Physical Healing – Exercise

Tough one this, I do prefer to sit on my arse rather than do anything resembling exercise. I’d really like to go down the pub instead of doing any exercise, but my diet regime won’t allow it!

So, it would seem that doing exercise is generally considered good for you. In the case for it against cancer, there are many studies that show that cancer does not like oxygen. So, the more oxygen you put into your blood, the better. Again – look it up on the CANCERactive website 

www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=3132

About 15 years ago I did lots of exercise, including squash. I went from playing zero times a week to three times a week very quickly. After 3 weeks I couldn’t walk. My back was not playing ball – or squash. Anyway, long story short, but I discovered I had some sort of degenerative bone thing going on in my lower back. I was advised not to do any impact sports. Just cycling or swimming. So, given I don’t have a swimming pool, I thought cycling would be a far less costly option. And so, I got a bike, the lycra, and became a MAMIL. I actually quite enjoyed it.

I ended up cycling with the fantastic team at Hotchillee www.hotchillee.com and managed to do the wonderful London to Paris rides – 3 times. This is 110 miles a day, over three consecutive days. While it was a massive test of endurance, cycling in a peloton thorough Paris with a motor bike escort is one of the most satisfying sense of achievement I have known.

I get on my bike, at the moment only once or twice a week for a short distance. I mix it up between road and off road – I live near the Thames so like to get on the towpaths.

This is why one of my fundraising challenges is to cycle 1000 miles by Xmas 2020. That’s around 100 miles a month, so im going to have to seriously up my game! 

https://www.justgiving.com/account/your-pages/Bowel-Bloke

I walk the dog every other day which is pleasant, and great for the days around chemo – cycling is too much

And I play golf. Or try. I’m not sure this is technically exercise. I do end up doing a great deal of walking, often up hills – and always into the woods and the rough.

This is another of my fundraising challenges. Trying to live with cancer is quite difficult. Having some goals, that can also service to add oxygen into the blood, and provide natural vitamin D, can only be a good thing. I’m going to try and reduce my handicap before Xmas 2020. 

https://www.justgiving.com/account/your-pages/BowelBloke-BowelBloke

The only other thing I would consider to be exercise is my recent attendance at Yoga classes. Hot Yoga. 

My wife does yoga. I used to laugh at how lame it looked – how can it possibly be exercise?

I don’t laugh anymore. My God, it’s really hard. Its slow, stretching right? But it hurts. And it’s hot – I literally sweat buckets.

But it’s also really good – I feel better after every session. Body and mind. 

Check out where we go, its excellent and caters for all types of levels across different types of yoga and is run by a wonderful man and his wife Zahir and Laura Akram –  www.akramyoga.co.uk