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News Article |
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Research demonstrates that physical activity is a significant factor in diminishing the risk or increasing the likelihood of survival for certain cancers in women Exercise improves cancer survival, reduces risk, scientists sayRegular exercise, long associated with better cardiovascular health, muscle tone and weight control, also may help prevent certain cancers and improve the odds of cancer survival, according to studies released March 2004 at the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. Studies reported a strong correlation between such ordinary activities as walking or performing household chores and reduced risk of endometrial and breast cancers, and between walking and improved rates of breast cancer survival. Another demonstrated that moderate exercise decreased the levels of a blood marker that predicts lower survival from several types of cancer among high-risk, obese individuals. "In recent years, we have accumulated strong evidence that an active lifestyle can reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer; now we are finding that physical activity may also reduce risk of endometrial cancer" said Charles E. Matthews, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt, the lead author of one report. "We were particularly pleased to see the beneficial effect on endometrial cancer risk of more accessible and lower intensity forms of activity like walking for transportation and doing household chores, as well as intentional exercise," he added. "Our results support the idea that the risk of cancer can be reduced by maintaining an active lifestyle." "We already knew that exercise improves the quality of life after a breast cancer diagnosis," said lead investigator Michelle D. Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., "but little is known about how physical activity affects survival. We were able to show that even a moderate amount of physical activity improved the odds of surviving breast cancer," Holmes said. "It is especially heartening for women recovering from breast cancer to know that the benefit is as readily accessible as walking for 30 minutes on most days of the week." Researchers presented another approach to the association between exercise and cancer survival and prevention from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, led by Cornelia M. Ulrich, Ph.D. "Among obese women, those with a body mass index of 30 or higher," Ulrich reported, "concentrations of CRP declined steadily over the course of the year. This effect of exercise on inflammatory markers may help to explain in part the associations observed between increased physical activity and reduced risk for cancer and other chronic disease." Sometimes being active may be just what the doctor ordered! At Good Health for Life, we teach the importance of exercise to cancer survivors through our workshops – LifeStyle Transitions for Cancer Survivors and Transitions to Work. Good Health for Life’s mission is to help cancer survivors discover their passions for living through work — to enhance the quality and length of their survival and to minimize or stabilize adverse effects experienced during cancer survivorship — to live self-sufficiently in healthy communities. Exercise must be a component of every cancer survivors’s success strategy. We recommend a fitness program, ‘Curves for Women,’ and recount our own experiences with it. After 13 months of chemotherapy and a new diagnosis of osteoarthritis, I was walking with cane, exhausted and disgusted. My doctor suggested I start a simple strength-training program to strengthen my muscles and increase my stamina. Never one much interested in exercise, but motivated to feel better, I looked for a program I could manage, afford, and stick with. After two years, Curves 30-minute strength training program has had a remarkable, long-lasting effect – I no longer use a cane, my fatigue has been reduced, and I actually feel the difference if I doesn’t exercise regularly. “One thing that I will say for sure is that there is nothing like almost losing your life to make you devoted to exercise. When your doctor says that you need to do 30-60 minutes per day of brisk walking to build your HDL (good cholesterol) and that without that you're at risk for open heart surgery, that gets your attention and you do it--no questions asked!” says Mellanie True Hills, author of ‘A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life’. An excerpt from her book follows this article with excellent suggestions for developing your own exercise program. The value of integrating exercise into a cancer survivor’s life has inestimable value that researchers are only now begining to quantify. But what’s most important is to do something that you enjoy and find motivating so that you’ll keep it up. You don’t need to run a marathon, unless you want to! It’s just important to exercise 30 minutes a day, 3 to 4 times a week – and look forward to it as much as you do your favorite meal, song or book! If you enjoy a group atmosphere with other women to motivate you – try a program like Curves for Women [www.curvesforwomen.com]. If you are more comfortable at home, there are yoga and exercise classes on television, millions of videos and books to guide you. The results? When people integrate exercise along with their regular medical treatment research suggests they could increase their chances of survival by up to 59%. If that isn’t enough motivation, our own research with cancer patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals shows that when this happens, survivors may experience: 1. Longer life than their medical prognosis 2. Less sickness 3. Better response from medical treatment 4. Lessening of fears 5. Increasing options to discover their passions for living through work During this holiday season, start by adding a Good Health Holiday Cocktail to your menu! Add two parts of exercise for every holiday party you attend… and get all the benefits you deserve for good health for life.
©Copyright Good Health for Life, Inc. 2004.
By Mellanie True Hills Exercise DailyIn this chapter we'll focus on why exercise is important, the types of exercise, and how to get exercise. By the end of this chapter you will have created your own exercise plan. Why Exercise is ImportantExercise is not my favorite topic. To me, it's not a whole lot of fun. I've never really been athletic, and had no interest in playing sports. I'll admit it—it just never appealed to me. My Daddy taught me to play baseball, so I was able to, but I just never had a desire to go out for sports. But then, when I was in school, girls didn't play sports anyway. We were cheerleaders and majorettes, not jocks. I've now accepted how important exercise is. It really is critical to our health. Not only does it strengthen your heart, it also helps you to avoid being overweight, dissipates stress, and increases your good cholesterol. Here are some other benefits: · Reduced risk of heart disease: The Centers for Disease Control studied more than 13,000 people and found that getting vigorous exercise three times per week cut heart disease risk in half. Some new research also reported that our hearts stiffen up when we don't work them, and that seniors who are athletic have hearts that look and work just like those of younger folks. · Reduced risk of breast cancer: Moderate levels of exercise reduce breast cancer in post-menopausal women. · Reduced hot flashes: Women who are physically active experience fewer and less intense hot flashes, though extreme exercise can cause increased hot flashes. The key is to maintain a consistent level of exercise. · Improved sleep: Post-menopausal women who exercise every day experience improved sleep, and those who exercise in the morning experience more benefit than those who exercise at night. Types of ExerciseThere are two major types of exercise programs for your heart – cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Cardiovascular exercise builds your heart. A brisk 30–60 minute walk five or more times a week gets your heart pumping, burns calories, makes you feel better, and increases good cholesterol. You can do the same thing with a swim, run, or cardio workout. It's also an opportunity to think and de-stress, doubling your benefits. A heart rate monitor will help you stay within your heart's optimal range. The hardest part is shoehorning it into an already full schedule. When I don't have time to walk, I do it anyway. I'm more productive as a result, easily making up the time invested. I can't afford not to. Strength training burns calories and builds muscle. Strength training, whether with free weights, weight machines, or resistance bands, is particularly valuable for women, burning about 200 calories for every 30 minutes and decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol. It also builds muscle, which burns more calories than fat, and boosts bone density, which is especially important following menopause to help avoid osteoporosis. Can you fit in strength training for 15–20 minutes two or three times a week in addition to you’re walking? If so, that's enough to keep you fit and healthy. Getting ExerciseMany of you already have this one under control—congratulations! My hat’s off to you. You work out, have personal trainers, do sports, or run. Before my surgery, I didn’t have it under control. Though I was getting some exercise, it just wasn’t focused enough and consistent. My doctor made me give up running after a back injury years ago, and it was hard to work out when on the road. My job and travel were so time-consuming that it was hard to do anything more than grab snippets of time to walk. I just couldn’t squeeze in an hour for driving round trip to the gym, and could rarely find time for my stair-stepper at home. On the road, entertaining customers left no time to exercise. Besides, I’d have been mortified if my customers had seen me looking like a “sweat hog” in the hotel gym. Can you relate to that? Are you concerned about who will see you at the gym? When I left the hospital, my cardiologist insisted that I increase my exercise level. He told me to take a brisk walk every day—no less than 30 minutes, but with 60 minutes preferred. Some doctors recommend that you can get your exercise in increments, such as with three 10-minute sessions each day. My doctor said that you don’t really get the HDL increase until you exceed thirty minutes. Obviously, we don’t have exact answers. Since my surgery, I've more than doubled my exercise, losing weight and burning off stress. I do a brisk 30–60 minute walk every day, and gym workouts when possible. What about you? Do you focus every day on getting some vigorous cardiovascular activity (i.e., brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or working on cardio-workout equipment) to increase your heart rate and breathing rates? You can supplement that with mild activities (i.e., walking, housework, gardening, exercise, or yoga). Of course, strength training is a must. Before starting any exercise program, discuss it with your doctor. Do you travel a lot? If so, how can you get exercise on the road? 1) When the weather is good, you can walk outside. When it's not, or you don't feel safe, you can walk in malls, airports, convention centers, and even the hotel. In my traveling to San Jose on business, I got to know just about every nook and cranny of the Westin Santa Clara and the adjoining Santa Clara Convention Center. Watching the conference activities going on each day at the convention center kept my walks interesting. 2) You can also work out in the hotel gym, if there is one. Of course, there are a lot of reasons to prefer doing workouts in your room, not the least of which is safety. Consider taking your workout gear with you—pack bands, plastic hand weights that you fill with water, and CDs or printouts of workout routines. Karen Hiser's Healthy Travel Network offers The Travel Fit Kit, which features resistance bands, a customizable exercise program CD, and a travel pouch for $19.95. You can also get a Hotel Room Workout on a laminated reference card for $5. Also check out her directory and reviews of hotel workout facilities. I've included the link to her site on the book's resource page (http://www.SaveHerLife.com/resources.htm). |
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Fighting Cancer with Excercise by louise Stanley |
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Date: 12/15/04 |
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530.622.9118 530.622.9119—Fax info@ghfl.org |
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© 2004 Good Health for Life, Inc. All rights reserved. |
