The mission here at Ante Up Fitness has always been to help educate and inform everyone we encounter to help them stay equipped to live the best life possible. Recently I was approached by someone who asked if I would accept an article from a guest blogger. At first I thought it was spam…then I read on. As it turns out, the email was very real and came from cancer patient by the name of David Haas. Though I am not a Cancer patient or survivor myself, I can relate to his plight as my own Grandmother is battling Cancer as I type this article. I chose to accept David’s offer and the following article is in his very own words…..unchanged and unaltered in any way. No better way to share than to give you the words from a first hand perspective. David…this one’s for you my friend……
General and Targeted Exercise Aids in Cancer Treatment
Though many doctors will discuss the potential symptoms of cancer and various treatment options at the initial consultation, there is one symptom that precedes them all and contributes to lower quality of life. From the beginning with diagnosis, stress will impact the emotional and physical well-being of every cancer patient. Some cases may be extreme and formally diagnosed as anxiety or depression, with a resulting prescription for mood stabilizing drugs. Others will experience the compounding health detriments of chronic low-level stress.
There is a cheaper and safer means of treating stress than the use of pharmaceuticals, and this prescription has shown major benefits throughout the treatment and survival stages of cancer. A exercise program that is designed to grow with the patient’s level of physical fitness can actually target stress in several ways. It helps moderate the production of natural, anti-inflammatory hormones, which have the effect of stabilizing mood. Some specific hormones are stimulated, like endorphins, to actively enhance the mood. Fitness also keeps the symptoms of cancer in check, according to the American Cancer Society and others.
##Targeting Specific Forms of Treatment
Exercise in general should be used for benefits to quality of life, chance of survival, and prevention of recurrence, but it also has applications in case of surgical treatments. A diagnosis of breast cancer, for instance, is likely to result in several surgeries, including biopsies, mastectomy or lymph removal, and breast reconstruction. These can all cause problems with mobility and may lead to a loss of independence.
Specific exercise routines have been developed by therapists to prevent complications from surgery and speed up the recovery time. Unlike with general exercise recommendations, most clinics have begun employing physical therapists to help implement these programs, because successful use of exercise requires beginning as soon as possible after surgery. Other types of cancer, including lung, prostate and colorectal, also have exercises that will aid in returning normal body function.
## Terminal Case Benefits
Sometimes diagnosis comes to late to employ suitable treatment, and some forms of cancer, such as mesothelioma, simply do not present many options. It is not uncommon to feel hopeless when facing this, and doctors may offer only palliative care. Physical therapy can, however, improve the quality of life by easing symptoms and make the time remaining more enjoyable. Studies of exercise during late-stage lung cancer have even shown that quality of life determined from fitness levels can predict longer, more enjoyable lifespans.
The human body is a unique type of machine capable of repairing itself and achieving homeostasis, but it requires the right input. A regular exercise plan helps to restore function and overcome symptoms naturally. It has also been proven to speed recovery time after surgery.
** Special thanks to David Haas for stepping up to the plate and not being afraid to take this battle head on. You completely have my respect sir.
More about David Haas can be found at: http://www.mesothelioma.com/
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