# Sedentary



## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

With all this "stay indoors" requests, I am even more sedentary than usual. It has affected a digestion process. I thought getting a little more exercise might help. I have a long (13 steps) staircase (see photo), so I took 10 laps up and down. A muscle started hurting in the front of my upper right leg and I got very out of breath even after 4 laps. Didn't help, though. I am eating fruit and drinking a lot of tea and fruit juice. I even resorted to senna tea and docusate tablets.  Nothing is helping. Any thoughts?


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## Rosemarie (Mar 27, 2020)

I love your lamp, that's just the kind of lamp I've been scouring antique shops for.


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## Marlene (Mar 27, 2020)

Have you had your magnesium and potassium levels checked?  Both will affect muscle contraction which, in turn, affects digestion.


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## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

Potassium back in November. I guess it was normal, or the doctor would have mentioned it.


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## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I love your lamp, that's just the kind of lamp I've been scouring antique shops for.



It's called a hurricane style lamp, if you want to search online for one.


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## Marlene (Mar 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> Potassium back in November. I guess it was normal, or the doctor would have mentioned it.


Might want to try some magnesium??


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## gennie (Mar 27, 2020)

Don't forget to drink lots of just plain water.


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## RadishRose (Mar 27, 2020)

You just have to keep at it. Start small and work up as you can.


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## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

On the upside, at least I'm not using as much toilet paper. LOL


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## hollydolly (Mar 27, 2020)

Liquorice (  dunno how you furreners spell it ) but you know, the black stuff... ...or dried figs, dried or not so dried prunes, prune juice ... dried dates.. lots of water, plenty vegetables...

I have 13 steps on my staircase in my hall  too... and if it wasn't for my dodgy knee I'd be able to get some great exercise running up and down, but for the last few months I've had to war a brace, so without it , it's painful to walk down stairs, and I have to take them one at a time...


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## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

I emailed my gastroenterologist and his assistant phoned me and said the doctor recommended I get some Miralax. The generic is polyethylene glycol (sounds like anti-freeze).


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## Marie5656 (Mar 27, 2020)

*I think for many of us not used to exercise, starting in may be tiring.  We have to keep at at. Along with what others have suggested about the suppliments.
I like the wallpaper...what is the pattern?*


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## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

I don't know about the wallpaper. It was there when my parents bought the house in 1975. Who knows how long it was there before that? Here are more photos of it - overview and close-up.


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## win231 (Mar 27, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I love your lamp, that's just the kind of lamp I've been scouring antique shops for.


ROFLOL!!!!!   Very helpful reply~~~!!!!     Really made my day!!


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## win231 (Mar 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> I emailed my gastroenterologist and his assistant phoned me and said the doctor recommended I get some Miralax. The generic is polyethylene glycol (sounds like anti-freeze).


Just don't make a habit of it.  A couple of years ago when I was hospitalized for sepsis & ketoacidosis, they gave me Miralax & I barely made it home before uncontrolled diarrhea.
And the amount of polyethylene glycol would have to be very small, since it's deadly.  I'd try psyllium in warm water, first.


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## Pepper (Mar 27, 2020)

Fruit juice is not necessarily a good thing.  It is no longer recommended for young children and diabetics should only drink it if hypoglycemic.  Way too much concentrated sugar.  Sounds like a health drink but it is not.  Water is always the best.


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## debodun (Mar 27, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Fruit juice is not necessarily a good thing.  It is no longer recommended for young children and diabetics should only drink it if hypoglycemic.  Way too much concentrated sugar.  Sounds like a health drink but it is not.  Water is always the best.


 Thanks for that info. I didn't know. I am drinking orange juice right now because of the Vitamin C.


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## Pepper (Mar 27, 2020)

It would be MUCH healthier to eat the orange than to drink it's juice.


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## Marlene (Mar 27, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> Liquorice (  dunno how you furreners spell it ) but you know, the black stuff... ...or dried figs, dried or not so dried prunes, prune juice ... dried dates.. lots of water, plenty vegetables...
> 
> I have 13 steps on my staircase in my hall  too... and if it wasn't for my dodgy knee I'd be able to get some great exercise running up and down, but for the last few months I've had to war a brace, so without it , it's painful to walk down stairs, and I have to take them one at a time...


licorice


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## hollydolly (Mar 27, 2020)

Marlene said:


> licorice


LOL...thanks Marlene...


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## Pecos (Mar 27, 2020)

Ruthanne, sorry to hear that you are having to deal with this.
If I am not careful about getting enough fiber this happens to me, but another thing that really affects me is if I have to take any pain pill that includes an opioid. Those pain pills will do it to me in a hurry.
My formula for dealing with this situation is that for every pain pill, I drink an 8 oz. glass of prune juice, This isn't my idea of fun, but it works for me.
Another thing that may be affecting you is the accumulated stress of our current situation. Lowering our stress level isn't easy.
Good Luck, and keep exercising.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> I emailed my gastroenterologist and his assistant phoned me and said the doctor recommended I get some Miralax. The generic is polyethylene glycol (sounds like anti-freeze).
> [/QUOTE
> Yup, use that, it will work.  I have gastroparesis.  I use a lot of this, wish I owned stock in the company.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Pepper said:


> It would be MUCH healthier to eat the orange than to drink it's juice.




   How is the fruit any healthier than the juice from it?


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> How is the fruit any healthier than the juice from it?


More fiber, less sugar.


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## terry123 (Mar 28, 2020)

Aneeda is correct.  Always eat the fruit and not the juice.  You get more fiber and a lot less sugar. We were taught this years ago in school and from parents.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> More fiber, less sugar.




   How is there any less sugar in the fruit, than in the juice it produces?

  I'll buy the fiber part, because eating the fruit, we ingest more of the pulp. But the juice is same.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 28, 2020)

Because you are not drinking just one orange, for example.  You are drinking several, therefore, more sugar.  When you eat an orange you generally only eat one.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

terry123 said:


> Aneeda is correct.  Always eat the fruit and not the juice.  You get more fiber and a lot less sugar. We were taught this years ago in school and from parents.




 Well, you were taught incorrectly.....if you take a juicy bite of a fruit , or squeeze the juice from that fruit...it is the same juice.


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## RadishRose (Mar 28, 2020)

Squeeze an orange or press an apple and see how much juice you get. Compare that with the average amount of juice we pour into a glass.


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## Pepper (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> Well, you were taught incorrectly.....if you take a juicy bite of a fruit , or squeeze the juice from that fruit...it is the same juice.


Yes, But.............if you eat one orange, you eat one orange.  If you drink just the juice, you are consuming several oranges.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> Well, you were taught incorrectly.....if you take a juicy bite of a fruit , or squeeze the juice from that fruit...it is the same juice.


No, I wasn’t taught wrong.  If you squeeze the juice from ONE orange it’s the same, if you squeeze the juice from two oranges, and drink it, it’s twice the sugar.


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## Pepper (Mar 28, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Squeeze an orange or press an apple and see how much juice you get. Compare that with the average amount of juice we pour into a glass.


Yep.  And we said this obvious fact at the same time!


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> Because you are not drinking just one orange, for example.  You are drinking several, therefore, more sugar.  When you eat an orange you generally only eat one.



Now you are talking amount, How do you know how much I might drink?


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## terry123 (Mar 28, 2020)

Not taught incorrectly rgp! Juice has nothing to do with it. You get the fiber benefits.


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## RadishRose (Mar 28, 2020)

Fiber helps break down the carbs in the sugary juice.


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## RadishRose (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> Now you are talking amount, How do you know how much I might drink?


Don't know nor care. You just like to argue.

I'm type 2 diabetic. I listen to my doctor and nutritionist. Think what you like.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Yes, But.............if you eat one orange, you eat one orange.  If you drink just the juice, you are consuming several oranges.




  If I squeeze the juice from an orange & drink it, I am consuming what ever that sugar content is. If I eat that same orange, I am consuming that same amount of sugar content.

 By your logic, if I eat two oranges, I have negated the health aspect of oranges, because I consumed two. And ingested the higher amount of sugar.


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## Pepper (Mar 28, 2020)

I meant, in my clumsy way, to say a glass of juice contains several oranges & none of the fiber.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Don't know nor care. You just like to argue.
> 
> I'm type 2 diabetic. I listen to my doctor and nutritionist. Think what you like.




  I like to argue ? Why?...because you can't trump my argument?

  You honestly believe that there is a difference between, the juice you squeeze from a fruit, and the juice you ingest taking a bite from that fruit?


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Pepper said:


> I meant, in my clumsy way, to say a glass of juice contains several oranges & none of the fiber.




 But there is a [lesser] amount of fiber, in the juice. The juice is not void of fiber entirely.


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## Pepper (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> But there is a [lesser] amount of fiber, in the juice. The juice is not void of fiber entirely.


ok.


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## Pepper (Mar 28, 2020)




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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Pepper said:


> View attachment 97112




Sorry I made your head ....POP    But I just believe it is irresponsible to post advice that is not accurate. And it is inaccurate / incorrect to say that the juice from a fruit contains more sugar than the fruit it was just squeezed from. That just defies logic.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 28, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Don't know nor care. You just like to argue.
> 
> I'm type 2 diabetic. I listen to my doctor and nutritionist. Think what you like.


Same here, type two diabetic, and not allowed to eat much fruit, lol, but if I discuss this anymore I might need to start to drink.


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## debodun (Mar 28, 2020)

I get unsweetened juice. I avoid fruit "cocktails". They have a lot of added sweeteners.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> Sorry I made your head ....POP    But I just believe it is irresponsible to post advice that is not accurate. And it is inaccurate / incorrect to say that the juice from a fruit contains more sugar than the fruit it was just squeezed from. That just defies logic.


No one said that.  No one cares how much juice you drink, knock yourself out.  Goggle it, ask your doctor, or just remain ignorant.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> No one said that.  No one cares how much juice you drink, knock yourself out.  Goggle it, ask your doctor, or just remain ignorant.




 So now you are stooping to name calling ?

 You profess me to be ignorant, when I say the juice from a fruit has no more sugar, than the fruit itself?

 Might want to double check your logic there.


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## rgp (Mar 28, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> No one said that.  No one cares how much juice you drink, knock yourself out.  Goggle it, ask your doctor, or just remain ignorant.



 No one said that? That is exactly what you & others are saying.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 28, 2020)

rgp said:


> So now you are stooping to name calling ?
> 
> You profess me to be ignorant, when I say the juice from a fruit has no more sugar, than the fruit itself?
> 
> Might want to double check your logic there.


Sigh.  I didn’t call you a name.  You might want to look up the definition of “ignorant“.


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## Kaila (Mar 28, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> Liquorice ( dunno how you furreners spell it



Thanks for this much needed laughter, HOllyD !


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## Kaila (Mar 28, 2020)

@debodun 
I do resort to Miralax, when all else fails. The powder dissolves easily with a few stirs, in water or tea.
It's gentle, not immediate but works.


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## debodun (Apr 27, 2020)

I took two doses of polyethylene glycol and no different results. I emailed the gastro again. His recommenstion was to take a double dose and do it for a week. The directions on the bottle say not to exceed their recommended dosage which is a capful in 8 oz liquid and if they doesn't work, take another but do not thale more than 2 days in a row. Who ya gonna believe?


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## win231 (Apr 27, 2020)

rgp said:


> I like to argue ? Why?...because you can't trump my argument?
> 
> You honestly believe that there is a difference between, the juice you squeeze from a fruit, and the juice you ingest taking a bite from that fruit?


She probably means that eating the fruit includes the fiber, which slows down digestion because fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate & your body has to separate the fiber from the juice.  Slowing down digestion means less of a blood sugar spike, even though you're getting the same amount of sugar.


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## win231 (Apr 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> With all this "stay indoors" requests, I am even more sedentary than usual. It has affected a digestion process. I thought getting a little more exercise might help. I have a long (13 steps) staircase (see photo), so I took 10 laps up and down. A muscle started hurting in the front of my upper right leg and I got very out of breath even after 4 laps. Didn't help, though. I am eating fruit and drinking a lot of tea and fruit juice. I even resorted to senna tea and docusate tablets.  Nothing is helping. Any thoughts?
> 
> View attachment 96971


Do you like eggplant?  it is very effective.  Give it 24 hours & you'll like the results the next day.    Raw spinach is also good.
There are 2 types of fiber.  Soluble & insoluble.  The soluble fiber turns into a soft gel during digestion & works very well.  It's the fiber in fruits & vegetables.  Most grains have insoluble fiber - which is tougher.


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## Wren (Apr 27, 2020)




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## debodun (Apr 27, 2020)

I've used my tried and true methods - big salad, double portion of oatmeal, a plate of steamed broccoli, senna tea - nothing is easing it.


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## Knight (Apr 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> I emailed my gastroenterologist and his assistant phoned me and said the doctor recommended I get some Miralax.


You live in a really nice area, why not try walking for 10 minutes in one direction then 10 minutes back the same way you walked? Keep it easy until you can feel comfortable walking an additional 5 minutes as you become more able to.

As far as Miralax goes, my only advice would be to NOT take that and sleeping pills before going to bed.


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## debodun (Apr 27, 2020)

Knight said:


> As far as Miralax goes, my only advice would be to NOT take that and sleeping pills before going to bed.



I could get exercise doing a load of laundry.


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## win231 (Apr 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> I've used my tried and true methods - big salad, double portion of oatmeal, a plate of steamed broccoli, senna tea - nothing is easing it.


Whatever you eat takes 12-36 hours to get to the "end."  If you unwound the human digestive tract, it is around 30-40 feet in length.  And there is no way for anything to get past what's already there.


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## Knight (Apr 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> I could get exercise doing a load of laundry.


Sounds like you really do live a sedentary life. My wife @75 does 5 miles every day at the park we go to, I do 3 miles. When we are able to get back to the fitness center we go to she will vary to include free weights.


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## In The Sticks (Apr 27, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> More fiber, less sugar.


And more phytonutrients.
And bioflavonoids.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> I took two doses of polyethylene glycol and no different results. I emailed the gastro again. His recommenstion was to take a double dose and do it for a week. The directions on the bottle say not to exceed their recommended dosage which is a capful in 8 oz liquid and if they doesn't work, take another but do not thale more than 2 days in a row. Who ya gonna believe?


I don‘t know what polyethylene glycol is but I take a capful of Miralax twice a day, sometimes three times a day.  I’ve had two resections and I don’t want a third.  Be careful as you could have a blockage.


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## OneEyedDiva (Apr 27, 2020)

I used to get very painful cramps in my feet and toes...would literally stop me dead in my tracks. I started taking potassium daily and now I rarely get the cramps. When I do, they are mild and don't last as long. Heat has always worked to relieve the hard cramps, preferably wrapping my heating pad around my foot for several minutes. But with the mild ones, I can gently massage my feet with my hand (if it's warm enough) and it brings relief quickly.


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## debodun (Apr 28, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> I don‘t know what polyethylene glycol is.



That is the generic form of Miralax. Read ingredients on your bottle.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 28, 2020)

debodun said:


> That is the generic form of Miralax. Read ingredients on your bottle.


No, I never read the ingredients but if it’s the same I take a ton of it and never been hurt from taking it.


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## In The Sticks (May 2, 2020)

So how does one stop being sedentary, other than taking laxatives and counting sprints to the bathroom as "One Day's Cardio"?

I don't want to say I've wasted the past few years.  I was with a non-profit that did home repairs for folks who could not otherwise pay for them (did it for 7 years), and relied on that to keep me off my butt.  But that went away, and I've found no replacement.  Nor have I found any motivation.

I've gained weight.  I need to move.  But my keyboard sees the only movement I'm likely to make in a given day.


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