Exercise is Key for Cancer Patients

This article in the NY Times discusses how fitness can be beneficial to hasten the recovery of cancer patients as well as fighting the effects of cancer such as the fatigue from chemotherapy, the loss of muscle tone, and the swelling of lymphedema.

Programs are opening up everywhere including the a new partnership between the Y.M.C.A. and the Lance Armstrong Foundation which will offer cancer fitness classes at more than 12 Y’s in 10 states. Cancer survivors are organizing their own classes at Curves International has created new routines for overweight-breast-cancer patients.

Data and research conducted by the National Cancer Institute within the past decade show that cancer patients who exercise regularly have less fatigue, better aerobic capacity, and greater strength than those who do not exercise. There are times though when patients will not be able to perform such strenuous activities, and all exercise plans should be discussed with their oncologists.

Exercise Helps Battle Age Related Diseases

This latest NY Times article reports that as people age they lose muscle strength and flexibility, and as a result of this it leads to frailty in bones and a loss of mobility. According to Miriam Nelson, director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University, exercise is becoming increasingly important in improving quality of life and decreasing the risk of chronic age-related diseases.

A common misconception is that exercise will cause injury or pain, especially with those who suffer from arthritis, but the truth of the matter is that building muscle strength and their joints it will actually reduce pain and decrease the risk of injury. The perfect balance of physical fitness preferred includes aerobic workouts (cardio, swimming, treadmill, crosstrainer), stretching, and muscle training (which can be done in a gym with a series of machines, or dumbbells or resistance bands and tubes at home).