Exercise and Cancer

Today’s post is a guest contribution from cancer awareness advocate, David Haas.  David is a regular contributor at The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.  In addition to researching the many valuable programs available to his blog’s users, David often writes about programs and campaigns underway at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, as well as creative fitness ideas for those dealing with cancer.  

As many of you know, the link between exercise (or lackthereof) and cancer incidence is very strong.  Any bit of information that can inspire you to start exercising, or help you improve the life of yourself or a family member dealing with cancer, is a message we want to get across.  Find the time to live a fit and healthy lifestyle now, or find the time to be sick later.  Simple as that. 

 

Family Exercise Outings Benefit Cancer Patients

When a person within a family is diagnosed with cancer, the entire family is typically affected.  While the cancer patient must often endure surgeries, radiation, weekly chemo treatments, or mesothelioma treatment, the family of the patient also usually experiences worry, fear, exhaustion, and feelings of frustration.  It can be extremely difficult for a family to watch a loved one go through the constant rounds of treatments that are usually so vital to the recovery and remission of the person.

Financial affairs can be greatly affected if a person in a family is diagnosed with cancer.  If a working parent has cancer, the loss of that person’s income can put many families into financial jeopardy.  This can leave a strain on the family that can produce worry and endless sleeping nights wondering how the family will survive financially.  If a child has cancer, the parents will often miss many days of work to take care of the child, oversee treatment, driving the child back and forth to the hospital and for check-ups.  This also places an enormous strain on the entire family.

Exercise is rapidly becoming more and more recommended to families of people who have been diagnosed with cancer.  Not only is it important for the cancer patient to obtain generous amounts of exercise throughout the week, the rest of the family can benefit from the physical exertion as well.  Exercise has long since been recognized for relieving stress and providing a physical outlet that works to fight stress, anxiety, and depression.

When a family has a person within the family who has been diagnosed with cancer, it is imperative that every person continues to take good physical care of his or her body.  This will provide energy that will help the family to be supportive of the cancer patient, and it will also be a tremendous benefit to the cancer patient by strengthening muscles and increasing cardiovascular health.

Working out together at a gym, going camping together, fishing together, or playing tennis together can be important and fun bonding times for families.  Families who have a person diagnosed with cancer can take advantage of the numerous exercise opportunities that are available to relieve stress, get a good cardio workout, and also to spend bonding time together.  Relaxing and working out together are vital to the entire family unit and promote overall good physical and emotional health for people who are struggling with the disease of cancer.

Cancer.net is an informative website that offers many helpful tips for people who have cancer and for people who have a family member that has been diagnosed with cancer. On the website, text states that emotional and physical health can be improved in cancer patients when exercise becomes a regular routine.

For more information from David on cancer and exercise, check him out here.