Exercise inspite of...

     Hey Ready4Healthy Fam...  How have you been?  What have you been up to?  I hope you have been keeping up with your new move to getting healthy!  I have been away for a little longer than I like, but I was trying to do some research for a question that a friend asked of me.  So here we go.
     I have a friend who has fibromyalgia.  What is that?  Does it affect how she feels?  Her question is, what exercises can she do?  Well, first let me add this disclaimer before I even start to answer.   I am not a doctor.  What I present to you via this blog is information as I understand it via my research and my hope and prayer is that it is useful to you.  Now, let's go...
     Fibromyalgia is a disease state that involves deep muscle pain, over the top fatigue, and sometimes involves poor sleep patterns and may even include depression and anxiety.  Many times fibromyalgia shares similarities to chronic fatigue syndrome.  As I understand it,  a person with this condition probably does Special not have exercise as an option on their "to do" list.
     It seems like exercise is great for everyone, including persons with fibromyalgia.  Before you start any exercise program, check with your doctor.  Exercise will help strengthen your tendons and ligaments and also help with flexibility.  It seems that the less stressful, low-impact, less pounding exercises are great for patients with fibromyalgia.  Yoga, swimming, pilates, walking on a DAILY basis are great.  As with any type of exercise,  you want to start slowly, but be consistent.  DO NOT try to become an olympic caliber athelete over night...It seems that the range of motion that will be provided with stretching exercises and the strengthening and conditioning is good for this disease state, not to mention the fact that this will help with weight loss, allow your body to produce substances that are helpful with pain relief and sleep enhancement.   Exercise is a win-win situation...So GO FOR IT!!! 
(References Mayoclinic.com, WebMD, medindia.net,fibromyalgiaexercise.com)
     Special shout out to my Nieces who finally came to Zumba class with me...Holla...
We had a blast!!!  Smooches...