This week, I’m looking to the future and whatever it may have in store. Looking at things in a positive way is something that’s always been important to me when writing my posts. Having a positive outlook on life is not always easy but it’s really important in difficult times like the present.
I know there are lot’s of people out there, who are really frightened about leaving their house and going out..
I’ve written a new poem to reflect our very troubled times. The title could be viewed as misleading; although I think we are all looking to the future at the moment and hoping for some more productive times ahead.
It’s a wonderful feeling walking along a beach; watching the sea touch your toes as you walk.
I enjoy walking all year round winter and summer.It’s a good way to exercise and keep the weight off.
There’s no better time to start exploring new surroundings on foot during summer, or perhaps you already have due to COVID-19.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to do lots of walking recently and have also lost weight, felt healthier and improved my mental health.
Being a fibromyalgia sufferer, my joints feel less painful and movement gets easier during the warmer months.
If I can try to increase my exercise by walking a bit further each day in summer. It can help to prepare for when autumn and winter limit my movement.
I first started walking regularly before I had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.I had been suffering with lower back pain, which had got progressively worse.I had been unable to work and my doctor said I need to go to physio first and suggested walking.
At the time I thought it was really unhelpful advice as I could barely move, let alone walk anywhere!But after the physio got me mobile, I started with short bursts at first of 5 to 10 minutes, progressing to longer walks.Now I do a regular walk every day and have not suffered from back pain so much; I also have more energy to do things.
I look forward to my walk everyday, sometimes twice a day if I’m not too tired later on. I am fortunate that I live near a park and I can vary my daily walks through wooded areas and quiet residential streets.
I usually spend about 25-45 minutes on each walk and vary the terrain. On really cold or wet days when my symptoms are worse, I go for a walk at a local covered shopping centre, which means I still get exercise but I’m not exposed to the elements as much as outside.
If you have started walking recently or plan to begin and have not exercised recently you may want to consult your doctor or health professional beforehand.
If your joints are very stiff it might help to try gentle exercise at your local heated swimming pool first. Exercising in water supports the body and would free up joints. If you are a wheelchair user some pools have special equipment to access the water easily.
If you are a wheelchair user the UK website Walks with wheelchairsis dedicated to routes for wheelchair users.All walks have been tested by wheelchair users.
“It’s the use of fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas– that’s the main problem. Burning them has released carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which were locked deep within the Earth. Because of this, the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has rocketed. It’s now at levels not seen in millions of years, before humans even existed. Carbon dioxide traps heat from the sun and as a result our planet is now warming fast.
The UK’s top ten warmest years have occurred since 2002, and this trend is set to continue.”
Fibromyalgia affects around 1 in 20 people. Although most people have no idea what fibromyalgia is; let alone what it’s like to live with.
So, here’s a brief guide for anyone who doesn’t know anything about fibromyalgia.
What is fibromyalgia?
Its a long term chronic health condition characterised by pain. The pain ranges in severity on a daily basis from mild symptoms to severe pain in changing areas of the body.
Themainsymptomsare:
Pain throughout the whole body
Joints and muscles feel stiff
Quality of sleep can be poor
Feeling tired and fatigued
Irritablebowelsyndrome (IBS)
Extreme Sensitivity
Cognitiveproblems, feeling confused, or dazed, sometimes called Fibro fog
Headaches
Depression
Anxiety
Painfulperiods in women
The symptoms can vary from person to person.
Symptoms can get better or worse from time to time.
Factors that influence this are:
the amount of stress you are experiencing
how much daily exercise you have
and changes in climate and temperature
Further information is available on theNHS website.
If you think you may be suffering from fibromyalgia, consult your doctor or health professional. They will run a variety of tests to get an accurate diagnosis of your condition.
There’s no cure….Yes you did read that correctly; there’s no cure, but…
I’ve lived with fibromyalgia for 15 years and found some times are really tough.
The single most upsetting factor for me has been other people’s perception of ‘living with fibromyalgia’. They almost always get it wrong. So, if you meet someone who has fibromyalgia, tread carefully. Don’t jump to conclusions about how they feel. Listen to them. After all they are living with it on a daily basis.
The positives are my symptoms are still there, but have improved greatly since I was first diagnosed.
