By Melanie Bowen

Regular exercise is essential for anyone of any age. Even if you’re young and completely healthy, you will find that regular exercise improves your quality of life tremendously. If you’re a cancer patient currently in remission for mesothelioma or are battling stage four breast cancer, working out can improve the quality of your life in ways you never thought possible. Exercise will not cure cancer, and it would be irresponsible for you to think that it will. However, working out can benefit your emotional and physical wellbeing in a number of different ways.

Physically, exercise can help to improve your immune system and make you less prone to illness and sickness. Cancer patients tend to have weakened immune systems, so this is a wonderful thing for people who are really struggling to ward off getting sick. Exercise can also improve energy levels and make you feel like you can take on the world. Certain exercises, like yoga, can also be deeply relaxing and can help to reduce any stress that you might be dealing with in your life. It is so important for you to understand that working out is a great idea for anyone, no matter what his or her health is like.

Exercising does not have to be done in a gym for hours every day. In fact, if you are undergoing cancer treatment and also haven’t exercised for a very long time, it is essential that you start out by working out for only short periods of time. Take a walk around your block every other day for 30 minutes at a time. Ride a bicycle around your town once or twice a week. Take a hike with a loved one and spend the time taking pictures of the nature around you. It can be easy to work exercise into your life while still enjoying yourself.

Before you begin working out, you need to speak with a doctor. Only your doctor is going to be able to tell you if you are healthy enough for exercise and how much of it you should be doing each day. People who are very unhealthy might even be told that they should rest and avoid too much physical activity. You need to speak with a doctor before you begin exercising at home or in your neighborhood so that you can be sure you are doing something that is going to promote good health.

 About Melanie:
Melanie is currently a Master’s student with a passion that stems from her grandmother’s cancer diagnosis. She often highlights the great benefits of alternative nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness.  In her spare time, you can find Melanie trying new vegan recipes, on her yoga mat, or spending time with her family.