HI everyone! We have an AMAZING guest poster today MELANIE!
Melanie is currently a
Master's student with a passion that stems from her grandmother's cancer
diagnosis. She often highlights the great benefits of alternative nutritional,
emotional, and physical treatments on those diagnosed with cancer or other
serious illness.
To read more from Melanie, visit her
blog for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. In her spare time, you can find
Melanie trying new vegan recipes, on her yoga mat, or spending time with her
family.
Melanie is going to share very insightful information on how fitness helps cancer patients! I recently had a friend pass away from cancer, and I JUST came back in town from an Aunt who recently passed away from cancer - so this message really hits home for me.
When Melanie asked if she could do a guest post I was MORE than thrilled to have her and share her positive message!
A Brief
Overview of Fitness and Cancer
Although
there are many debilitating conditions that can problematize an individual's
ability to lead a productive and positive life, cancer can be a particularly
difficult disease to grapple with. Despite the challenges that can result from
having cancer, however, there are a plethora of things you can do to alleviate
symptoms associated with the condition. As many health experts know, one of the
greatest things an individual struggling with cancer can do to optimize
wellness during recovery is exercise. Below you will find three different types
of exercises that can be done to make the condition more bearable.
Light Exercise
Recommendation: Breathing Techniques
For
those unfamiliar with light exercise, it is a form of physical activity in
which you will not break a sweat. Because it is a less strenuous form of
exercise, you will be able to talk and in some cases even sing while you
complete the exercises. One great form of light exercise that cancer patients
should seriously consider implementing is breathing techniques.
Simple
breathing techniques affords many great benefits to the cancer patient,
including improved circulation and blood flow, reduced fatigue, and improved
lung function. This type and level of exercise is encouraged for those who are
battling a prognosis
of mesothelioma or other lung-related cancers. In completing a breathing
exercise-which will entail consciously controlling and listening to every
inhale and exhale-the patient can greatly enhance her or his respiratory
function while taking in more oxygen.
Moderate Exercise
Recommendation: Yoga
Cancer
patients who have a formidable degree of strength and agility may find that
they are capable of handling moderate exercises. When this is the case, yoga is
very advisable. Although defined broadly, yoga is basically a form of physical
activity that emphasizes breathing deeply and stretching to achieve control
over the mind and body. The benefits
of doing yoga are diverse and include improved physical functioning,
decreased fatigue, improved flexibility, decreased cortisol (stress hormone)
levels, decreased pain, and better quality sleep. Additionally, yoga can play a
role in reducing the individual's experience of insomnia.
Advanced Exercise
Recommendation: Weight Training
Cancer
patients who have a substantive amount of strength may find that weight
training is an advantageous and even ideal form of exercise to participate in.
In short, weight training is a type of physical activity that involves lifting
weights for the purpose of building
cardiovascular strength, toning muscle, and/or improving muscle
performance. Weight training can be done in a broad variety of ways. For
example, one can lift 20-pound weights for 30 minutes every other day as a
stand-alone exercise program. However, one can also mix weight training in with
other forms of advanced exercises such as running or cycling. The benefits of
weight training are diverse and include increased levels of energy, an improved
cardiovascular system, and improved muscle strength.
The
National Cancer Institute recommends weight training for people who have
increased fat tissue or reduced muscle. Moreover, prostate cancers, head and
neck cancers, and cancers of the gut and stomach can result in decreased muscle
mass. To make the exercises effective for you, start with lighter weights and
gradually build up to larger ones that you can lift for greater lengths of
time. As you begin to lift heavier weights, you will see greater results.
Although
cancer can be a very difficult disease to grapple with, it doesn't have to be.
By implementing any of the exercises listed above to your workout routine, you
can begin to cultivate a more productive and positive lifestyle as you decrease
the severity of cancer symptoms. In so doing, you'll be sure to walk in greater
health and wellness.
