Tag Archives: Chronic Disease & Exercise

6 FAQs ON CHRONIC DISEASE AND EXERCISE: ANSWERED!

Hello there!

Are you suffering from a chronic disease? Are you hitting the age of 50+ and wondering about chronic diseases and how to manage them with exercise? Well, now more than ever, the answers to the below FAQ on chronic disease & exercise is relevant due to the alarming report that chronic diseases are responsible for almost 70% of all deaths globally.

1. What is a Chronic Disease?

The medical community is yet to agree on a single definition for the term “Chronic Disease” as there exists a variety of definitions. The differences depend on the research data and the lead authors. Thus,  According to Wikipedia, a chronic disease is

“A human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time”.

An academic study authored by a geriatrician defined it as

“A conditions that last a year or more and require ongoing medical attention and/or limit activities of daily living”.

MedicineNet says the chronic disease is

“one lasting 3 months or more”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also defined it as

“Diseases that are of long duration and generally slow in progression and are not passed from person to person”

From the above, we can safely conclude that it is a non-communicable health condition that persists for over 3 months and can be managed with medicine and exercise.

2. Is diabetes a chronic disease?

Irrespective of which lens you are viewing a chronic disease list from, you are certain to find diabetes. The Centres for Disease and Prevention (CDC), Wikipedia,  other medical practitioners and researchers have all listed diabetes as a chronic disease.

3. Is depression a chronic disease?

FAQ ON CHRONIC DISEASE

Yes! Depression is listed on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS.gov) extensive chronic diseases list.

4. What are the top ten chronic diseases?

According to a reputable health stakeholder, the below are not just the top ten chronic diseases in recent times but also, the most expensive, causing havoc to patient’s finances.

  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Smoking-Related Health Issues
  • Alchohol-Related Health Issues
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Stroke
  • Arthritis
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Obesity
  • Asthma

5. How can exercising help manage chronic disease?

FAQ ON CHRONIC DISEASE & EXERCISE

Researchers have provided overwhelming evidence indicating a lack of exercise as the primary factor underlying all chronic diseases.  As a believer of the adage, “it’s better late than never”, undertaking regular mild exercises from the minute one becomes self-aware will enable patients to overcome fatigue (common complaints made by patients with chronic diseases) and to a large extent improve the health condition.
Wondering how? Check this and that out.

6.  Four types of exercises to manage chronic diseases

It is paramount to note that although exercising is a wonderful way of staying young and healthy, not all forms of exercises are advised. There are specific types of exercises that are proven to have a better effect on managing chronic diseases. They are categorised into 4 key areas as illustrated below.

Endurance:

Endurance exercises keep your heart alive as demonstrated in the video. Grab our treadmills and bikes to undertake your endurance exercises.

Strength:

Stronger muscles make everyday activities easier and feel lighter. Watch the video on how to achieve this.

Balance:

Balance exercises help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults that can have serious consequences. These exercises include standing on one foot, “tai chi” and balance walking.

Flexibility:

As you grow older, certain things become much more difficult to do. Perform the above exercises, then you will have one less thing to worry about.

In summary, exercising regularly is a wonder drug you need to help manage and prevent chronic diseases.

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FAQ ON CHRONIC DISEASE & EXERCISE

It is Endometriosis Awareness Month – so we’ve got the ‘What’s, Who’s and How can I manage it?’ covered.

 

For women, this subject is up there with the list of taboos. Its a topic that many women may avoid due to feeling uncomfortable. Its invasive and maybe, a little too personal.  But if we don’t talk about it and raise the profile of it, how many women will suffer without seeking medical treatment and carry on living a reduced quality of life thinking its just ‘that time of the month’?

What is Endometriosis?

March is Endometriosis month and for those of you unfamiliar with the disorder, it affects 1 in 10 women. It can be very painful as the tissue, which would normally line the inside of the Uterus, grows on other parts of your body. Imagine heavy period cramps…all over your body, ouch!  It is a chronic disease that can cause infertility as well as life threating kidney and liver problems as tissue around these organs fuse together.

At the moment, around 1.5 million women are living with this condition, however it is certain that there are many more women out there who are undiagnosed due to the lack of research there is and how little it is recognised and spoken about.

What are the symptoms?

  • Back Pain
  • Chromic Fatigue
  • Pain during sex
  • Painful bowel movements
  • Painful, heavy, irregular periods

How can I manage it?

As of now, there is no cure, however here are ways to ease the discomfort of Endometriosis through exercise and nutrition:

  • Limiting saturated fats through plant based or a lean meat diet can help to ease flare ups

  • Eating more Omega 3 rich foods such as oily fish, walnuts or seeds.

Exercise is also a great way to help manage flare ups and its recommended that 60 minutes daily, of low impact exercise will help to relive pain and fatigue.  Exercise also  lowers Estrogen levels.  Lowering Estrogen levels may help improve symptoms.

Yoga is a low intensity exercise that stretches out the muscles,  opens up the pelvis and relives pain as well as lower abdominal and pelvic floor exercises.

Swimming can help to discourage Endo flare ups as it is worth mentioning, not moving around can worsen the pain. Swimming can offer low impact cardio as well as strength training at the same time.

The MELT method has also been designed to tackle chronic diseases and provides a self treatment method that alleviates stresses and strains, making the pain more manageable. It gives you treatment techniques that you can do at home, in sequence and support you in leading a healthy life.

It can be difficult to get a diagnosis for Endometriosis and will require surgery via a laparoscopy. There is an average of 7.5 years before receiving a diagnosis, therefore it is important that if you suffer from any of the symptoms, you book an appointment with your GP straight away and use the nutrition and exercise tips in this blog to elevate as much of the pain as you can in the meantime.

To encourage women to use exercise as a form of treatment, Endometriosis UK are trying to spread awareness and end the stigma by motivating people to take part in a 1 in 10 challenge.  They also aim for more people to talk about the disease, creating a community for women alike to come together,  get advice and share their experiences.

Click the link to take part and read more about how you can #Endothestigma.

https://endometriosis-uk.org/awareness-month-2021