Exercise

small steps. start with a little, and very slowly increase. increasing too fast or too much will make you slide backwards and can also cause a flare if you go too far beyond what's reasonable.

start with 1/2 of what you think you can do. wait 2 days, do again. if ok, increase to 3/4 of what you can do. wait 2 days, stay same, increase or decrease depending on how you did.

small steps, don't get in a hurry. physical stress can be a trigger, just like mental stress can be.

I've been walking a lot, but I'm also a big fan of swimming. Sometimes, though, I can't figure out which is better- getting enough rest or getting enough exercise. After I do anything even moderate, I need to sleep for a few hours. I've been doing yoga lately, and I like that. When I'm hurting when I go to class, I stop hurting at some point during the movement. There are some yoga classes available streaming on Netflix, and some specifically for "aches and pains."

But the others are right. Start slow. Be smart, and listen to your body.

Even now that I'm feeling much better and regaining some strength, I find it important to be careful about my pacing, either with exercise or with life.

Never, ever schedule two stressful things in one day, and best to keep a day between them. Don't do exercise the same day I walk all over the mall...that sort of pacing.

I suspect pacing is a new part of life that will remain with me -- and I'm sure it's healthier than the go-go-go type A person I was for many years!

Hope everyone feels better today!