This is a guest post by David Haas...
After a diagnosis of mesothelioma or any cancer, a person may become so concerned about medical treatment, doctor’s bills, and other pressing issues that he or she forgets that there are ways to fight cancer outside of hospitals. If you ask, most doctors will tell you that physical fitness plays a critical role in the struggle against cancer. While exercising and eating right is not going to cure your cancer, it can provide vital help in the day-to-day management of treatment and the inevitable side effects.
The primary contribution of physical fitness in the fight against cancer is energy.
The evidence for this is more than anecdotal. Since it is known that inactivity itself leads to many illnesses, especially after the development of obesity, it should be obvious that activity does more for a person than simply expend physical resources.
In fact, exercise of any sort forces the body’s organs and muscles to maintain their proper functioning levels. Movement plays a critical role in blood flow, helping the body to draw deoxygenated blood through veins back towards the heart where it can be enriched with oxygen again. Dietary choices also play an important role in supplying these organs and muscles with necessary nutrients.
You can support your own physical fitness through exercise and eating right. Good habits in both of these areas can provide you with the energy that your body needs to withstand cancer and treatment while they also help you to deal with the situation psychologically. Since certain types of exercise and foods may or may not be right for you during or after treatment for cancer, you should always consult with a physician before engaging in any workout routine or change in menu.
•Exercise
Exercise contributes to physical fitness by keeping muscles, which make up most of your body’s tissues, in good working order. Human bodies were meant to function physically on a daily basis. Falling away from that pattern is what has led to many illnesses in modern society. Though it may not be directly linked to cancer, you still do not want other illnesses creeping in and complicating your recovery because you failed to exercise.
•Nutrition
Physicians and other medical professionals are paying more and more attention to the importance of nutrition in personal health. Doctors have always stressed, in one way or another, the importance of eating right. However, modern physicians now understand how critical it is to target specific illnesses with specific types of foods or nutritional supplements. Most important is the balancing of food groups, and including nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fibers and fats. In particular, during cancer treatment, most patients will need a higher level of protein intake to provide the body with materials to rebuild tissues damaged by chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
The primary contribution of physical fitness in the fight against cancer is energy.
The evidence for this is more than anecdotal. Since it is known that inactivity itself leads to many illnesses, especially after the development of obesity, it should be obvious that activity does more for a person than simply expend physical resources.
In fact, exercise of any sort forces the body’s organs and muscles to maintain their proper functioning levels. Movement plays a critical role in blood flow, helping the body to draw deoxygenated blood through veins back towards the heart where it can be enriched with oxygen again. Dietary choices also play an important role in supplying these organs and muscles with necessary nutrients.
You can support your own physical fitness through exercise and eating right. Good habits in both of these areas can provide you with the energy that your body needs to withstand cancer and treatment while they also help you to deal with the situation psychologically. Since certain types of exercise and foods may or may not be right for you during or after treatment for cancer, you should always consult with a physician before engaging in any workout routine or change in menu.
•Exercise
Exercise contributes to physical fitness by keeping muscles, which make up most of your body’s tissues, in good working order. Human bodies were meant to function physically on a daily basis. Falling away from that pattern is what has led to many illnesses in modern society. Though it may not be directly linked to cancer, you still do not want other illnesses creeping in and complicating your recovery because you failed to exercise.
•Nutrition
Physicians and other medical professionals are paying more and more attention to the importance of nutrition in personal health. Doctors have always stressed, in one way or another, the importance of eating right. However, modern physicians now understand how critical it is to target specific illnesses with specific types of foods or nutritional supplements. Most important is the balancing of food groups, and including nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fibers and fats. In particular, during cancer treatment, most patients will need a higher level of protein intake to provide the body with materials to rebuild tissues damaged by chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
