Fitness and the Cancer Survivor

Article by David Haas (Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Guest Blogger)


The University of Waterloo states that while the negative side effects of cancer treatment include muscle weakness, fatigue, weight fluctuations and lowered aerobic capacity, exercise can help reduce the severity of these symptoms. If you are recovering from mesothelioma or any other cancer, exercise may be the last thing on your mind, but the experts seem to agree that it helps. Aside from the physical benefits, exercise helps a cancer survivor feel in control of his or her life, something that is essential if you are going through a process that seems to take control away at every step.

When you are considering an exercise regimen, take some time and consult with your doctor. This ensures that you do not overtax yourself, especially at the beginning. When you start an exercise program, it can be easy to go overboard, especially if you have realized that the exercise improves your situation. Instead, take the time to talk with your doctor and to agree on an exercise plan that suits your needs.

If you have never entered into a fitness plan before, there is no time like the present to start. A fitness program gives you structure for your day while allowing you work solely on improving yourself. Even a small amount of exercise that raises your heart rate allows you to improve, especially if you do it every day.

Choose an exercise program that suits you. If weight machines bore you, take a walk, and if you need a little more structure, consider taking a class. A gentle martial art or a slow dance or movement class can help you feel more connected with your body while mitigating some of the symptoms that you might be experiencing. There are also fitness classes that are designed for cancer survivors; they often require a commitment of several months as well as your doctor’s approval, but they are geared towards the unique challenges faced by cancer survivors.

Remember that making a commitment to a fitness plan is not easy. There are going to be days when you need to skip your exercises or when you are simply unable to commit the energy to exercise. The important thing to remember is that the effect is cumulative, and that just because you don’t get on the treadmill today doesn’t mean you won’t tomorrow.

While fitness and exercise aren’t a cure for cancer, they can help relieve some of the symptoms while giving you back the essential feeling of control.

3 Simple Steps Towards Breast Cancer Prevention

Article by Connie Limon

Three main lifestyle habits lay the foundation for breast cancer prevention. They include:

*Staying physically active

*Limiting alcohol

*Eating right

The evidence so far tells us healthy eating and regular exercise really does contribute to breast cancer prevention. Plus, if you limit your exposure to substances that promote breast cancer, you will benefit even more.

There are some risks toward a higher incident of breast cancer that you cannot control. Those include:
*Your age
*Genetic make-up


Although these two factors may loom against you there are still steps you can take on your own to prevent breast cancer. They provide no guarantee that you still will not develop the disease. They will give you a start toward breast cancer prevention.


Some of the easiest things you can control is what you eat and drink and how much exercise you get.


There remains a strong link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. Seems that it does not matter the type of alcohol one consumes, whether it be wine, beer or mixed drinks, there does not seem to be a difference according to researchers. A step toward breast cancer prevention would be to limit your alcohol to less than one drink per day or to avoid alcohol completely.

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