From a historical perspective, fitness during cancer treatment wasn’t necessarily strongly advised for most patients. Many people with a chronic illness were advised to rest and decrease their physical activity in order to preserve their strength.
In some ways, this old advice makes sense. After all, the task at hand was battling cancer – and depending on the treatment type, that could be an outright exhausting effort all by itself. But today, we know better, and patients are proving that exercise during treatment can have an incredible impact on their outcome.
Research over the last several years has shown that a focus on fitness during treatment can not only help patients maintain strength, muscle mass and mental health, it can also aid the body in healing and recovery during and after the treatment process. Recent studies suggest that there’s even better news: Cancer patients who are currently undergoing treatment don’t have to engage in strenuous exercise activities to reap some significant health benefits. In other words, even low-to-moderate activity can have extremely positive effects on the body during a patient’s cancer treatment journey.
It’s important to note here that not all cancer journeys or treatment plans follow the same course. So, if you or someone you care about is currently undergoing treatment and wondering how exercise might benefit you, talk to your doctor first. He or she will be the best expert to help steer you in the right fitness direction so that any exercise you perform has a positive effect and enables you to avoid injury risk.
A cancer diagnosis is no longer one that should make patients automatically assume they should be inactive during treatment. After conversations with your physician, choose a fitness program that you enjoy and that makes you feel strong. Fighting cancer can necessitate various approaches, and there is plenty you can do to prepare and protect your body throughout the journey. Remember to keep exercise slow and steady – especially at the beginning, stay strong through resistance training, focus on flexibility and have fun.
In other news – AKA’s fiancée Anele “Nelli” Tembe to be laid to rest
The late Anele Tembe will be buried in Durban. The fiancée of rapper and entrepreneur Kiernan Forbes, popularly known as AKA, died on Sunday after falling from the 10th floor of a hotel in Cape Town.
On Thursday, the Tembe family held a private memorial for the late 22-year-old and is asking for privacy. The details surrounding Tembe’s death are still being investigated. Learn more
Source: health.usnews
