Stay healthy & fit in a wheelchair. Here’s how

Being on a wheelchair can be challenging in many ways. The main one being to stay fit and healthy with the right exercises and lifestyle patterns. But we also know that there is no fun without some challenges too. So if you are a wheelchair user of whatever age, now is the time to start doing things to make you help stay healthy, fit and happy for the rest of your life. The joy of being healthy after taking up a good lifestyle knows no boundaries.

Srilatha from Bengaluru says she is careful about her diet and makes sure she indulges in the right kind of food.

I make sure that I keep a watch on what I eat. I totally avoid foods with high calories because when you are a wheelchair user, you hardly do any physical activities to burn down the calories. Drink lots of warm water because even that helps to burn calories. Also try and do some exercises on a regular basis. I do them and I feel great- Srilatha

Are you a wheelchair user who wouldn’t mind getting a few tips to stay healthy and fit? We have some tips for you.

• Maintain good posture while sitting- For a wheelchair user, this is something very important. You need to be extremely careful about your sitting position because that comprises most of your time. You can even consult a doctor to know what seating position suits you best according to your disability. It is best to keep your feet, hips, knees and shoulders in a straight line. Some wheelchair users even get soars in the long run. So be cautious about your seating positions.
• Maintain good mental health – Understand that a disability is never a deterrent to chase your dreams. It brings a few challenges that need to be tackled. It is extremely important to stay have a good mental health. Stay away from anxiety and depression. Look at the positive side of life.
• Watch your diet – Wheelchair users tend to do less physical activities. Hence, keeping a watch on your diet is important. Add more proteins to your diet and stay away from calories as much as you can. Alcohol is only going to make you depressed because it slows down the function of the central nervous system. You also gain a lot of weight when you drink alcohol. Make sure that you drink lots of water because that is best for all your bodily functions.
• Sleep well – Make sure that you sleep well during the night in the right positions. Sleep is important for a good mental health. So be aware of that and watch out for the right positions in which you can have a good night’s sleep.

Dhanya, who is from Kerala, says she watches both her diet and exercise with an eagle eye.

“I make sure that I avoid fatty foods, and I am a huge fan of vegetarian food. I walk with calipers to make sure that there is some physical exercise. I think wheelchair users must really follow some exercise that they are comfortable with. It is also important to have a good mental health. So I avoid being lonely. I interact with a lot of people and focus on work. So there is no room for negativity”, she says.

Mumbai-based Jasmina Khanna says wheelchair users have plenty of options when it comes to staying fit. “They can stay fit by doing yoga, exercise through physiotherapy and also do certain types of gym exercises”, says Khanna, is a working professional. “Swimming is also a great option to staying fit”.

So, that’s a lot to choose from. Figure out what works best for you and get started!

ALSO READ: Some driving tips for people with disabilities