The Benefits of Walking When You Have Ulcerative Colitis

Staying active is an important part of my treatment plan for my ulcerative colitis. Regular exercise that is not too strenuous helps to keep my digestive system working as efficiently as possible.

Walking is an exercise that I do daily. When I am not in the middle of a flare up and when it is not raining, I walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes, I will go to the local college and use the track. For times when it is raining or I am dealing with an ulcerative colitis flare up, I invested in a treadmill.

I have found that if I skip my walking for more than a day or two, I start to feel run down. For me, feeling run down leads indirectly to a flare up because when I am not feeling my best, I tend to slack up on my diet. I will usually eat out more which usually means that I am eating more of my trigger foods.

I know a lot of other people who have ulcerative colitis that say the same thing. Walking is definitely a good exercise for people with ulcerative colitis. It gives me time to just think and relax, which is a plus for almost anyone.

During a flare up, my symptoms often seem worse if I am upset or stressed out. Walking is a low impact workout that doesn't jostle my sensitive digestive tract. It also gives me an appropriate outlet to relieve stress and frustration.

If you are not able to invest in a treadmill, you can still walk at home during a flare up. March in place if you have to. Walk up and down a hall way or do laps around your living room or kitchen.

As with any form of exercise, it is extremely important that you get your health care provider's permission before beginning a program. At certain points in your ulcerative colitis treatment, such as when you are still searching for the right medicine, your doctor may want you to limit your physical activity. Usually, you can still walk some, just maybe not as much as you would like to walk.