I was stunned the day my physician said to stop running and take up walking. As a child and teenager, running and other physical activities were an important part of my life. They made me feel good. When I started smoking cigarettes in high school I lost that desire. Nine years later, running helped me quit smoking and sustained me for the next fifteen years, until pain in my ankles and knees slowed me down to walking speed.
 |
| Microwave Heating Pad Relaxes Tired Feet |
I remember watching Mary Decker on TV run and set records in the Olympics. In an article, Gaining New Ground by Bryan D. Vargo, (Arthritis Today,Nov-Dec 2015) I learned that she thought her injuries were due to over-training. But today she thinks they make have been related to undiagnosed arthritis. She finally listened to what her body was telling her and retired from running in 1999. An earlier diagnosis might have helped ease the pain and depression that went along with her having to retire from the sport she loved. She, like many of us have done as our bodies age, has turned her energies to other activities, including hiking and gardening.
Not overdoing physical exercise but doing enough and maintaining good form helps me participate in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, kayaking, and gardening. Being physically active also helps maintain a healthy mental and emotional balance in life.
Not overdoing physical exercise but doing enough and maintaining good form helps me participate in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, kayaking, and gardening. Being physically active also helps maintain a healthy mental and emotional balance in life.
If you have arthritis, you know the importance of staying physically active and keeping those joints moving. A microwave heating pad helps relax stiff or tired muscles at the end of a physically active day. Maine Warmers’ Extra Large Heating Pad for the Back is versatile and can be used to soothe tired feet. Heat stimulates circulation and increases flexibility. This pad can be wrapped around the feet, placed on top, or even used to relax leg cramps.
A gluten-free diet reduces inflammation in the body. It might help with some symptoms of arthritis, as it did with me. See Maine Warmers’ Gluten Free Recipes.