Physical fitness
is increasingly being viewed as a highly effective way to improve the quality
of life of cancer patients. Regardless of whether you have just been diagnosed,
are undergoing treatment, or are in remission, increasing your level of physical
fitness will bring multiple positive benefits into your life. Exercise improves
brain function, mood, energy levels and even sleep quality.
If you are not currently in good physical shape in terms of your fitness, it is one of the best things you can do for your body, especially now that you have been diagnosed with cancer. Even tough cancers like mesothelioma are easier to fight when you have more energy, sleep better, and have an immune system that works properly.
People who exercise tend to have more energy throughout the day. When you are undergoing treatment, you may often have feelings of extreme fatigue that prevent you from getting things done, spending time with family and friends, and just enjoying life. Physical exercise will boost your energy levels. It does this by raising your metabolic level- the rate at which you burn energy. This leads to fat loss, a trimmer figure, and more energy to fight the cancer.
Physical exercise such as resistance training has another benefit: it increases muscle mass. Increasing muscle mass allows you to burn more energy, even at rest. Fat just sits there on your body. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be, even when you aren't working out.
Increasing your fitness level through exercise will also improve your quality of sleep. When you work your body, it requires rest to repair itself. Although you may feel fatigued from your cancer treatments that is not the same as fatigue from work. You may sleep fitfully, and you may not reach the deeper levels of REM sleep necessary for deep, repairing sleep.
A recent survey in the Mental Health and Physical Activity journal found that men and women who got 150 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly saw a 65 percent improvement in their quality of sleep. Similar results were discovered for leg cramps during sleep and difficulty concentrating while fatigued.
Yet another positive benefit you will experience from starting an exercise routine is a mood boost. That's because exercise increases levels of chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals are the natural "feel good" drugs of the body. Vigorous exercise releases them into your body, dampening feelings of pain and soreness and leaving you with a calm feeling.
If you decide to take up exercise, be sure to consult with your doctor to find a type of exercise you can perform at an intensity that is appropriate for your current condition.
Written by Guest Author, David Haas
If you are not currently in good physical shape in terms of your fitness, it is one of the best things you can do for your body, especially now that you have been diagnosed with cancer. Even tough cancers like mesothelioma are easier to fight when you have more energy, sleep better, and have an immune system that works properly.
People who exercise tend to have more energy throughout the day. When you are undergoing treatment, you may often have feelings of extreme fatigue that prevent you from getting things done, spending time with family and friends, and just enjoying life. Physical exercise will boost your energy levels. It does this by raising your metabolic level- the rate at which you burn energy. This leads to fat loss, a trimmer figure, and more energy to fight the cancer.
Physical exercise such as resistance training has another benefit: it increases muscle mass. Increasing muscle mass allows you to burn more energy, even at rest. Fat just sits there on your body. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be, even when you aren't working out.
Increasing your fitness level through exercise will also improve your quality of sleep. When you work your body, it requires rest to repair itself. Although you may feel fatigued from your cancer treatments that is not the same as fatigue from work. You may sleep fitfully, and you may not reach the deeper levels of REM sleep necessary for deep, repairing sleep.
A recent survey in the Mental Health and Physical Activity journal found that men and women who got 150 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly saw a 65 percent improvement in their quality of sleep. Similar results were discovered for leg cramps during sleep and difficulty concentrating while fatigued.
Yet another positive benefit you will experience from starting an exercise routine is a mood boost. That's because exercise increases levels of chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals are the natural "feel good" drugs of the body. Vigorous exercise releases them into your body, dampening feelings of pain and soreness and leaving you with a calm feeling.
If you decide to take up exercise, be sure to consult with your doctor to find a type of exercise you can perform at an intensity that is appropriate for your current condition.
Written by Guest Author, David Haas
We all know how
important regular exercise is to staying healthy and fit. We especially need to
stay fit when we’re fighting cancer. Regular exercise will keep our immune
system functioning and will give us the edge we need in our fight against
cancer. If your cancer has spread to your bones, regular exercise may be challenging,
if not impossible due to pain. You may think that exercising cannot be part of
your routine anymore. Nothing could be farther from the truth. You may actually
hinder your healing by not exercising on a regular basis.
Before starting any type of exercise program, it is important to
consult with your doctor to make sure that these suggested exercises are right
for you and that no damage will result by performing these simple exercise
routines. Every diagnosis, situation and pain level is different and may affect
everyone differently. So ask your doctor first to keep yourself safe.
For me, my
breast cancer has spread to my spine causing me severe pain. It hinders my
ability to run and even to walk any distance. Daily chores are just that – a
chore and sometimes impossible to do. There are days where I can’t even get up
off the couch, but this doesn’t stop me from getting my 15 minutes of exercise
daily.
First, buy
yourself a set of 5 lb. weights (or heavier if you can handle it). Sit on the
couch and do simple weight lifting with your arms.
Exercise
1: Put a 5 lb weight in each hand and extend over your head
in a series of 5, then rest. Continue with another set of 5, then rest.
Continue doing this for as long as you can. Don’t overdo it your first time.
Remember, a little bit of exercise is better than no exercise at all.
Exercise
2: Put a 5 lb weight in each hand and extend outward in
front of you. This may be a little more difficult so pace yourself. Do a group
of 5 followed by a short resting period. Do as many groups of 5 as you can
handle remembering not to overdo your first time. You can gradually increase
the number of repetitions as you become stronger.
Exercise
3: Put a 5 lb weight in each hand and bend your arms upward
keeping your elbows at your side. As in the above exercises, do as many groups
of 5 as you can and remember to rest in between each set.
Exercise
4: Leg lifts: Lie on your back or in your favorite recliner
and lift your legs upward as high as you can in repetitions of 5 on one leg,
then 5 on the other leg. Rest, then repeat as many times as you comfortably
can. Increase the number of repetitions as you get stronger.
Exercise
5: Leg Bends: Lie on your back or in your favorite recliner
with legs outstretched. Bend your legs towards you at the knees in repetitions
of 5 resting in between each repetition. To make it a little easier at first,
do one leg at a time. Make sure that your spine is strong enough to handle this
type of exercise as this exercise will put pressure on your lower back. Always
check with your doctor first before beginning any kind of an exercise routine
with bone metastasis.
A good cardio
exercise that also strengthens the legs is bike riding. Riding a bike does not
put as much pressure on the spine as running or even walking and will
definitely get the heart pumping. Investing in a good stationery bike is an
ideal way to accomplish this.
Look for a low
impact Yoga class. Yoga is an exceptional way to stay fit and flexible.
Remember to inform the instructor of your condition and to do the routine at
your own pace and level. Never overdo. You will end up doing more damage to
yourself than good. Pace yourself and be patient. Work up to a more advanced
workout.
Here is a link
to a Yoga DVD that is cancer patient oriented. This may be more suited to
someone who does not want to attend a Yoga class outside the home.
http://www.artsofyoga.com/products.html
In time you’ll see that you are feeling better and that you have more
energy. The more you sit around and do nothing, the more fatigue and depression
set in. Force yourself to do at least one of these exercises daily. Even on the
days where you don’t feel like getting out of bed, do your leg lifts. Without
realizing it, you’ll get a burst of energy that will get you out of bed ready
to take on the day.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
We all know the benefits
to the skin of dry brushing. Exfoliating improves skin texture making your skin
smooth and silky. New research is showing that dry brushing can also improve
your overall health by increasing circulation and strengthening the immune
system along with a host of other benefits.
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is responsible for eliminating waste and toxins from your body and is sometimes called the third kidney due to its role in toxin elimination. The skin plays a more important role in our health than most people realize. This is why it is important to take care of your skin and allow it to do its job to the best of its ability. Below are some of the benefits of dry brushing.
SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF DRY BRUSHING:
1) Removes dead skin and unclogs the pores.
2) Cleanses the lymphatic system
3) Strengthens the immune system
4) Stimulates oil producing glands
5) Stimulates circulation
6) Improves the nervous system
7) Aids in digestion
8) Makes skin feel smooth and silky.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
1) A natural bristle brush preferably one with a long handle
2) A natural body oil like coconut, apricot, grapeseed or a combination. Make sure that the oils you use do not contain any preservatives or paraben. You can find good body oils at any health food store. Just make sure that they are pure and natural without artificial ingredients. Organic oils are even better.
3) An extra 10 minutes total in the morning
4) That's it!!!
All of these benefits for the cost of a natural bristle brush and some natural oils. The whole process only adds about 10 minutes to your daily morning routine. It's a great way to start your day. You feel invigorated and alive and ready to face the day after a dry brushing. Results can be felt almost immediately, but the healing affects of dry brushing will take a while longer. The best time to dry brush your skin is in the morning before your shower.
DRY BRUSH YOUR SKIN CORRECTLY
Start with the feet and legs. Use one long sweeping motion upwards towards your heart. Start at the bottom of the feet and move up the leg from back to front one leg at a time. Then do the hands and arms in the same manner, always brushing upwards towards the heart with a long sweeping motion. Next do the stomach and the hips in a horizontal movement from side to side. The neck and chest is next in a downward motion, again towards the heart. On your back, use long sweeping motions downward towards the small of your back.
Immediately after dry brushing, jump in the shower. Some references say to fluctuate between hot and cold water if you can stand it. The object is to rinse off the dead skin cells and open up the pores, so do whatever you can stand. Shower as usual with a pure natural soap. Towel dry, then apply the oil to your body in the same motion as you did your dry brushing. Movements should always be upwards towards your heart. You don't have to use a lot as you don't want that oily feeling all day long.
It's important not to forget your face. Dry brushing is too harsh for the face, so use a stiff washcloth either dry or with hot water (as hot as you can stand without burning yourself) and use short even motions outward towards your hairline. Never stroke towards the middle of your face. Then proceed with your normal daily facial routine.
LINKS WITH MORE INFORMATION ON DRY BRUSHING FOR HEALTH:
http://astrocleansology.com/?p=470
http://www.intentonchange.com/Lymph.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/172135-how-to-correctly-dry-brush-your-body/
Once you start implementing skin brushing into your morning routine, you won't be able to stop. It just feels so good and the benefits can be seen and felt almost immediately. The hardest part will be finding the 10 minutes in the morning. Do whatever you need to do to add this routine to your morning schedule. Set your alarm 10 minutes early if you have to. JUST DO IT....I GUARANTEE YOU'LL LOVE IT.
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is responsible for eliminating waste and toxins from your body and is sometimes called the third kidney due to its role in toxin elimination. The skin plays a more important role in our health than most people realize. This is why it is important to take care of your skin and allow it to do its job to the best of its ability. Below are some of the benefits of dry brushing.
SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF DRY BRUSHING:
1) Removes dead skin and unclogs the pores.
2) Cleanses the lymphatic system
3) Strengthens the immune system
4) Stimulates oil producing glands
5) Stimulates circulation
6) Improves the nervous system
7) Aids in digestion
8) Makes skin feel smooth and silky.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
1) A natural bristle brush preferably one with a long handle
2) A natural body oil like coconut, apricot, grapeseed or a combination. Make sure that the oils you use do not contain any preservatives or paraben. You can find good body oils at any health food store. Just make sure that they are pure and natural without artificial ingredients. Organic oils are even better.
3) An extra 10 minutes total in the morning
4) That's it!!!
All of these benefits for the cost of a natural bristle brush and some natural oils. The whole process only adds about 10 minutes to your daily morning routine. It's a great way to start your day. You feel invigorated and alive and ready to face the day after a dry brushing. Results can be felt almost immediately, but the healing affects of dry brushing will take a while longer. The best time to dry brush your skin is in the morning before your shower.
DRY BRUSH YOUR SKIN CORRECTLY
Start with the feet and legs. Use one long sweeping motion upwards towards your heart. Start at the bottom of the feet and move up the leg from back to front one leg at a time. Then do the hands and arms in the same manner, always brushing upwards towards the heart with a long sweeping motion. Next do the stomach and the hips in a horizontal movement from side to side. The neck and chest is next in a downward motion, again towards the heart. On your back, use long sweeping motions downward towards the small of your back.
Immediately after dry brushing, jump in the shower. Some references say to fluctuate between hot and cold water if you can stand it. The object is to rinse off the dead skin cells and open up the pores, so do whatever you can stand. Shower as usual with a pure natural soap. Towel dry, then apply the oil to your body in the same motion as you did your dry brushing. Movements should always be upwards towards your heart. You don't have to use a lot as you don't want that oily feeling all day long.
It's important not to forget your face. Dry brushing is too harsh for the face, so use a stiff washcloth either dry or with hot water (as hot as you can stand without burning yourself) and use short even motions outward towards your hairline. Never stroke towards the middle of your face. Then proceed with your normal daily facial routine.
LINKS WITH MORE INFORMATION ON DRY BRUSHING FOR HEALTH:
http://astrocleansology.com/?p=470
http://www.intentonchange.com/Lymph.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/172135-how-to-correctly-dry-brush-your-body/
Once you start implementing skin brushing into your morning routine, you won't be able to stop. It just feels so good and the benefits can be seen and felt almost immediately. The hardest part will be finding the 10 minutes in the morning. Do whatever you need to do to add this routine to your morning schedule. Set your alarm 10 minutes early if you have to. JUST DO IT....I GUARANTEE YOU'LL LOVE IT.
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