How walking helps keep your brain healthy

[pattismith]

Brain fog/headaches seems to be associated with poor brain blood supplies in some cases.
(it is in my case, and the agravation after a meal may be consistent with a brain blood flow issue)

"Blood supply to the brain was once considered an involuntary action regulated by the body and relatively unaffected by changes in blood pressure caused by exercise or exertion. However, previous studies have shown that the foot’s impact during running causes back-flowing waves through the arteries that sync with the runner’s heart rate and stride thus regulating blood circulation to the brain.

In this new study, the research team examined the effects of walking, which involves a lighter foot impact than running."

"The scientists found that walking resulted in a significant blood flow to the brain despite having a lighter foot impact. Walking produced larger pressure waves in the body which significantly increased the flow of blood to the brain. The blood flow was not as dramatic as seen while running but had greater effects than that seen during cycling, which has no foot impact at all.

The new data suggests that the brain blood flow is very dynamic and depends on cyclic aortic pressures that interact with retrograde pressure pulses from foot impacts."

"The scientists conclude that there is an optimising rhythm between brain blood flow and walking and that stride rates and foot impacts are within the normal range of our heart rate ( about 120 per minute).

The foot’s impact while walking helps control and increase the amount of blood sent to the brain. More blood means more energy and more oxygen in the brain — and thus an enhanced sense of wellbeing."

 

[Mary]

It'd be nice if we could walk more than a short distance --

 

[belize44]

How I miss walking! I used to walk everywhere, and it always used to energize me and improve my mood. Now, if I walk so much as a block, I will be paying for it the next day in pain and fatigue.

 

[pattismith]

I know many of you can't even walk, even very slowly,
but each time one has the chance of improving like I did over the past months,
it's nice to remember that walking can help improve some of your comorbidities.
It did for me, especially walking after eating.

When I was struggling with acute pains, the only advice I had from doctors was to have rest,
and so I was laying all the time (as soon as my work was finished), eating first and then laying...

And I went worse and worse for 15 years...But then two months ago, after I got the chance that my joints/tendons/spine were release from their painful state (with an Antibiotic treatment), I started to take a bunch of supplements that are advised on PR, which helped me to recover, and then I started to change my eating time: laying after work, then eating and go back to work immediatly after eating (I work standing all day long).
And I improved a lot with this regimen, so I feel I have to share my experience.
Once you feel your PEM is improving, walking slowly can be helpful.
Of course, it wouldn't make sense to walk as long as your PEM exists, I would never mean such a thing.

 

[perrier]

I know many of you can't even walk, even very slowly,
but each time one has the chance of improving like I did over the past months,
it's nice to remember that walking can help improve some of your comorbidities.
It did for me, especially walking after eating.

When I was struggling with acute pains, the only advice I had from doctors was to have rest,
and so I was lying all the time (as soon as my work was finished), eating first and then lying...

And I went worse and worse for 15 years...But then two months ago, after I got the chance that my joints/tendons/spine were release from their painful state, I started to take a bunch of supplements that are advised on PR, which helped me to recover, and then I started to change my eating time: lying after work, then eating and go back to work immediatly after eating (I work standing all day long).
And I improved a lot with this regimen, so I feel I have to share my experience.
Once you feel your PEM is improving, walking slowly can be helpful.
Of course, it wouldn't make sense to walk as long as your PEM exists, I would never mean such a thing.

Dear Patti

What can be done to improvePEM

What can be taken

 

[me/cfs 27931]

I frequently dream about walking. Does that count?

 

[Mij]

For me personally, nothing improves PEM. I am able to walk and am thankful I can, but stay within my known limits. A few years ago I had a viral infection so didn't walk much for 1.5 years, when I started feeling better I started walking again, but my 'energy envelop' never changed.

 

[pattismith]

Dear Patti

What can be done to improvePEM

What can be taken

I wish I had an answer, but I don't know if I had PEM myself. I was very painful in my muscles and joints each time I had to do some "intense" exercise, and one or two days after, same as if I had done a marathon...But I couldn't say if it can be call PEM...So what worked with me (Antibiotics) certainly isn't an answer for all

 

[ljimbo423]

Once you feel your PEM is improving, walking slowly can be helpful.
Of course, it wouldn't make sense to walk as long as your PEM exists, I would never mean such a thing.

I agree. I have been walking 1-3 times a week for 3-4 years. Every time I stop for 4-5 days or longer, I feel MUCH, MUCH worse. I don't know if it's the increase in oxygen to the brain, getting the lymph system moving to help get rid of toxins or what it is exactly.

I also agree with what @Mij said about the energy envelope not changing. I feel better from walking but it doesn't give me more energy. I feel better and can think more clearly but energy envelope is the same.

Jim

 

[Mij]

@pattismith I've also experienced what you describe, but it's not the PEM that I get from 'going over' my limits.

 

[svetoslav80]

This is like explaining how eating sugar boosts energy, in a diabetes forum.

 

[pattismith]

This is like explaining how sugar boosts energy, in a diabetes forum.

sorry if I offended you, it was not my intention.
As I said, this not something that can be done when you are severely affected by PEM, but only once you are already on the road to recovery.

 

[me/cfs 27931]

this not something that can be done when you are severely affected by PEM, but only once you are already on the road to recovery.

Or potentially for those who relapse/remit, during a remission.

 

[Mary]

sorry if I offended you, it was not my intention.
As I said, this not something that can be done when you are severely affected by PEM, but only once you are already on the road to recovery.

Only there's not a road to recovery for many (most?) of us. My energy envelope has remained the same for the past 10 years. It has not increased, I'm limited to roughly 3-1/2 hours of light activity of day in order to avoid crashing the next day. This isn't the result of deconditioning. If it was simply deconditioning, then I would improve a little each time I exerted myself, but that's not the case.

My sister has rheumatoid arthritis and although it's painful, she says she does do better if she forces herself to exercise. I've read the same thing is true for people with FM. But it is not true for people with ME/CFS. Our problem is not lack of exercise.

I'm glad walking is helping you but it doesn't sound like you have been dealing with PEM.

 

[pattismith]

Only there's not a road to recovery for many (most?) of us. My energy envelope has remained the same for the past 10 years. It has not increased, I'm limited to roughly 3-1/2 hours of light activity of day in order to avoid crashing the next day. This isn't the result of deconditioning. If it was simply deconditioning, then I would improve a little each time I exerted myself, but that's not the case.

My sister has rheumatoid arthritis and although it's painful, she says she does do better if she forces herself to exercise. I've read the same thing is true for people with FM. But it is not true for people with ME/CFS. Our problem is not lack of exercise.

I'm glad walking is helping you but it doesn't sound like you have been dealing with PEM.

Yes I understand, but I've never ever said anywhere that walking is a cure for ME, nor that deconditioning was a cause for PEM. If you felt I've written such a thing, I supposed I was just misunderstood, and I apologize.
I just wrote that walking helped with comorbidities and brain fog for me, when I was already greatly improved after treatment and supplements, and that I may not be a ME patient as well.
I do not have RA nor SPA as well, I saw enought rheumatologists to ensure you of that.
Again I apologized if you felt offended by my post.

I wish you will improve in the future, keep hope.

 

[belize44]

Only there's not a road to recovery for many (most?) of us. My energy envelope has remained the same for the past 10 years. It has not increased, I'm limited to roughly 3-1/2 hours of light activity of day in order to avoid crashing the next day. This isn't the result of deconditioning. If it was simply deconditioning, then I would improve a little each time I exerted myself, but that's not the case.

I am the same way. Back in 2005, I was walking about half a mile or more, two times a week. By 2012, I was walking much less and crashing about three times a week until I began to limit exertion, or at least allow sufficient rest between episodes of activity. Now if I climb a flight of stairs, I will be ill the following day.

I'm glad walking is helping you but it doesn't sound like you have been dealing with PEM.

That was what I thought as well, that this poster does not suffer from PEM because PEM is not something to be taken lightly, nor can it be exercised away. It is the exact opposite of what we have been trained to believe, that graduated activity can only result in feeling better - for lots of us, that is a pipe dream!

But I am glad that you can walk, Patti! I hope you can continue to enjoy improved health!

 

[pattismith]

That was what I thought as well, that this poster does not suffer from PEM because PEM is not something to be taken lightly, nor can it be exercised away. It is the exact opposite of what we have been trained to believe, that graduated activity can only result in feeling better - for lots of us, that is a pipe dream!

But I am glad that you can walk, Patti! I hope you can continue to enjoy improved health!

Thank you @belize44 , again I've never meant to say that graduated activity can result in feeling better nor that PEM can be exercised away....I'm sorry your read it that way.

My personnal improvment was done with antibiotics then supplements, and only after that I was able to walk which improved my brain condition, that's all I said. Again my apologizes if you understood anything else.

 

[svetoslav80]

sorry if I offended you

No offence taken, don't worry. My post was meant to be half serious / half a joke.

 

[belize44]

No worries, Patti!

 

[lafarfelue]

As an aside, it's said that horses have 5 hearts; one in their chest and one in each hoof. It's quite an incredible system. I'm unsurprised that something similar exists in humans, whom have evolved to walk or 'lope' over long distances.

Thanks for posting this information. I'll keep it in mind for the times I can walk PwME are not monolith, we don't all experience symptoms to the same degree, and some go through remission etc. I hope this info benefits others too