Sickle cell condition is when the blood cells of an individual are sickle shaped instead of the normal rounded doughnut shaped red blood cell. These type of cells hinder the transfer of oxygen thereby affecting cellular respiration which causes less energy to be produced. This is why such people are easily fatigued and also easily run out of breath.
Surely we all love to stay healthy and fit but for people with sickle cell they are always told to avoid excess exercise and workouts. Especially if what they do makes them short of breath they are to avoid it. They are also advised to try staying active, whereas they easily run out of breath and energy with little exercise such as running.
So how does a person with the condition live an healthy life while staying fit. That’s why I decided to present this tips for staying healthy and fit at the same time.
Eat right
Such a person should always eat a diet balanced with varieties of nutrients. Also eating lots of fruits, these have many beneficial vitamins. For example vitamin c found in citrus fruits will aid the immune systems which protects from infection which is a serious threat to sickle cell condition.
Take plenty of fluids
Dehydration is to be avoided by all means. Dehydration is a well known cause of crisis in sickle cell disease, SCD. Ensure you drink lots of water and juice daily, try to ensure you have fluid with you when heading out for the day. Yes water is good for everyone and especially someone with sickle cell but it’s best to avoid a condition called water poisoning. Water poisoning is the when the electrolyte balance of the body is disturbed. This is caused by drinking too much water within a very short period of time and it can be fatal. The best way to regulate water drinking is by the colour of the urine. Normal urine colour should be like a light yellowish colour, when urine turns colourless it’s an indication of too much water in the system. Also when the urine starts becoming dark it’s an indication that you need to drink water.
Yoga
Someone with sickle cell may not be able to do proper gym exercises due to the fact that they get exhausted easily. Some achieve some level of fitness with yoga poses. Yoga which is sometimes classified as a low impact exercise has many poses and styles for various aim such as flexibility. It’s best to get a yoga teacher to give directions on whatever style of yoga needed. Try choosing a simple style and start from simple pose to the more technical ones.
Low impact exercise
Keeping fit and working on strength without causing any harm, the so called low impact exercise are used. There are various types of low impact exercise such as walking, dancing, cycling, rowing or engaging in a spinning class. Low impact exercises are also nice ways to burn calories. One thing about low impact exercises is that not all of it may be good for someone with sickle cell. As an example, for swimming when jumping into water which is at lower temperature and also when coming out of the water into a warmer atmosphere, there is an abrupt change in temperature which should be avoided.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is one of the keys to an healthy life. Sleep is always an opportunity to rest and heal properly. So it’s advised to avoid anything that causes sleep deprivation.
Every condition a person is born into has a mix of its own blessings. It is now left to us to maximise possibilities by making use of opportunities.
Thanks for reading.
Naija Science Kid 