Exercise, for the record

I had such a good time on the elliptical at the gym last Friday, but was worried about its effects on my Crohn's. I also ended up having a flare after breakfast Saturday morning, and wondered if it could be connected to the exercise (because my meal didn't seem risky). I haven't worked up a sweat exercising in a long time, and wondered if that could trigger a flare, so I called my GI nurse (who would ask my doc if necessary, which is my standard mode of communication with him).

She just called back and said that the general rule with Crohn's patients who exercise is to start very slow and work their way up in intensity. If I have a reaction, I should stop immediately. She said that exercise can trigger a flare, and it would probably happen afterwards, so the Saturday morning flare could have been caused by the exercise.

I've been going to the gym, starting slow, I thought, but I guess I need to slow back down. So disappointing. Oh well. I'll go back and go slow, and maybe if I remain constant, I can work my way up.

My husband and I feel like the benefits of exercise would benefit Crohn's: releasing of endorphines, stronger heart, stress relief, etc. I'll just go slower (I'm definitely good at that!).

I also felt like I made some headway with my anxiety this weekend. I'm still struggling with it, but learning to depend even more fully on the Lord. I am experiencing his love even in the midst of this, and recognizing a work that he's doing in my heart and mind, bringing up old hurts and helping me deal with them with my husband. How do I know that it's God doing all this? I can't explain it, but I feel like I see a divine hand over this, as well as the influence of that which is not God, creating havoc around all of this healing, using my body chemistry to aggravate my anxiety.

But I feel like I'm experiencing great spiritual healing, perhaps amid physical healing. I think back to the time I took Eucharist at church and felt God was saying that my healing would come through my mouth. There are so many things that could mean, but I feel there's a connection to my dentist work, to my oral surgery, and now that that's all taken care of, perhaps I have some hard core healing on the way. Only God knows.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord...