Barbara Varner

Benefits

Exercise and Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society

 “Ways regular exercise may help you during cancer treatment" 

 Keep or improve your physical abilities (how well you can use your body to do things), Better balance, lower risk of falls and broken bones, Keep muscles from wasting due to inactivity, Lower the risk of heart disease, Lessen the risk of osteoporosis (weak bones that are more likely to break), Improve blood flow to your legs and lower the risk of blood clots, Make you less dependent on others for help with normal activities of daily living, Improve your self-esteem, Lower the risk of being anxious and depressed, Lessen nausea, Improve your ability to keep social contacts, Fewer symptoms of tiredness (fatigue), Help you control your weight, Improve your quality of life”  5 Aug 8, 2011 medical news today

“If exercise were a cancer drug, it would be a blockbuster"  appears to be the conclusion of a new review on the benefits of physical activity to people surviving and living beyond cancer. 

In a report released today, 8 August, the leading UK charity Macmillan Cancer Support, firmly sweeps aside the tradition that cancer patients should "rest up" and "take it easy", and urges doctors and nurses to prescribe physical activity to patients "at all stages of cancer from initial diagnosis through to the later stages".”


Benefits of Exercise

Allergies-Exercise is one of the body's most efficient ways to control nasal congestion

Angina-Regular aerobic exercise dilates vessels, increasing blood flow

Anxiety-Exercise triggers the release of mood-altering chemicals in the brain

Arthritis-by forcing skeletal joints to move, exercise induces the manufacture of synovial fluid, distributes it over the cartilage and forces it to circulate throughout the joint space.

Back Pain/Constipation-Exercise helps to both strengthen the abdominal muscles & the lower back extensor muscles and stretch the hamstring muscles.

Bursitis & Tendonitis-Exercise strenthens the tendons, enabling them to handle greater loads without being injured.

Heart Disease/ Overweight-Exercise helps maintain ideal bodyweight & helps keep body fat to a minimum.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-Exercise builds up muscles in the wrists and forears, reducing the stress on arms, elbows & hands.

Depression/Memory Problems-Exercise speeds up metabolism, increases blood flow & delivers more oxygen to the brain.

Diabetes/Fatigue-Exercise lowers excess blood sugar levels, stregthens muscles & heart;  improves circulation, reduces stress, poor circulation, bad posture & poor breathing habits.

Glaucoma-Exercise relieves intraocular hypertension (the pressure buildp in the eyeball that heralds the oset of glaucoma.

Cholesterol/Heart Disease-Exercise raises HDL (the good cholesterol) & lowers the LDL levels in the blood.

Headaces/Insomnia-Exercise forces the brain to secrete more of  the body's opiate-like, pain-dampening chemicals.

High Blood Pressure-Exercise reduces the level of stress related chemicals in the bloodstream & increases the efficiency of the heart and lungs, lowers the resting heart rate.

Intermittent Claudiation-exercise improves peripheral circulation & increases pain tolerance.

Knee Problems-Exercise strenghthens the structures attendant to the knee; muscles, tendons & ligaments, allowing the knee to withstand stress.

Osteoporosis-exercise promotes bone density, lowers risk of suffering a bone fracture.

Varicose Veins-exercise helps control discomfort caused by existing varicose veins & helps prevent getting any additional varicose veins.