Miriam Ruiz, 63

Homestead

retired teacher's aide

Suffering: For years I've had fibromyalgia, a very painful sickness that affects your muscles and nerves. It makes you feel like you're going to die. I've also suffered from osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and irritable bowel syndrome. The fibromyalgia was getting worse in the past seven years.

Rx for exercise: All my doctors felt that I needed to exercise, stretch and meditate, so I went to the YMCA of Homestead. I joined last December. I usually go to the SilverSneakers classes for senior citizens. I'll go to the pool, work out on the different machinery, do a little bit of everything -- yoga, aerobic dancing. It's better than all the medicines I've taken.

From flab to fab: Exercise has made a big difference. I lost 10 pounds and I got muscle where I used to see a flabby stomach. It's not that easy because I was overweight to begin with. All around, people tell me I look a lot better.

Hold the cream: I cut a lot of yummy things I used to eat, such as ice cream, the creamy and delicious kind I used to have at night. I'm eating more vegetables and less starch like rice and potatoes, and I have fresh fruits instead of soda pops. I feel 100 percent better. I even stopped taking my pain medication.

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