Aqua Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Ahhhhh warm water......Yes, sign me up! When in a great deal of pain I do resort to a nice warm shower to help. That's as close as I am able to get so far to an aqua therapy plan for my fibromyalgia. I cannot find a good facility in my area at times that work for me (grrrr) but I do have on my wish list to try someday if possible, as I do believe in the benefits.

Sue writes of the great benefits, why it works and other recommendations here:

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18426&B1=EM102313F

Have you tried aqua therapy?

Lifestyle Changes for Fibromylagia

I often talk about lifestyle changes and adjustments for helping manage fibro symptoms. I found this great link on about.com detailing the top 10 lifestyle changes. I've highlighted the list below, but it really is worthwhile to read though the article with details and more links for each.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/copingwithfmscfs/ss/lifestylechanges.htm

1. Pace Yourself
I have learned to do this, I am/was a type A personality pre-fibro, so was always on the go go go, but have learned now to balance activity (work, errands, dinner out with friends etc.) with periods of rest. This keeps me from fibro flares. Sometimes going out to dinner on a Friday night means not scheduling plans on the following Saturday for anything. Or dinner out on a Tuesday means not going out on Wednesday as well.

2. Holding a Job / Disability
This has been a struggle, but I have noticed having a job to go to helps keep my mind off the fibro for a few hours, and helps give me more purpose for the day.

3. Change Your Diet
Big proponent of this, less chemicals and processed foods, more fresh fruits and vegetables!

4. Exercise
I have settled on yoga for this, it really, really helps! It gently stretches my muscles and keeps them active, but its not too strenuous, and I can pace myself. I think the meditative part of yoga helps too, calm my mind, and even helps me sleep easier.

5. Focus on Better Sleep
I think my natural inclination has always been to be a night owl, but I've learned that maintaining proper sleep habits is an ESSENTIAL part of managing fibro. I try to start settling down by 9:00pm and start heading to bed @ 10pm, aiming to fall asleep no later than 11pm.

6. Learn Coping Skills
I've learned to accept my fibro, learn what I can do, and can't do, how to balance my social life with the fibro.

7. Little Things/Changes Can Have  a Big Impact
Foods, clothes, drinking lots of water. I've learned changing my diet helps, paying attention to how my clothes feel on and changing those if it makes me feel better, and drinking lots of water daily, all help me manage my fibro. IT really is amazing how different I feel on days that I drink a lot of water vs days I do not.

8. Surviving the Holidays
I order online for gifts (the amazon wish list is an AMAZING tool that everyone in my family now uses!) I always bring a dish/foods to get togethers that I know I can eat, and I usually try to eat a bit before I go to a get together just in case there are a lot of foods and dishes there that are on my no-no list.

9. Manage Stress
I've learned to realize what in life is worth worry about and getting upset over (not much is worth the effort and accompanying stress I've found!) and the meditation and deep breathing exercises from yoga helps calm my mind and eases stresses a lot too. I'll even listen to some calming music during times of stress, which helps refocus my energies.I'm a sucker for the Tibetan Bells music from yoga :)

10. Find Support
I have found a local support group as well as a few online that are amazing. To speak with others with the same struggles, and share stories and successes makes me feel less alone with my struggles. I highly recommend http://www.chronicbabe.com

Joints in Motion are Less Painful

Again, even though this article is about a form of arthritis, I feel us fibro-folk can learn a lot from the same advice and we too share joint pains. We are just lucky that ours isn't progressive, like arthritis is.

Learn the science of WHY exercise is good for our joint pains, and also WHAT kind of exercises are best. (Some of my favs of course are yoga, walking, water aerobics!)

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/active-living-with-osteoarthritis/osteoarthritis-knee-pain-exercise-can-help.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthLivingWithChronicPain_20110324

How to Exercise with Arthritis

I am adding this info about arthritis becasie its very similar to how fibro feels/affects us, and we can use these same tips to help us learn to exercise.

I know, seems weird that exercise would make arthritis and fibro better right?! But I found this article which consulted a physical therapist an a rheumotologist on how to exercise for the best results and least pain:

http://www.arthritistoday.org/fitness/motivation/exercise-pain.php?WT.mc_id=FN5workoutpain

They mentioned water aerobics, I would looooooove find a local class of this! I have looked into it and they are all aimed at the retirees in my area, during weekday hours :/

Try Simple Exercises for Fibro - Get Moving & Feel Better!

Good blurb on WebMd about how doing some kind of simple exercising - be it walking, water exercise, or yoga - helps ease fibro pains. (Plus the science behind WHY this exercise helps!)

Exercise just three times a week improves life on many levels.

http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/features/water-exercise-for-fibromyalgia-easing-deep-muscle-pain?ecd=wnl_fib_031511

Try Something New - Yoga Moves to Help with Pain

This is an awesome article, yay yoga! Yoga keeps me moving, and at the same time calms me and helps me sleep better. I feel more balanced and centered in life. I encourage everyone to give it a try. It is just enough for me and my fibro, and I can take it further if I need to or scale back as needed, and I have found moves to do in place of some that I just cannot do while the rest of the class is doing. A lot of people have joined in the class I am in, new year's resolutions to try something new :)

These are great examples of how practicing yoga can help with pain, it has helped me tremendously:

http://dailywd.womansday.com/blog/2010/09/daily-dose-yoga-moves-for-pain-relief-.html

Exercises for Fibromyalgia

I came across this slideshow on webmd about exercise and fibromyalgia. It's very good. I can feel the difference in my body when I miss a yoga class (usually due to fatigue) and I feel so much better overall the more I am able to keep up with my yoga.

http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia-what-you-need-to-know-10/slideshow-fibromyalgia-exercise

Yoga for Fibro

I know, I am like a broken record in my "I love yoga for my fibro" but I found this essay and I had to share, as I can't say it any better than she does! Thank you Valerie for putting this so nicely, how yoga helps fibro:

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/2010/08/20/yoga-and-how-it-relieves-symptoms-of-fibromyalgia/

Start Preparing!

"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Gandhi


When I was first diagnosed with fibro I was angry, I was going through the "why me." I was also really upset because when the symptoms first started showing up I was actually at the healthiest I've ever been in my life! I had been eating very healthy, had lost weight and was exercising a good deal. After a while of trying to understand the fibro, I started to realize that being at my healthiest when fibro hit actually helped give me more strength to take in on and be better prepared. I affirmed to get back into my healthy mode, because whether or not I had fibro I was going to at least try and be as healthy as I can again. Going back down the healthy path of living has helped me so much in feeling better and dealing with the fibro, and it wasn't such a difficult thing to start doing again, since I had done it once before. I of course just modify my eating and exercising to align with fibro constraints.

I also recently learned that a friend has been diagnosed with cancer and dealing with the chemo and treatments. She is now, thankfully, in remission. But she too has a blog, to share her updates with family and friends. And amazingly I read the same realization in her blog. That she was a healthy person, eating right and exercising and really taking care of herself, when the cancer struck. And she wondered why, and then realized that living the healthy life had prepared her for taking on cancer and beating it.

So our message is to everyone, fibro or not, cancer or not, that living a healthy lifestyle helps you to prepare for whatever may come down your path. So tell everyone you know to Start Preparing!

The Three Minute Egg for Yoga

This looks kewl! Has anyone tried these? Some positions in yoga aren't comfortable for me, these look like they might help.


http://yoga.about.com/od/yogagear/fr/Three-Minute-Egg-Yoga-Prop.htm?nl=1

Yoga

Yoga is a stress-reducing, muscle-toning and spirit-strengthening exercise. It also opens your arteries and improves bloodflow.

I have a really difficult time with downward dog, really hurts my hands and I have a difficult time breathing (is supposed to be a restorative and relaxing pose!)

I was wondering if any fibro-mites have every tried anythiing like these wrist savers?

http://www.yogastickysocks.com/WristSaver.html

I love my yoga, I just have to sit out or do alternative moves sometimes :)

Get Moving!

Even if it's just Chair Aerobics, as Harry inspires us here with his :)

Yoga Goddess Pose - SO Relaxing!

Try this when stressed! It's amazing!!

Do it for at least 10 minutes for the maximum benefits of de-stressing:

GODDESS POSE
Sit tall with knees bent forward and your lower back against the short end of a firm cushion or a couple of stacked, folded blankets. Let knees drop open to the sides; bring soles of feet together. Lie back so back and head are on the cushion/blankets, shoulders dropping toward the floor. Bring arms out to the sides, palms up. Relax, breathing deeply and evenly. If hips feel uncomfortable, straighten legs.

-- from Health Magazine, July/August 2010

Yoga Moves for the Office

These are great. I work in an office and always feel like I need to stretch. I found this link and have it bookmarked at work, it has some really great moves that I can do in mini-breaks all throughout the day. Ok, I probably won't do all of them (the hug my chair one looks nice, but I am not going to get on the floor at work) but most are pretty good. So stretch from my chair, or while waiting for my coffee standing in the kitchen etc. :) You can actually do them anywhere, does not have to be at work. Would work nice at home or on vacations etc. too :)

http://www.lhj.com/health/fitness/yoga-at-your-desk/?page=1

Yoga and Fibro - My Favorite Topic :)

My yogini has shared:

Yoga is great for fibromyalgia (well its really a lifestyle!).  It helps restore muscles to their normal length. When in pain muscles retract/ contract... yoga helps stretching them. 

I think this is an interesting article http://www.yogajournal.com/health/2589 and of course you can go to www.yogajournal.com where there are 91 related articles. :)

Taking consciousness of pain and doing your corps pose and meditations should help with calming discomforts in the physical body.

Namaste

20 Yoga Moves Good to Know!

Health.com is a great resource! And I am a yoga freak, check these out!

http://living.health.com/category/natural-living/yoga-natural-living/?xid=ha0909tout&utm_source=health-mag&utm_medium=tout&utm_content=sept-09&utm_campaign=ha0909tout

Yoga and Fibro - good website links

The about.com: Yoga is a good resource, esp for beginners:

Yoga for Dummies book review:
 http://yoga.about.com/od/yogabooks/fr/yogafordummies.htm?nl=1

Yoga for beginners:
http://yoga.about.com/c/ec/1.htm?nl=1

Get thje yoga pose of the day emailed:
http://yoga.about.com/c/ec/19.htm?nl=1

Please remember to consult your physician before trying anything new. I am not a doctor and no information should be considered medical advice. Any information provided should not be used to take the place of advice from your personal physician or other professional. Links to other sites are provided for ease of research. Information on those sites is the opinion of those who publish the sites and is NOT necessarily that of FibroChick. I offer what I can as help. I believe in educating myself on all my medical issues and being my own advocate, for no one else will do that on my behalf. I recommend we all do the same!

Goldilocks & Exercise

Interesting, I like the way this is phrased about exercise: "To improve physical fitness, the Goldilocks Principle applies: not too much exercise and not too little, but just the right amount."

http://www.drpodell.org/reversing_8_cycles.shtml

I am going to try to get back into yoga again this week. I am very hopeful, as before all my FM symptoms I was in yoga and it was very relaxing and the stretching felt soooo good.

The real key to everything is sleep and energy, getting enough RESTORATIVE sleep to have the energy to exercise!

Please remember to consult your physician before trying anything new. I am not a doctor and no information should be considered medical advice. Any information provided should not be used to take the place of advice from your personal physician or other professional. Links to other sites are provided for ease of research. Information on those sites is the opinion of those who publish the sites and is NOT necessarily that of FibroChick. I offer what I can as help. I believe in educating myself on all my medical issues and being my own advocate, for no one else will do that on my behalf. I recommend we all do the same!