Five Benefits of Fitness While Dealing with Cancer
Hey Everyone! The following is a wonderful article about fitness and cancer. Please take some time to give it a read. It could change (or save) your life.
As most of you know in March of 2012 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I had a tumor that measured 14x10x8 cm growing in my chest. If you're not familiar with that measurement just think about shoving a cantalope in your chest cavity.
Anyway, obviously my life was turned upside down (not sure that term describes it, but it's all I got). The tumor was wrapping around my arorta and a couple other arteries and had spead to my abdomin and left kidney. I was, in cancer terms, stage "3". If you're not familiar with that termilology...there is no "stage 5". I got very sick very quickly. I had no history of cancer, heart disease or any other chronic illness in my family. That being said, my medial staff told me that because of the size and nature and aggressiveness of the cancer, had I not been as fit as I was I would likely be dead today. My fitness allowed me to endure the cancer and the treatment better than if I was not fit. I was in a bad way and the cancer and treatments were horrible. I continued to try and maintain some level of fitness that was within my ablilty given my circumstances. Some days that was just getting out of bed and some days it was as little as 5 kettlebell swings. Long story short, my fitness that I acheived with CrossFit and my amazing medical staff and my incredible wife helped me survive this ordeal.
This is the image from my PET scan after first being diagnosed. The big white mass and the tail is the tumor that is sitting on my heart and lungs. Now, a year later it is have this size and beleived to be dead.
Five Benefits of Fitness While Dealing with Cancer
There are many types of cancer, from some of the more common such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, all the way to leukemia and mesothelioma. Currently about 60% of cancers are curable if caught early and treated appropriately. And while fitness is not a cure for cancer, it can definitely serve as a helpful compliment to traditional treatment. Maintaining a consistent fitness routine is a great way to improve your quality of life and help your body and mind fight your cancer.
Improves Mind
When you exercise, it releases hormones in your brain,
specifically serotonin and endorphins. This actually makes you able to focus
better and increases your mental function. The chemicals released during
exercise also help put you in a naturally good mood, making you happier. In
addition, having a healthy body boosts your self-esteem and confidence. Keeping
a focused and positive mind is important for fighting your cancer.
Reduces Risk of Other Diseases
According to the National Cancer Institute, physical activity
helps reduce the risk of many diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes
and heart disease. In addition, there is evidence that it helps reduce the risk
of some cancers, including colon cancer and breast cancer. If you already have
cancer, you do not need another disease or another type of cancer. Fitness
gives you an advantage at protecting your body from further diseases and
cancers that will jeopardize your healing. Other side effects and diseases that
exercise helps prevent include high cholesterol, coronary artery disease,
stroke and obesity.
Reduces Fatigue
Contrary to what a lot of people think, exercise actually gives
you more energy. The endorphins released during exercise help you feel
energized and make you more capable of getting up and doing more. Plus,
exercise helps you sleep a more restful sleep at night, so you feel more awake
during the day. Maintaining
fatigue and getting the right about of rest is imperative for fighting
cancer. Many cancer treatments wear you down, causing you to become even more
fatigued. Fight back with a boost in energy from fitness.
If you are struggling with cancer, you are probably stressed.
Dealing with any disease, especially cancer is stressful. You worry and think
about it all the time. Stress is detrimental to your health and can lead to
serious problems that counteract your healing. Exercise lets you burn off that
stress and leave it behind in a natural and healthy way.
On the whole, exercise improves the quality of your life. It is
easy to become depressed, sicker and weaker when you are fighting cancer. It
may become difficult to do daily tasks or even get out of the house. By
maintaining a good fitness routine, you keep your body and mind in good shape,
making you capable of getting up and getting out to experience life.
Fitness may not be a cure for cancer, but it certainly helps. Fitness keeps your body healthy, so you are able to withstand the cancer treatments and help fight your cancer. Fitness reduces the risk of other diseases and cancers while improving your physical and mental health. It is a great way to gain the upper hand in your fight against cancer.
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/melanie/