SHORT VERSION OF ARTICLE by Diane Sabba

Diane’s Fight to Get Her Life Back:  Use Exercise As Medicine

1998 to 2007

 

In 1998, I became sick from dangerous levels of toxic mold in my apartment.  I lost my health and became deathly ill in 2001.  My research in Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Recreational Therapy helped me create custom exercise programs for myself.  I used exercise as preventative medicine and healing the mind, body and spirit. 

 

Without exercise, I would have become overweight, prone to diseases, my sicknesses would have become worse while diminishing quality of life, and I could die prematurely.  I was forced to give up many of my sports and physical activities that were fun and aerobic.  That started the breakdown of my emotions resulting in depression.  The saddest thing, which happened to me, was being forced to give up the best passion in my life -- Cross Country Skiing that I did for 2 decades.  Now I had to fight a battle of respiratory illnesses including Acute Asthma that were life threatening. 

 

 I created goals that included small steps and realistic deadlines.  Exercise prevents heart disease, builds up my immune system, lung function, and helps with stress, depression and sleep disorders. Exercise can help to cut down on medicines that causes so many of the harsh side effects I was getting.  I was diagnosed with Osteopenia; a weakness in bone density, so exercise became more important for building up my bones.

 

Pulmonary Rehabilitation has helped me regain some of my strength, while increasing my lung capacity.  It includes controlled breathing methods, while assessing my breathing.  This rehabilitation with yoga helps keep me from being hospitalized and helps me live with breathing problems.  My breathing exercises combined with anaerobic exercises have helped with less shortness of breath.  I will expand into more aerobic activities as my lungs improve.  It took many years to get to this point.  The brain is the biggest user of oxygen in the body and a decrease of oxygen equals less functionality.  That’s where breathing exercises and yoga help and I do it daily.  The best exercise has been walking at least 3 to 4 days a week for 30 minutes.  I can move as fast or as slow as my lungs permit.  I have added a 2-day a week program of strength training and stretching for all of my muscle groups. 

 

As part of Recreational Therapy, I chose to play Volleyball since there are a lot of rest periods and stopping.  Being anaerobic, it wouldn’t get me winded as long as I don’t overdo it.  Bouncing around, sprinting sometimes, and stopping are great ways to do the necessary “pounding” that my bones, lungs and heart need.  It is good for all the muscles and it is fun.  Exercise helps lessen the number of asthma episodes, therefore reducing the need for medicines and diminishing side effects.

 

When I get sick where I can’t function that well or at all, I stop exercises and activities for needed periods of time to rest and recover.  Exercise helps me with stress, depression, frustration, self-esteem, and general well being.

 

 

Here is a list of my physical activities:

BEFORE I MOVED INTO APARTMENT            AFTER MOVING OUT

(Aug 1998)                                                      (June 2001)

                                                                        Breathing exercises, yoga

Cross Country Skiing (favorite sport-2 decades+)

Downhill Skiing

Ice Skating

Snow shoeing

Volleyball, Advanced                                        Volleyball, Light (anaerobic)

Jump roping

Swimming

Running and Races                                           Only once a year - Walk/Run

Breast Cancer “Race for the Cure”

Mountain Biking

Bicycling

Inline Skating

Kayaking & Canoeing

Tennis

Hiking Mountains, Hills.           

            Line Dancing

            Power Walking                                                 Walking on Flat Ground           

            Strength Training, Advanced                             Strength Training, Light

Weights with Stretching

            Treadmill + Stair Climber                                 

            Motorcycling                                                   

 

I practice imagery.  I visualize success in getting healthy like Dr. Victor Frankel (survivor of the Holocaust) talks about in Special Vision. That is the mental part of trying to get healthy again.  I visualize myself being able to accomplish physical activities I used to be able to do before I moved to the toxic environment.  I visualize being healthy. I visualize what I want to do to help others. I visualize going back to Mexico on mission trips that I used to do.  I visualize my passion of health and fitness for others and myself. I visualize myself cross-country skiing like I did throughout the video I produced. 

 

The pain from my sicknesses coincides with my motivation, attitude and determination.  I focus on the positive and I have my faith.  My body, mind and spirit are a team and no one part can function without the other for long.  I use exercise as preventative medicine and treating myself holistically. I continue to fight to get my life back.  They harmed me, but I own the battle.  I must win.  I have to.  My weapons are faith, hope, love, positive attitude – and EXERCISE!

 

From 1998 through 2007, my illnesses included Acute Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, Chronic Sinus Infections, Bronchitis, Rashes, Eye Irritation, Wheezing, Coughing, Tightness of Chest, Shortness of Breath, Fatigue, Loss of Memory, Hearing and Concentration, Stomach problems, Dizziness, Coughing up blood, Sleep Disorders, Headaches, Hair Loss, Itchy Eyes, Earaches and Infections.