CANCER

Introduction

In general terms, cancer is caused by damaged DNA provoking rampant abnormal cell growth in the body. It can affect many sites including bone, brain, breast, cervical, colon, eye, kidneys, liver, lung, prostate, and skin. While fatigue can also be a result of chemo and/or radiation therapy, exercise has proven to help overcome the side effects of cancer and cancer’s treatment modalities.

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Helping yourself

Why some people develop cancer (statistics show that about one in four of us will suffer from it at some point in our lives) and others are protected is not fully understood. For some there is undoubtedly a genetic factor beyond anyone’s control. However, research suggests that around half of all cancer cases could have been prevented by lifestyle changes such as these recommended here by Cancer Research UK:

Stop smoking – smoking not only increases your risk of lung cancer but also makes you vulnerable to many other cancers including mouth and throat cancers. If you smoke, quitting is the most important thing you can do to improve your health. As a bonus you’ll look, feel and smell better as well!
Stay in shape – being overweight or obese increases your risk of a number of cancers.
Eat and drink healthily – while one or two alcoholic drinks a day can be beneficial for heart disease, alcohol does increase your risk of certain cancers, particularly if you also smoke. So keep your alcohol intake to a sensible level and stick to a healthy diet as well.
Be Sun Smart – protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Look after number one – get to know your own body well and see your doctor about any unusual changes. Take part in screening programs and be aware of early warning signs.

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Eat for good health

As already mentioned healthy food is a vital weapon in your armoury against cancer. Choose to:

Eat large amounts of brightly coloured vegetables and fruits, ideally at least five servings of veggies and two of fruit each day. Include as many colors as possible as the color usually contains the phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) and antioxidants which are vital in helping to protect the body from the cellular damage that causes cancer. Foods known to be high in phytochemicals and/or antioxidants include broccoli, cabbage, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables; onions, garlic, berries, citrus fruit, pomegranate, asparagus, soy beans, lentils, tomatoes, capsicum (peppers), kiwi fruit, guava, passion fruit, mango, avocado, papaya, cantaloupe melon, persimmons, nuts and seeds.
Limit your intake of processed meat; meat that has been cooked at high heat and meat that is charred, ie blackened charred meat from the BBQ is not a good idea. Instead choose lean cuts of fresh meat and either eat it fairly rare or after it has been cooked slowly.
Eat more oily fish and seafood, ideally two meals a week. Omega-3 fats seem to have a protective role to play in both breast and prostate cancers and are best sourced from oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, tuna and sardines and shellfish.

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Recommendations for exercise

Before starting on any new activity regime you should consult your physician or physical therapist. Also be aware that you will probably need to personalize your program to meet your needs at a particular time. For example during treatment you should focus on maintaining a basic level of function, while in remission or recovery (when signs and symptoms are no longer evident) your focus should be on rebuilding.

BODYVIVE™ classes are a good way to meet your exercise needs and at the same time enhance your independence and self esteem. They provide:

aerobic exercise to maintain cardiovascular capacity, control bodyweight and reduce fatigue;
exercises to increase muscle strength and endurance;
movement to increase the range of motion which reduces stiffness resulting from the disease;
a focus on balance and gait.

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