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Exercise is essential for healing, for without it the lymph system will not function.
Although too much exercise can weaken your immune system, for most of us, lack of exercise is the problem.
A variety of exercise is what is needed and preferably done outside in clean air. The four main catagories are: Vascular (breathing), Weight bearing, Stretching and Balance.
The Vascular exercise is good for the lungs and circulation.
The Weight Bearing exercise is essential for bone strength.
Stretching is good for ligaments and joints and the Balance good for checking the different parts of the body are working in harmony.
Walking is actually good for all of these and walking with a rucksack over difficult terrain would be even better.
After 15 or so minutes of walking, you'll begin to warm up as the blood circulates faster. The lymph system which carries the waste will operate well and you'll start to feel good.
I would recommend yoga or some stretching for half an hour per day and perhaps sit ups, press ups and chin ups for upper body strength.
It is true that the more muscle you have the faster fat is burned off.
Exercising produces more testosterone, essential for both men and women for energy levels and protecting the nervous system.
So it's a catch 22 position if you don't exercise, you won't have the energy to exercise! Here a little supplement can help get you started. Testosterone from the fruit, "Tribulus terrestris" containing saponins, available from Holland and Barratt. Ofcourse more on that on the herbs page.
Breathing
How do we usually breathe? Most of us tend only to do shallow breathing and only deep breathe when we're forced through exercise.
Try this: Exhale through the mouth, empty your lungs then tense all your muscles to squeeze even more out. Then breathe in through your nose, filling your lungs from the bottom to the top. Hold it there for as long as you can. You'll get light headed but try to hold on even then. With practice you'll improve.
This exercise can warm you if your cold, give you energy when you had none and more.
There are people who believe you can even do this to sustain yourself, not requiring food or water!
Self Massage
Is there anyone alive who doesn't love a massage? If your lucky you'll have a partner who willingly gives you regular massages, if not you should do it yourself. Why not? Afterall you can do it while watching tv! No real need to strip off or use oils, just go over your entire body, gently squeezing and feeling.
You wont be able to do much for your back except roll about on the floor or up against a tree. I highly recommend a profesional massage to relieve years of knots and kinks.
But here's an excellent and immediately rewarding massage you can do yourself. Do this for just a few minutes and the major pathway for the chemicals released by the brain for feeling good, can flow easily.
Kneel infront of a chair and using a pillow, rest your forehead on the seat. Allow your forehead to take the weight of your head. You will feel quite a pressure on your forehead, don't force your head in any way.
Using your thumbs, stroke up and down the base of your skull. Start gently and go more firmly as you desire. Then massage the neck, avoid the spine but if your careful you can massage the muscle area either side of your spine. Also gently stroke the sides of your neck up and down, it feels quite different in this position.
Now you've stretched and massaged, here's a breathing exercise to increase your energy.
Breath of Fire
Two sharp intakes of air through the nose followed by one exhale through the mouth and repeat.
This is a vigorous exercise and it will hurt your nose, hence the name.
Try it for about 30 seconds, as hard and fast as you can manage.
A minute or so of this and you'll be tingling with energy, ready to take on a physically demanding task.
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