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Welcome to my Lyme blog where you enter the world of Lyme Disease and get a firsthand glimpse of what Lyme can do to a person!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Exercise, Green Tea, and Vinegar

Once again I am back up on my feet. Yay! I still have to be careful with my foot as it tends to swell up if I am up on it too long, so I prop my foot up whenever I sit down in my recliner. I’ve heard that sprains take forever to heal and that once a person has sprained a foot that foot is weaker and easier to sprain again. So whenever I go outside I make sure to wear my sturdy sneakers for support.

Unless one has dealt with a chronic illness it is hard to explain the joys of waking up, feeling like oneself, and not having to worry about your body suddenly giving out accompanied by the sensation like you are going to collapse at any minute. When you feel stronger you try and capture each moment knowing that these memories will help sustain you on the days when your body betrays you again.

One thing that has helped me bounce back the most and be able to get around on good days is the fact that I have persistently exercised on a daily routine. Exercised when I’d wake up to find myself on the floor not remembering where I was, exercised when it took every bit of my precious strength that I had having to spend the rest of the day in bed or the recliner, exercised to strengthen my bones and help keep my joints mobile even when it hurt and seemed like I was wasting my time. The only days I don’t exercise is when my pain level is so high that I can’t do anything but exist, but the next day I hit the floor again even if I can’t do all the exercises in my regiment that I have worked out to help me the most.

Then the second thing I feel that has helped strengthen me is drinking a couple cups of green tea a day that I started when I was on antibiotics to help build back up my immune system. Sometimes for variety I’ve added peach or raspberry tea and even fresh mint from my herb garden for added flavor to my green tea. Drinking green tea has become a daily habit for me. When I am able to be up and around it gives me an excuse to take a break and relax for a bit; to calm my spirit and help me focus on what I want or need to get done for the day. Or soak up nature’s display while watching the birds rocking in my rocking chair on the front porch with my dogs sprawled around me in companionship.

The third thing that I started several months ago it putting a couple tablespoons of vinegar in my glass of orange juice that I drink each morning. Older mountain folk have told me about the benefits of vinegar. So I decided to try it myself. Then I read how it helps the body in several ways and how healthful it is. By mixing the vinegar with orange juice it camouflages the vinegar and makes the orange juice just a bit more tangy, which I find the best way for me to take. Sometimes the old remedies are the best.

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