I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.
` Rabindranath Tagore
Studies have shown that exercise is of great benefit to people with MS. I’m not opposed to exercise, but I am finding it a challenge to add it to my routine. Like most people (with or without MS), I have a tough time finding the time to get exercise done. Add to that the challenge of finding exercise I can do. My mobility issues make it difficult – if not impossible – to get my heart rate to the appropriate range for a proper cardio workout. The best option for me has been recumbent bikes, but the new ones in our neighborhood fitness center are not at the right angle for me. My left leg is considerably weaker than the right, and if the bike requires any level of up-and-down motion, it’s beyond me.
There are still other options for me. I do loads of walking at work because of the building layout. I’ve been wearing a pedometer to track my steps during the day. How do steps correspond with exercise? Here’s a guideline I’ve found:
- < 5,000 steps = sedentary lifestyle
- 5,000 – 7,499 = low active
- 7,500 – 9,999 = somewhat active
- 10,000 – 12,499 = active
- > 12,500 = highly active
At my physical, I told my doctor I use a pedometer, and she asked me how many steps I had walked the previous day. When I told her 8100, she was pleased. When I told her I’ve had days over 12000, she was thrilled.
At an MS seminar, two physical therapists presented ideas for an exercise program. They recommended incorporating a fitness program that incorporates:
- Cardio
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Balance
Flexibility has been a challenge. One of the most beneficial leg exercises for me is one that I’m not currently strong enough to do on my own. So now I have to coordinate two schedules instead of one to be able to do those exercises. Needless to say, that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.
I was reading Dr. Allen Bowling’s terrific book Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis to see what sort of options were available. I’ve read some MS books, but Dr. Bowling’s book is by far the best I’ve read. Each chapter covers a particular therapy type from Accupuncture to Yoga. He describes each therapy, presents any research that’s been done, identifies any potential side effects, and then delivers a recommendation. He’ll indicate whether a therapy has benefit, is harmful, or has inconclusive results. This is a great book for getting ideas for expanding my MS treatment. There’s a chapter in his book about tai chi.
Tai chi is an ancient component of traditional Chinese medicine. I’ve seen it done a lot of times, typically with a large group of people doing slow body movements in unison. According to Dr. Bowling’s research, tai chi can help decrease stiffness and increase walking ability. Those are two areas I definitely need to address in my disease management. I did a little bit of research and found out that the Taoist Tai Chi Society provides training to new and experienced students worldwide. Their local center is very convenient to my house. Even better – new beginning classes start this week! Perfect timing. I’m registered and will start my class this Wednesday night. According to their site, it takes 4-5 months for beginners to learn the 108 moves of the Tai Chi set. After I complete the beginners class, I could take a continuing class on Saturdays. I’m excited about trying something new that can help me progress.
The International Taoist Tai Chi Society is a charitable, non-profit organization. Their instructors are volunteers. The society and its instructors made me think of the quote at the beginning on this entry. Talk about people doing service with joy. They have learned and become accredited instructors, and they are giving back with joy. Their approach is getting me even more enthused. We’ll see how things go on Wednesday.
