on bad days when I have pain despite taking my everyday pain killer. I've noticed over the years

that exercise makes the symptoms better. I won't say it gets rid of it completely, but it

definitely lessens it. And I think, you know, when I first started experiencing this pain and

I was like, oh, my inclination was to just lay in the couch and not move. Because every time I say

everything would stand, every time I go to the bathroom, every time I get food, every time I walk

around, lay down, roll over, get in the car, get out of the car, sit in my desk chair, everything

hurts. And so, you know, I thought that sitting still would be the best thing for it, but it's not.

It is absolutely not. And so just getting to the gym is the most important thing for me on those days

I know once I walk in there, I'm going to feel better.

Hello, and welcome to Pursuing Health. I'm Dr. Julie Fouche, family physician and former

CrossFit Games athlete. Here, I bring you information and inspiration to help bridge the gap

between fitness and medicine and support your journey toward your healthiest self.

This episode is one of a series of Pursuing Health Stories, where I feature the inspiring

stories of regular, everyday people who've used lifestyle to overcome some incredible health

challenges. And in this week's episode, I share a conversation with Scott Young, who talks about

his journey with a rare autoimmune condition called enclosing spondylitis that over time can

cause fusion in the bones of the spine. Scott shares how his physical therapist encouraged him

to start CrossFit to improve his movement mechanics, and how this then led to his realization

that staying active helps relieve some of the stiffness and pain he experiences as a result of

his enclosing spondylitis. We also talk about the mental benefits of surrounding yourself with

the community that lifts you up, and the importance of focusing your energy on habits that lead to

health and happiness in the long term. Before we dive into the episode, I do want to make it clear

...