# diet and exercise



## 20290 (Feb 9, 2007)

I am new to the forum. I am 66 years old, male and live in the northwest Florida panhandle. I have had a lung infection for at least 12 years that was finally diagnosed in 2006 as non-tuburcular mycobacterium. I was diagnosed in Oct 2006 with GERD and a hiatal hernia. It is thought that GERD allows the bacteria to pass from my stomach to my lungs. I was given dietary restrictions and an exercise program. I have 2 questions that I hope someone on the forum can help me with.1. Concerning diet: I was given a list of foods to avoid. Many of which previously formed a large part of my diet. I am also currently reading Jill Sklar's book on eating with GERD. It has an even longer list of suspect foods. I have already eliminated tomatoes, citrus and spicy foods from my diet. If I have to avoid onions, garlic, cucumbers and peppers as well I may as well stop cooking. The book suggests testing the foods one at a time to find out which ones are tolerated and which are not. However, as I have no actual symptoms (I know, I'm lucky) I do not know how to go about testing these foods that I really do not want to give up if I do not have to. Any ideas?2. Exercise: I have been cautioned not to do exercises in which I am lying flat on my back or exercises that compress the stomach. Some of the exercises that were recommended to me require lying flat. And I need to strengthen my abs because of low back problems. Does anyone know of any ab exercises that I can do at home which do not require lying flat? Crunches and sit-ups are verboten. Because of the infection I was put on a high protein / high calorie diet. The result of which is that I am gaining weight and all of it is in my waist. I would like to keep the weight - I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and weigh 170 pounds - but I have never had a "beer belly" before and I just hate it. I have always been athletic but I am not able to exercise as I did in the past because the infection causes shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. I am using a stationary bicycle when I am able, walking when possible, and doing light strength and flexibility exercise. Thank you all in advance for your help and support.Sincerely, Guy Warrick, Fountin, Florida.


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

Hi Guy,I exercised myself into a small hernia and now share the same problem as you with an inability to do crunches. One of the ways around this has been to follow some of the "core strengthening" exercises on the Ball. If there is a trainer where you exercise, they can show you how to do those. I also have a lower back deteriorating disc problem. (10 years ago my chiropractor described me as a 50 y/o man with a 60 y/o back.) One of the strategies I have found useful is to use the Eliptical Cross Trainer for my cardio work. The slight twisting seems to keep the small muscles in my back fit enough to hold the discs in place. Since discovering that, some 5 years ago, my twice a month tune-ups at the chiro have been competely discontinued.If you are interested, I use a couple of supplements and exercise products that might help with your energy, GERD and weight control.Good luck in getting this back in order.Mark


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