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JANUARY 21, 2022
AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006
AUGUSTARX.COM
HATE EXERCISE? Lady abuses pancreas M E D I C I N E
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Submitted by Dolores Eckles • Evans, Georgia
News flash: not everyone likes exercise. Some don’t even allow “the E-word” to be uttered in their presence. They might reluctantly perspire, but they are not about to sweat. None of this changes the fact that we all need and benefit from exercise. So how can the e-haters still get their paces in? In honor of ‘22, here are 22 great ways (ok, maybe a few aren’t all that great) to do the E-word deed without that E-word feeling. 1. Wiggle while you wait Life is all about waiting, isn’t it? Don’t just sit there during
WAYS TO BE ACTIVE THAT DON’T FEEL LIKE THE E-WORD all those TV commercials. Get up and march in place; walk briskly down the hallway and back; do push-ups or burpees; or both. Ditto for while “Your call is very important to us” is playing. 2. Get stuff done Wash the car. Vacuum the house. Rake
the yard. Do something productive that involves moving. 3. Play Get down on the floor with the kids (or the grandkids) and wrestle. Crawl around and be a kid again. Throw a Frisbee around with the kids or shoot some baskets in the driveway. 4. Play grown-up games I Charades is an example of a game that involves moving but can be done indoors. There are others. Be creative. 5. Play grown-up games II According to WebMD, sex burns about as many calories per minute as briskly walking or raking leaves. Additionally,
I am that lady, and I plead guilty. However, I have been unaware of my abuse for many years until recently when I was hospitalized for 3 days, diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and hypokalemia (too-low potassium). I choose not to dwell on the minutia of the stay but rather focus on what I learned from the experience. My abdominal CT (computerized tomography) scan showed “strings” or filaments surrounding the pancreas, an indicator of inflammation. The function of the pancreas is to make enzymes to break down sugars, fats, and starches for digestion. Insulin is also produced in the pancreas and controls the level of glucose in the bloodstream. Gallstones are one of the most common causes of pancreatitis. The hard stones form in the gallbladder, a nearby organ. The gallbladder and pancreas share a passage into the common bile duct. If gallstones block the duct, the fluid backs up and causes pancreatitis. But how could I have gallstones? My gallbladder was removed when I had pancreatic cancer surgery in 2011. The answer: About 1 in 7 who have inflammation can result in the complication of pancreatitis. Lucky me for being that 1. The doctor’s discharge orders for me was no food or liquids (including H20) for 29 hours. My mouth was a desert, my lips were glued together. The stated purpose of this fast was “to rest and heal the pancreas.” Because all the goings-on made sleep an elusive goal, I had time to reflect on my diagnosis, and gradually I had an epiphany about why my choice of the word “abuse” is accurate.
Please see 22 WAYS page 3
Please see PANCREAS page 5
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