Fitness and Cancer

I enjoy and encourage insight from my readers.  Whether it's a personal email or a comment after reading on one of my blog articles, the eloquence that comes forth often inspires me.

Occasionally, I encourage those with good stories and a willingness to write, to put pen to paper. The link below about 2 au pairs was one such case – two different circumstances in their own words. The link is below:


Other times, readers come to me in an effort to get their story told or offer something they have written.  The determination (sent numerous emails!) of the gentleman below made it easy for me to publish his article as I appreciate persistence and it’s an important subject – one that most of us can relate to.

Fitness is crucial to anyone who wants to feel better, live longer and enjoy a healthier life although for a cancer patient, the results of fitness can be invaluable.

He works in the health field and his words below are important to read and share, especially if you know someone with cancer who might benefit from his insight.

Thanks for your passion David! Don’t ever let it waver as it can take you a long way in life.

Happy Gswede Sunday!
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Fitness Makes the World Go Round  
(by David Haas)

Fitness is not a cure for disease, but it is a beneficial part of the healing process. Everyone knows that exercise is good for the mind, body and soul although many of those same people are unaware that it can significantly lower a person’s chance of being diagnosed with certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. A mere 150 minutes of moderate fitness each week can make the chances of getting breast cancer up to 40 percent less for women.

Whether a woman was recently diagnosed with cancer (even a rare form such as mesothelioma),  is undergoing treatment or in remission, she will benefit from exercise. It won’t cure her cancer or prevent it from making reappearance, but it will make her feel better about herself and help improve her well-being.

As any cancer patient knows, quality of life is crucial when dealing with the disease. A person who exemplifies this has a greater chance of surviving cancer and handling treatments with more ease.

Additionally, fitness with cancer can make a woman feel more confident. Since exercise releases positive hormones into the body, women with cancer who get regular exercise are going to increase their positive hormones, which will flush out the negative hormones that are hindering her immune system, thus helping her feel better both mentally and physically.

There is no downside to exercise, especially for those with cancer. The best part is that approximately 21 minutes of exercise per day – or 150 minutes per week – is enough to make a significant impact on a person’s life.

2 points to remember:

1)      Those that exercise and get fit on a regular basis are more likely to never be diagnosed with cancer.

2)       Those who already have cancer and begin getting fit will see better results with their treatment and improve their chances for a healthier life.

Cancer requires a person to have a good outlook on life and the best way to accomplish this is with exercise and a positive quality of life. I realize that this is far easier said than done when a person is living with cancer, but regular fitness can make it easier for many patients.
(Cancerfonden - Swedish organization Gswede has donated to)

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