Fighting Cancer With Physical
Fitness
Cancer is not a death sentence.
While there are no real cures for cancerous diseases, huge numbers of
survivors, famous and otherwise, indicate that the illness can indeed be
beaten. For cancer patients, gaining an understanding of the mechanisms behind
these debilitating physical conditions is a big part of surviving them.
Regardless of their specific
disease, people's bodies all fight illness the same way. When foreign
aggressors invade an organism, immune system components like white blood cells
attack, removing the threat. Cancer, whether it is a common cancer or a rare
one like mesothelioma, and other similar ailments generally interfere with
these mechanisms, ruining patient chances of staying healthy by preventing
recovery.
Certain factors, however, can
greatly increase the body's natural defenses. According to a study on the
effects of physical activity in cancer patients, it was found that cancer
survivors who exercised benefited from improved immune function and much more
enjoyable lifestyles. Of course, even this extremely comprehensive study admitted that there are a number of interacting factors that
affected cancer patients, making the exact role of physical activity unclear.
On the other hand, the psychological benefits
experienced by those who exercised regularly were undeniable.
Cancer lowers survival chances, but
not only because ravaged, mutated cells put a huge strain on the immune system.
Patients with cancer are often led to believe that their diseases are
implacably, unavoidably fatal. When patients give up on themselves mentally,
there's not much any treatment can do, because one of the most important parts
of surviving disease is maintaining a consistently positive attitude.
So does exercise promise a key to
cancer survival? Well, it's no cure, but it certainly is helpful. Those who
exercise and raise their average metabolic rate count on increased immune
system activity and better recovery rates in general. Studies indicate those
who exercise enjoy a far better quality of life, and the positive mood-changing
benefits of staying fit
have long been noted. If you have mesothelioma or any other cancer it's
important to remain active and never give up. Staying in shape keeps your
energy levels high, your immune system primed and most importantly, it releases
endorphins and hormones that ensure your outlook remains positive.
If you need more information go to www.mesothelioma.com
This article is a guest post by
David Haas of the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance
