While much of the fitness industry's focus and advertising is on adults, childhood fitness clearly needs attention, as well. We have an explosion of childhood obesity and diabetes. Many kids are not getting adequate exercise in school gym classes; and, where kids used to play sports or ride bikes or just run around, now they play video games while sitting on the couch. Thankfully, there are fitness professionals working hard to change this, developing interesting programs and increasing awareness.
Likewise, in the cancer community, much of the focus on fitness has been for adults. Most of the studies regarding fitness and cancer have involved only adults, and many of the fitness programs that are springing up around the country are for adults. I think fitness and childhood cancers is an area that needs to be further explored. Like adult survivors, young cancer survivors also are at increased risk for osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and second cancers - all conditions for which exercise can be a useful tool in reducing risk. There are a few researchers who have been looking at fitness and other lifestyle issues for child and adolescent survivors. Two studies, both out of Duke University, have looked at young cancer survivors. A 2005 study of young survivors (aged 11-33) found that most did not meet guidelines for healthy living: 42% were overweight or obese, 52% did not exercise adequately, among other findings. A study last year found that barriers to exercising included not belonging to a gym (48%), or being too tired or too busy. Brad Zebrack, from USC, has studied this population extensively and has found a great need for age-appropriate information and programs on fitness, nutrition, and other healthful lifestyle issues.
Many of the issues we face as adult survivors are also faced by children. And many of the benefits we get from exercise are also shared by children. I will be devoting time in the coming weeks to this important and, I think, overlooked area.
Julie
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Julie on SPAcare
I have donated my services to SPAcare, an organization that I first encountered at the Komen NYC Race for the Cure. SPAcare had organized massage therapists to provide free massages for survivors after the race (greatly, greatly appreciated, I might add).
SPAcare is an organization created by The Day Spa and The International Medical Spa Association to be of assistance to, and to further cultivate the philanthropic efforts of the spa, wellness and beauty community. Their focus is to reflect the core values of an industry recognized for its compassion and interest on a wide variety of social, health and educational issues. Through online auctions, they raise funds for national as well as local charities. The charities they support include numerous cancer organizations.
So check them out at, www.spacarecharity.org. You can click on the SPAauction tab or go directly to the auction at http://www.cmarket.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=spacare
I am donating my in-person training for those in the greater New York City area, and my online training services. So, win me! You can do good and good for yourself.
Julie
SPAcare is an organization created by The Day Spa and The International Medical Spa Association to be of assistance to, and to further cultivate the philanthropic efforts of the spa, wellness and beauty community. Their focus is to reflect the core values of an industry recognized for its compassion and interest on a wide variety of social, health and educational issues. Through online auctions, they raise funds for national as well as local charities. The charities they support include numerous cancer organizations.
So check them out at, www.spacarecharity.org. You can click on the SPAauction tab or go directly to the auction at http://www.cmarket.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=spacare
I am donating my in-person training for those in the greater New York City area, and my online training services. So, win me! You can do good and good for yourself.
Julie
Friday, October 24, 2008
Work Those Lungs, Even After Surgery
I'm afraid that I may have a slight bias in my writing toward breast cancer. If I focus a little more on breast cancer, it's just because that's my history, so I know the issues involved very personally. Of course, many fitness issues for breast cancer apply to other cancers as well.
So I'd like to write a little about exercise and lung cancer. Lung cancer patients have definite challenges that affect their ability to exercise. Because of compromised lung capacity, many patients and their caregivers have presumed limits to the amount of exercise they are capable of. However, recent research has shown that even after surgery, lung cancer patients can benefit from regular exercise. In a study at Duke University, Lee Jones, PhD found that patients were able to exercise at fairly intense levels. Researchers found that patients could take part in endurance exercise and maintain their exercise program. In doing so, they improved their functional abilities, as well as how they felt. While they should talk with their doctors, patients with lung cancer should not presume that they cannot handle a regular exercise program. For more information, you can go to www.cancer.org, the website of the American Cancer Society; or www.lungusa.org, the website for the American Lung Association.
Julie
So I'd like to write a little about exercise and lung cancer. Lung cancer patients have definite challenges that affect their ability to exercise. Because of compromised lung capacity, many patients and their caregivers have presumed limits to the amount of exercise they are capable of. However, recent research has shown that even after surgery, lung cancer patients can benefit from regular exercise. In a study at Duke University, Lee Jones, PhD found that patients were able to exercise at fairly intense levels. Researchers found that patients could take part in endurance exercise and maintain their exercise program. In doing so, they improved their functional abilities, as well as how they felt. While they should talk with their doctors, patients with lung cancer should not presume that they cannot handle a regular exercise program. For more information, you can go to www.cancer.org, the website of the American Cancer Society; or www.lungusa.org, the website for the American Lung Association.
Julie
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Lifestyle Habits and Breast Cancer
So far this year, about 40,000 people have died from breast cancer. There are so many variables that can affect the outcome, but we do know that healthier habits can greatly affect our survival. Results released in 2005 from the Nurses' Study found that women who took part in regular, moderate exercise (2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise, like walking) had a reduction of recurrence risk of 50%. That's 50% reduction in risk! Now, I like exercising, but even if I hated it, numbers like that would totally win me over. And they're not talking about some super-intense program, just moderate activity - walking, dancing, riding a bike, whatever you enjoy. You don't have to go to the gym for an hour, you don't even have to walk for 30 minutes at a time. The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend 20-60 minutes of exercise most days of the week, but clarify that it doesn't have to be done all at once. You can break up the exercise into shorter segments, like 10 minutes at a time, and still get the health benefits.
Unfortunately, many cancer survivors become less active during treatment and stay that way after treatment is over. A Canadian study found that only 22% of cancer survivors studied exercised regularly. Some of the lowest levels of physical activity and highest incidence of excess weight were among breast cancer survivors.
Come on people! These are our lives we're talking about. We know that excess weight increases our risk of recurrence. We know that regular, moderate exercise reduces our risk of recurrence. Use this as your wake-up call. No one is expecting that suddenly you'll be a paragon of virtue - always eating healthy and super-fit. But start to make some healthier choices - this matters!
Start by making one healthier choice today. Choose to eat a salad for lunch, or have less butter on your toast (that one's for me, butter girl). Choose to take the stairs or walk a block before getting in a cab. Choose to lift the cans of tomatoes 3 times before putting them away in the cupboard. Do tummy tucks while sitting in your car at a traffic light. -
Tummy tuck: strengthens abdominals
Sit up tall and straight.
Draw your navel in toward your spine.
Continue breathing while you hold this position for a few seconds.
These are simple little things. They may seem like almost nothing, so why bother, but they add up. If you make a few better choices every day, they can add up to something like real exercise. And as you get into the habit of healthier choices, it gets easier to make those choices. Then you may find yourself with something like real, life-changing, healthful living.
Just make a choice - it's your life.
Julie
Unfortunately, many cancer survivors become less active during treatment and stay that way after treatment is over. A Canadian study found that only 22% of cancer survivors studied exercised regularly. Some of the lowest levels of physical activity and highest incidence of excess weight were among breast cancer survivors.
Come on people! These are our lives we're talking about. We know that excess weight increases our risk of recurrence. We know that regular, moderate exercise reduces our risk of recurrence. Use this as your wake-up call. No one is expecting that suddenly you'll be a paragon of virtue - always eating healthy and super-fit. But start to make some healthier choices - this matters!
Start by making one healthier choice today. Choose to eat a salad for lunch, or have less butter on your toast (that one's for me, butter girl). Choose to take the stairs or walk a block before getting in a cab. Choose to lift the cans of tomatoes 3 times before putting them away in the cupboard. Do tummy tucks while sitting in your car at a traffic light. -
Tummy tuck: strengthens abdominals
Sit up tall and straight.
Draw your navel in toward your spine.
Continue breathing while you hold this position for a few seconds.
These are simple little things. They may seem like almost nothing, so why bother, but they add up. If you make a few better choices every day, they can add up to something like real exercise. And as you get into the habit of healthier choices, it gets easier to make those choices. Then you may find yourself with something like real, life-changing, healthful living.
Just make a choice - it's your life.
Julie
Friday, October 17, 2008
After Surgery
Just a reminder to those of you recovering from surgery or with a surgery coming up. After surgery, do not begin any stretching or exercising until you gotten the OK from your doctor. This is especially important for breast cancer surgeries or any surgery which can affect range of motion. You have to allow your body to heal.
Once your doctor cleared you, begin trying to gently stretch the area. For breast cancer surgery, it's important to begin to get some movement in the shoulder. Your doctor or physical therapist should be able give you some exercises. If not, you can contact me at www.Life-Cise.com and I can give you some help. Begin slowly and gently. Stretch just to the point of slight pull and hold. Keep breathing! Hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds. Never stretch to the point of sharp pain! Feeling a little stretch, a little tightness is ok; pain is not. Do a little every day - and be patient.
Only begin strengthening after you have regained good range of motion. It's a good idea to begin strengthening exercises with no weight, using only the weight of your body for resistance. When you are recovering from a major surgery, just the weight of your arm or leg can be plenty. And no-weight exercises can actually be quite effective, just make sure to do the exercises in a slow and controlled manner.
Remember: get your doctor's OK before starting, work to stretch and regain range of motion, and only begin strengthening when you do have good range of motion.
Julie
Once your doctor cleared you, begin trying to gently stretch the area. For breast cancer surgery, it's important to begin to get some movement in the shoulder. Your doctor or physical therapist should be able give you some exercises. If not, you can contact me at www.Life-Cise.com and I can give you some help. Begin slowly and gently. Stretch just to the point of slight pull and hold. Keep breathing! Hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds. Never stretch to the point of sharp pain! Feeling a little stretch, a little tightness is ok; pain is not. Do a little every day - and be patient.
Only begin strengthening after you have regained good range of motion. It's a good idea to begin strengthening exercises with no weight, using only the weight of your body for resistance. When you are recovering from a major surgery, just the weight of your arm or leg can be plenty. And no-weight exercises can actually be quite effective, just make sure to do the exercises in a slow and controlled manner.
Remember: get your doctor's OK before starting, work to stretch and regain range of motion, and only begin strengthening when you do have good range of motion.
Julie
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Fitness Workshop for Breast Cancer Survivors
I will be leading a workshop on fitness for cancer survivors, Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Rockland County Office of the American Cancer Society . This workshop will be for the Breast Cancer Support Group. The group meets monthly and is open for all women who have had a diagnosis of breast cancer.
We'll meet at 7:00pm, Oct. 16, at the American Cancer Society, 1 Executive Blvd, Ste. 206, Suffern, NY. For information and directions, call 845-368-1252.
We'll talk about the importance and benefits of exercise for breast cancer survivors, and of course, we'll exercise - so wear comfortable clothing.
For those of you in the area, please join us. I hope to see some of you there.
Julie
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
New Government Guidelines
Last week the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Resources released new guidelines for physical activity. These recommendations largely fall in line with the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association.
After reviewing current scientific evidence, they found that substantial health benefits can result from doing regular exercise. There is strong evidence that exercise lowers the risk of early death, heart disease, stroke, type2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and colon and breast cancers. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight which improves cardiorespiratory and muscular strength, helps prevent falls, and reduces depression. And in older adults exercise improves cognitive function. There is moderately strong evidence of lower risk of hip fracture, increased bone density, improved sleep quality, and lower risk of lung and endometrial cancers.
The DHHR recommends that adults do 2 and a half hours per week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 1 hour an 15 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise. Aerobic activity should be performed in sessions of at least 10 minutes. Additional health benefits are provided by increasing the amount of aerobic physical activity per week. Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all of the major muscle groups on 2 or more days per week.
Older adults, adults with disabilities, and adults with chronic health conditions should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible, they should be as physically active as their abilities allow. Older adults and adults with disabilities or chronic conditions should avoid inactivity. For all individuals, some activity is better than none.
You can read more about the guidelines at www.health.gov/PAGuidelines.
Julie
After reviewing current scientific evidence, they found that substantial health benefits can result from doing regular exercise. There is strong evidence that exercise lowers the risk of early death, heart disease, stroke, type2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and colon and breast cancers. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight which improves cardiorespiratory and muscular strength, helps prevent falls, and reduces depression. And in older adults exercise improves cognitive function. There is moderately strong evidence of lower risk of hip fracture, increased bone density, improved sleep quality, and lower risk of lung and endometrial cancers.
The DHHR recommends that adults do 2 and a half hours per week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 1 hour an 15 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise. Aerobic activity should be performed in sessions of at least 10 minutes. Additional health benefits are provided by increasing the amount of aerobic physical activity per week. Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all of the major muscle groups on 2 or more days per week.
Older adults, adults with disabilities, and adults with chronic health conditions should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible, they should be as physically active as their abilities allow. Older adults and adults with disabilities or chronic conditions should avoid inactivity. For all individuals, some activity is better than none.
You can read more about the guidelines at www.health.gov/PAGuidelines.
Julie
Monday, October 13, 2008
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
On Sunday, Oct. 19, Life-Cise will be participating in the American Cancer Society - Hudson Valley Region's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. The event will take place at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, NY. This walk takes place just a few days after I lead a fitness workshop for breast cancer survivors at the Rockland County American Cancer Society. So I will be joining many of the women from the workshop in walking to raise funds for breast cancer research, screening, and support.
I am very pleased to be taking part in this program. It provides funding for the important work that the American Cancer Society is doing, and it encourages people to get out and walk - both important things. The ACS has these and other events throughout the U.S. You can contact your local American Cancer Society office or go to www.cancer.org for information about events near you. I encourage all of you to walk in support of the American Cancer Society.
If you live in the Hudson Valley, I hope you will sign up and join us. Or, if you want to support my efforts, you can make a donation using my personal online fundraising page. You can go to http://main.acsevents.org/goto/juliegoodale to donate. And thank you. It's safe and simple. All you have to do is click the link below and follow the few easy steps. Last year, 450,000 Making Strides participants raised $45 million ... and they did it one donation at a time. So, whether you're able to give $5 or $500, every bit truly does help. Hope starts one dollar at a time. Hope starts with me. And hope can start with you.
Also, a reminder for anyone living in the Rockland County area: I will be leading a workshop on fitness for cancer survivors, Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Rockland County Office of the American Cancer Society . This workshop will be for the Breast Cancer Support Group. The group meets monthly and is open for all women who have had a diagnosis of breast cancer.
We'll talk about the importance and benefits of exercise for breast cancer survivors, and of course, we'll exercise - so wear comfortable clothing.
We'll meet at 7:00pm, Oct. 16, at the American Cancer Society, 1 Executive Blvd, Ste. 206, Suffern, NY. For information and directions, call 845-368-1252.
I hope to see some of you there.
Julie
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Mood - Mine and Yours
A couple of months ago I went back on Tamoxifen, based on new information from the ATLAS study and long discussions with my doctor. I had been off it for about six months and was enjoying being drug-free for the first time since I was diagnosed. I hated the idea of going back on a drug, but decided any side effects were worth the benefits.
- Any decisions about drugs and treatment options should be based on discussions with your doctor and your particular situation, not on anyone else's choices. What your child's teacher's aunt chose to do doesn't matter.
Anyhow, I had forgotten about the mood swings I felt when I first went on Tamox. It was several years ago, and I had just finished treatment, so mild mood swings were barely noticeable. As my body adjusted to the new drug, the mood swings lessened. But now I'm back in the midst of it. I have mood swings, and often feel kind of blue. Once again, I stress that, because my risk of recurrence is still pretty high, I decided the benefits outweigh the side effects.
I bring up my personal treatment choices only because of their relationship to exercise. Because I've been feeling blue, I've been reminded in a very big way lately of how much effect exercise can have on mood. It's been well proven in numerous studies that exercise can have a positive effect on mood, but for the last couple of months I've been living it. Exercise doesn't fix depression, but it can help. The chemical reaction to exercise in the body can work to elevate mood. And the sense of accomplishment and control that can come with regular exercise also effects our outlook. So over the last two months I've noticed a substantial difference in my mood and anxiety level when I exercise. Last week, because of schedule and laziness, I didn't get as much exercise as normal. As the week wore on, my mood got darker, I got crankier, and then just felt depressed. And that really made me feel like I didn't want to go out and exercise - just too much trouble. Finally I was rather fed up with myself. I kicked myself in the butt and went for a run. Aah, so much better! Those endorphins created by the exercise gave me a boost; I slept better that night; and I think I was a little nicer. I've gotten back on a more normal exercise schedule now, and am truly amazed at how much better I feel and how much more I'm getting done. My mood is more stable, I have more energy, and I'm a lot more motivated.
The funny thing about this is that I know all of these benefits. I know how exercise positively effects mood. I counsel clients about this at Life-Cise and Stay Fit Stay Strong. I write about this. But experiencing it again, face to face, is something else. I feel like a new convert: walk, run, lift, ride - it doesn't matter what you do, just do it.
Julie
- Any decisions about drugs and treatment options should be based on discussions with your doctor and your particular situation, not on anyone else's choices. What your child's teacher's aunt chose to do doesn't matter.
Anyhow, I had forgotten about the mood swings I felt when I first went on Tamox. It was several years ago, and I had just finished treatment, so mild mood swings were barely noticeable. As my body adjusted to the new drug, the mood swings lessened. But now I'm back in the midst of it. I have mood swings, and often feel kind of blue. Once again, I stress that, because my risk of recurrence is still pretty high, I decided the benefits outweigh the side effects.
I bring up my personal treatment choices only because of their relationship to exercise. Because I've been feeling blue, I've been reminded in a very big way lately of how much effect exercise can have on mood. It's been well proven in numerous studies that exercise can have a positive effect on mood, but for the last couple of months I've been living it. Exercise doesn't fix depression, but it can help. The chemical reaction to exercise in the body can work to elevate mood. And the sense of accomplishment and control that can come with regular exercise also effects our outlook. So over the last two months I've noticed a substantial difference in my mood and anxiety level when I exercise. Last week, because of schedule and laziness, I didn't get as much exercise as normal. As the week wore on, my mood got darker, I got crankier, and then just felt depressed. And that really made me feel like I didn't want to go out and exercise - just too much trouble. Finally I was rather fed up with myself. I kicked myself in the butt and went for a run. Aah, so much better! Those endorphins created by the exercise gave me a boost; I slept better that night; and I think I was a little nicer. I've gotten back on a more normal exercise schedule now, and am truly amazed at how much better I feel and how much more I'm getting done. My mood is more stable, I have more energy, and I'm a lot more motivated.
The funny thing about this is that I know all of these benefits. I know how exercise positively effects mood. I counsel clients about this at Life-Cise and Stay Fit Stay Strong. I write about this. But experiencing it again, face to face, is something else. I feel like a new convert: walk, run, lift, ride - it doesn't matter what you do, just do it.
Julie
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Warm Up, Cool Down
It's important to remember to include a warm-up and cool-down period in your exercise program. These give your body a chance to adjust from rest to exercise, and from exercise back to rest. The warm-up helps prepare your body for the work you are going to do. It can improve your workout performance, but, more importantly, can decrease the risk of cardiac problems. The cool-down will keep your blood pressure from dropping too quickly after your workout, and helps your body clear the metabolic waste that develops in the muscles during exercise.
Warm-up and cool-down should be about 5-10 minutes. Warm-up should consist of any movement that gradually gets your muscles warmed up and increases your respiration. Your level of effort should only be about half of the effort you plan for your workout. Cool-down is the same, just taking you in the opposite direction - slowing you down.
Older individuals, as well as people at risk for cardiac events benefit from longer warm-up and cool-down periods.
These are the general principals. At Life-Cise and Stay Fit Stay Strong, some of our clients struggle to get 10 minutes of exercise into their workout. The general principal of warming up and cooling down still holds. No matter what the length of your workout is, warm up and cool down. Start your exercise session slowly, moving in any manner to get your muscles warmed up. Gradually increase the intensity. When you're done, make sure to slow down to allow your body to adjust. Your blood pressure can drop rapidly if you stop exercising suddenly.
Exercise, just do it safely.
Julie
Warm-up and cool-down should be about 5-10 minutes. Warm-up should consist of any movement that gradually gets your muscles warmed up and increases your respiration. Your level of effort should only be about half of the effort you plan for your workout. Cool-down is the same, just taking you in the opposite direction - slowing you down.
Older individuals, as well as people at risk for cardiac events benefit from longer warm-up and cool-down periods.
These are the general principals. At Life-Cise and Stay Fit Stay Strong, some of our clients struggle to get 10 minutes of exercise into their workout. The general principal of warming up and cooling down still holds. No matter what the length of your workout is, warm up and cool down. Start your exercise session slowly, moving in any manner to get your muscles warmed up. Gradually increase the intensity. When you're done, make sure to slow down to allow your body to adjust. Your blood pressure can drop rapidly if you stop exercising suddenly.
Exercise, just do it safely.
Julie
Monday, October 6, 2008
Walking
Walking is a great exercise. It's easy to do; most of us already have the right equipment. It can help us maintain a healthy weight; maintain bone strength in the lower body; lower our risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes; may reduce our need for medications for those diseases; and can lower our risk for some cancers. According to the Nurses' Health Study, walking about 30 minutes a day cuts the risk for breast cancer recurrence by 40%. In addition, like any exercise, it can boost your mood and help you sleep better.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting 20 - 60 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week. The time can be cumulative, broken up into shorter exercise sessions.
So what does that mean? How do you get started? At Life-Cise.com and Stay Fit Stay Strong, we help our clients establish their baseline. If 30 minutes is your goal, but you haven't been exercising, you will probably start much lower. A good way to figure out a good starting point is to come up with an average length for a comfortable walk. Go for a walk, a comfortable distance at a comfortable pace - don't exhaust yourself or walk so fast you can't catch your breath. Do this for three days, keeping track of how long you walk. Add the times together and divide by 3 - your average comfortable walk. If you can only walk 10 minutes slowly (or less), that's fine - that's where you start.
Get out and walk most days of the week. When you're starting out walk at a very moderate pace: on a scale of 1-10, 10 being maximum effort, keep a pace of about 4. You should be able to comfortably talk as you walk; you should not be out of breath. Over time you can increase the intensity of your walking pace, the duration of the walk, and the number of days you walk, but not at the same time. Try increasing the length of time by 10%. Get used to that, and then increase the intensity - walk a little faster, increase your effort to a 5 or 6 on the scale. You should still be able to talk in short sentences. Slowly work your way up to 30 - 60 minutes most days of the week.
Sometimes, like when we're recovering from a major surgery or are particularly weakened by treatments, 10 minutes may be too much. I always tell my clients: it's fine, this is where you start, that's all. It's the same principal, find your starting point and begin. After my 10-hr surgery, walking to the next room was a challenge. So I walked from room to room as many times during the day as I could manage. When that got easier I ventured outside. My big goal was my mailbox. I have a really long driveway, so it took me several days to work up to it. Then my goal was to get to the mailbox faster. It just takes getting started - and patience.
Go for a walk.
Julie
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting 20 - 60 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week. The time can be cumulative, broken up into shorter exercise sessions.
So what does that mean? How do you get started? At Life-Cise.com and Stay Fit Stay Strong, we help our clients establish their baseline. If 30 minutes is your goal, but you haven't been exercising, you will probably start much lower. A good way to figure out a good starting point is to come up with an average length for a comfortable walk. Go for a walk, a comfortable distance at a comfortable pace - don't exhaust yourself or walk so fast you can't catch your breath. Do this for three days, keeping track of how long you walk. Add the times together and divide by 3 - your average comfortable walk. If you can only walk 10 minutes slowly (or less), that's fine - that's where you start.
Get out and walk most days of the week. When you're starting out walk at a very moderate pace: on a scale of 1-10, 10 being maximum effort, keep a pace of about 4. You should be able to comfortably talk as you walk; you should not be out of breath. Over time you can increase the intensity of your walking pace, the duration of the walk, and the number of days you walk, but not at the same time. Try increasing the length of time by 10%. Get used to that, and then increase the intensity - walk a little faster, increase your effort to a 5 or 6 on the scale. You should still be able to talk in short sentences. Slowly work your way up to 30 - 60 minutes most days of the week.
Sometimes, like when we're recovering from a major surgery or are particularly weakened by treatments, 10 minutes may be too much. I always tell my clients: it's fine, this is where you start, that's all. It's the same principal, find your starting point and begin. After my 10-hr surgery, walking to the next room was a challenge. So I walked from room to room as many times during the day as I could manage. When that got easier I ventured outside. My big goal was my mailbox. I have a really long driveway, so it took me several days to work up to it. Then my goal was to get to the mailbox faster. It just takes getting started - and patience.
Go for a walk.
Julie
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Walking to Reduce Diabetic and Cholesterol Medication Use
As a followup to my last post on the potential relationship between weight, high insulin levels, and breast cancer, I want to mention new research reported in the journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. The study, headed by P. Williams, investigated the relationship of walking distance, frequency, and intensity to the use of antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and LDL cholesterol-lowering drugs. Results indicate that weekly walking distance, longest walk, and walking intensity were all associated with drops in medication use. Walking faster (>2.1 m/second versus <1.2 m/second) reduced medication use by 40 to 68% compared to slower walkers. And longer walks were also associated with medication reduction, especially for men.
Many cancer patients become more sedentary during treatment and often stay that way after treatment is finished. That lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, and can be a factor in risks of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. So, although this study is not directly related to us, clearly we should pay attention. This is more evidence of the importance of staying fit. And walking is a valuable part of that.
At Life-Cise.com, we encourage people to walk, especially during chemo. When I was in chemo, I would always go out for a walk the day after my treatments. Even if I was still really sick from treatment, I would go out and walk - maybe not far or fast, but I got out and got moving.
So go for a walk.
Julie
Many cancer patients become more sedentary during treatment and often stay that way after treatment is finished. That lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, and can be a factor in risks of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. So, although this study is not directly related to us, clearly we should pay attention. This is more evidence of the importance of staying fit. And walking is a valuable part of that.
At Life-Cise.com, we encourage people to walk, especially during chemo. When I was in chemo, I would always go out for a walk the day after my treatments. Even if I was still really sick from treatment, I would go out and walk - maybe not far or fast, but I got out and got moving.
So go for a walk.
Julie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)