The benefits of exercise for cancer patients

In recent years, exercise has been nationally promoted, due to the excessive obesity rate. Though many people associate exercise with weight loss, there are many health benefits, as well. In fact, exercise is now a factor for recovering cancer patients.

Of course, exercise does not only benefit recovering patients. Health experts recommend cancer patients in every stage to maintain a regular workout routine. However, patients who are undergoing aggressive treatment may require an assigned trainer to help them. For example, patients undergoing mesothelioma treatment will be subject to different types of radiation treatment and surgery than a patient who is undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Nevertheless, exercise benefits patients in a few primary ways.

1. Increased energy

Exercising for energy may seem like an oxymoron to many people, especially cancer patients, who often suffer from extreme fatigue. However, it is widely known that people who maintain a regular workout routine are benefited with increased energy.

When you become inactive, your body’s metabolism slows down. It is a natural safety mechanism in cases of emergency, where you may be deprived of a reliable food source. As a result, the inactive body becomes used to not using energy, so it does not require much energy to survive. When you become active, your metabolism kicks into gear and your body gets used to the increased flow of energy.

2. Relieved pain

Treatment and surgery do well to remove cancerous cells, however, it can cause some pain and discomfort as a side effect. Most cancer patients can attest to the pain from which they suffer during times of recovery. In fact, even some patients in remission still suffer from slightly painful side effects.

Exercise increases blood flow, which carries essential vitamins and minerals to the other parts of the body. This results in a better immune system and a greater white blood cell count. These two things combined can help relieve the pain for cancer patients.

3. Better outlook on life

If cancer patients are entitled to only one thing, it should be to feel depressed. Such a condition can naturally cause a person to become anxious. However, being optimistic during times of treatment and recovery are very important. Studies show that optimistic people typically heal faster, as well as have a greater immune system.

Exercise releases endorphins, a natural hormone that helps people stay positive. Most patients claim they feel better about themselves and their condition after a good workout.

Conclusion

Fitness is not a cure for cancer. Only a professional cancer center can help cure a patient. Regardless, fitness can greatly benefit a patient. Here is an article that lists the benefits of fitness for cancer patients.

• I ran the Jingle Bell Run, or at least what passes for running.  Finished in 38:06  It was VERY windy and very little training.  Ran the first mile straight.  then started a 2 minute walk/run ratio.  All things considered, I’ll take it.
• I’ve been running on the treadmill.  Barefoot.  and I LIKE it!
• WoYoPracMo is in full swing.  So far, so good.

Today, the sun was shining, light winds (under 15 mph) and mid 40′s.  I ran.  Outside.  Barefoot.  1.75 miles.  It was nice.  I guess I am officially a barefoot runner.  I am hooked.  But if I do run more outside this winter, I’ll need to wear shoes if it’s snowy.  My feet were warm enough, but more poor little toes were frozen blocks of ice.

I’d love to run a 5K race barefoot.  I guess that’s a little goal of mine.  Possible the St. Patrick’s Day 5K.  Not too cold.

So I’m still around…  Still doing what I can.  thanks!!

I know that I should get my ass out of bed when hubby wakes up and exercise, but instead I lay in bed and play on my phone. I need to come up with a plan and follow through.

I’ve started running again, but that’s only once a week. I need to make time to up that to at least twice a week, if not three times. I’m running intervals for now, 2 minutes walk/2 minute runs. I’ve set my Garmin to alert me when my pace falls below a 15:30 pace, and it keeps me from slacking during my walking intervals.

I need to come up with a plan and the just do it. I can talk the talk. Now I have to walk the walk.

My racing this year has taken a backseat to life.  Last year I was doing two races just about every month.  Yes, I loved it, but it was just getting to be too much.  I think I’ll just keep a few races that I’ll do every year.

• Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis.  I’ve already signed up and team captain for Team BloNo Dailymiler’s II.  Now go visit and join my team or donate!!
• St. Patrick’s Day 5K.  This is a fun, FLAT race!!
• Women’s Fitness 5K.  This race is for women only.  I’ve done it twice now.  Though as always, it’ll be dependent on the kids’ soccer schedule.

and other possible races as they come up.

I’ve been busy.  Not so much running, but walking, cycling and the occasional roller skating.  Now that it’s summer and we don’t have to worry about catching a bus, I’m able to bike the girl to school and pick her up as well.  The bike ride round trip is just under 3  miles.  It’s a good ride.

As a family, we all participated in the State Farm Live Well Be Well activities.  Hubby ran the 5K while I stayed with the kids.  All things considered, he did great!  It wasn’t nearly as hot as it was last year.  He finished in 27:01.9.

The boy (who turned 8 on race day) and I ran the 1 mile together.  We did have to stop and walk for a moment and the water stop was unmanned so we had to get our own water!  He finished slightly faster than I:  11:01.6 & 11:19.4.  The fastest (an 11 year old) did the mile in 6 minutes!!

The girl did the fun run, which wasn’t timed at all.  She didn’t want me to run with her, so I waited at the finish line for her.  I did capture her finish on video to send to the grandparents.  She did great!!

I guess that’s it for now. Ta!

I have my Garmin 305 which I LOVE!!  It tells me how fast (or slow) I’m going and when I upload it, it tells me where I’ve been.  I can do intervals (either by time or distance or both) which I’m just figuring out.  I love it for biking.  It goes on my handlebars.

Now I never run without my phone.  It’s a safety thing for me.  I have downloaded the Runkeeper app.  It comes in handy when I forget my Garmin or decide to go for a walk and I always have it with me.  I strap my phone on my arm and it’s with me.  It also maps via GPS where I’ve been and it sends to Runkeeper automatically when it’s done.

My newest GPS tracking for my phone is Kinetic Lite.  I had my first run with it.  It interfaces with dailymile, so I don’t have to plug it in when I’m done.  I just enter my notes and send it.

So…  I always know where I’ve been with those three tools.  I am a runnerd.

Another race.  St. Patrick’s Day 5K.  Ran Sunday, March 13, 2011.  I love this course.  it’s FLAT!  Especially compared to the Miller Park Zoo Stampede.  Lot’s of fun, lot’s of people and a big party afterward at the VFW.

Garmin:  (I started it when I cross the official start line)

• Total time:  33:15
• mile 1: 10:14
• mile 2: 10:56
• mile 3:  11:00
• last 0.11:  0:57

Official time:  33:30

• overall: 511/638
• age group:  47/73
• Women:  246/343

Not a personal record, but I’ll take it.  It was another chilly race day.

It was cold and windy with hills.  The first mile was in the park, 2nd mile was in a neighborhood and the third was back in the park.

Garmin time:

• Total:  34:05
• mile 1: 10:27
• mile 2:  10:49
• mile 3:  11:14 (probably where I did most of my walking.  Got hit hard with wind coming across the lake)
• last 0.16: 1:35

Official time:  34:20.

• overall:  194/277
• age group: 19/28
• overall women:  99/162

1/17:  1st treadmill run.  1 mile even, 13 minutes.  :/

1/18: 2nd treadmill run 1.5 miles in 19:50  :/

1/20: 3rd TM run 1.7 miles in 20 minutes

1/22: 1.6 miles 19 minutes

1/24: 1.05 miles 12 minutes.

I’m getting better at making myself run on the treadmill and not messing with the speed.  I need to watch something that keeps my attention so I don’t mess with the speed so much.

It’s not heavy duty, but I don’t need that. I’m not training for a half or full marathon. It’ll serve my purposes. Running a few miles at a time.