Guest submission

The following article was submitted to me by Melanie Bowen


Battling Cancer with Physical Activity

Taking care of yourself is particularly important if you have been diagnosed with
cancer or if you are currently undergoing treatment. One of the best ways to
enhance your physical well-being is to stay physically active.

You don't have to scale a mountain or finish a marathon, but including some form of
regular exercise each day is helpful, even during cancer treatment. Using light
weights to build strength and doing moderate aerobic exercise, like walking daily or
riding a stationary bike, can improve your overall health and spur recovery.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), physical exercise is not jut
achievable and safe throughout treatment, but it also can boost one's quality of life in
a variety of ways. These findings were corroborated by a report published by the
American College of Sports Medicine in 2010. Researchers concluded that working
out during treatment can improve quality of life, physical functioning and reduce the
cancer-related fatigue that affects up to 80 percent of patients during cancer
treatment.

Getting regular activity may also reduce other common side effects of treatment,
including nausea, loss of bone strength and muscle mass and de-conditioning of the
lungs and heart.

The ACS also maintains that regular exercise also lessens the risk of developing
osteoporosis, reduces the risk of heart disease, promotes better balance and
reduces the risk of broken bones and falls and may improve your ability to keep
social contacts.

Physical exercise also has mental benefits for cancer patients. The cancer
experience can have a profound impact on your perspective and mood, but being
active gives patients a sense of control and releases fell-good endorphins that help
battle depression and anxiety. Patients who work out also gain an improved body
image and greater self-esteem.

Staying active is just as important during remission. Cancer survivors who make
physical activity part of their daily lives continue to reap the benefits of less anxiety,
higher self-esteem, reduced fatigue, improved mood and fewer signs and symptoms
of depression. It may even reduce the likelihood of a cancer recurrence and
significantly reduce one's chances of dying of various types of cancer from breast
cancer all the way to mesothelioma.

Redo

OK..so apparently its been awhile since I've posted anything on here...there's been a lot going on, between moving, school, and trying to start up an online business.

In all that, my fitness goals have kinda been pushed to the back burner. Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna try this new program. Instead of strictly following the diet laid out in the program, thoughj, i am going to get back to tracking what I eat.