummy by the end of things. But, overall, I felt good… I mean, really.. it felt good to be out in the sunshine – even shaded, to breath in the fresh air (yes, I have fresh air at my house, but it was also fresh-scenery air, lol), and to move around.. see the boys as they found and showed me shells, pointed out poison ivy and walked through the creek. I took Enzo and Ella with us.. and that was good for Enzo – who is very shy and skittish around people.
I think going for a weekly or even twice weekly walk when the weather isn’t hot would be enjoyable.. I’ll stick with the short trails though. Too much and I’m worn out!
Anyway.. going on this walk made me wonder about other people with crohn’s and exercise.. I mean.. normally, they say walking is good for digestion. So is exercise a good thing for IBS sufferers?
According to this article “Light exercise may be good for Crohn’s disease“, “Canadian researchers found that for people with mild Crohn’s disease, taking a walk a few times per week helped boost their well-being and quality of life.” However, this applies primarily to those who are in remission or have mild symptoms. If you are still getting your crohn’s under control you may want to hold off on any exercising.. But then.. this article states current research has shown “low-intensity exercise does not exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms and does not lead to flare-ups. Furthermore, exercise appears to reduce CD symptoms and improve QOL.” Further research needs to be done to be certain.
Of course, talk to your doctor and all that typical safety stuff before you do too much, better safe than sorry. Not to mention, if you don’t feel like it, don’t do it…