A new study suggests that aerobic exercise can fight the
effects of “Chemo Brain.” The study
included 20 women who were on average 53 years old, had been treated for breast
cancer within the past three years and had reported cognitive
difficulties. The researchers instructed
half of the participants to exercise for six months, while the other half
didn't exercise and served as controls for the study.
“The results showed that compared to the control group, the
women who exercised had improvements in several parts of the psychological
tests, including verbal fluency, visual attention and switching between tasks.
They also reported better quality of life and improvements in their thinking
and memory,” according to the study that was presented on June 1 at the annual
meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology.
Additionally, aerobic exercise can combat fatigue in cancer
patients and survivors while increasing quality of life.
The American Cancer Society explains how exercise can help
during and after cancer treatment:- Keep or improve your physical
abilities (how well you can use your body to do things)
- Improve 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
- Lessen symptoms of tiredness
(fatigue)
- Help you control your weight
- Improve your quality of life
A growing number
of studies have looked at the impact of physical activity on cancer recurrence
and long-term survival. Exercise has been shown to improve cardiovascular
fitness, muscle strength, body composition, fatigue, anxiety, depression,
self-esteem, happiness and several quality of life factors in cancer
survivors. According to the American
Cancer Society’s website, “At least 20 studies of people with breast, colorectal, prostate and ovarian cancer have suggested that physically active
cancer survivors have a lower risk of cancer recurrence and improved survival
compared with those who are inactive.”
If you have been
affected by cancer, it is critical that you maintain physical activity. In the short-term, exercise may be the last
thing on your mind and you may feel that you are too tired to begin a fitness
program. In the long-term, if you battle
through the fatigue, you will gain energy, achieve better self-image and regain
your cognitive abilities.
Do you need help
taking the first step? To learn how Fitness for Health’s one-on-one,
exercise programs help strengthen your body and your mind, visit www.FitnessForHealth.org.
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