Fighting Cancer with Exercise

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