Exercise & Cancer

As a part-time personal trainer and a veteran strength athlete with 16 years of competition, Patrick McNamee was shocked to hear that he had stage III rectal cancer, and joked with his oncologist that he was the healthiest guy with cancer around.

Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of a wide range of chronic diseases, and is beneficial during and after cancer treatment to maintain patients’ physical and emotional well-being.

Consider taking part in a fundraising walk this spring! Cancer walks offer plenty of opportunities—not all of them require walking—to get involved in a healthful activity that is also fun and meaningful.

Spring is a great time to get involved and participate in cancer fundraising activities. Here are several cancer walks you may want to join this season!

The American Cancer Society guidelines recommend that survivors engage in physical activity at least 150 minutes a week, and follow diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, limiting red and processed meats.

Staying active is one of the best ways to care for your health. In fact, during times of illness, a person’s activity level can predict how well they will recover. Sitting for a long time has been suggested as harmful to our health.

“People convince themselves they are living a healthy lifestyle, doing their 30 minutes of exercise a day. But they need to think about the other 23.5 hours,” says Dr. Emma Wilmot, University of Leicester, England.

Evidence shows that regular exercise is associated with a reduced risk for cancer.

Did you know that there are ways of gently exercising that can be especially beneficial for patients with cancer and cancer survivors?