Exercise, inflammation, and cancer
I have practiced Yoga for many years, and recently, I started focusing on aerobic and strength training to improve my energy and strength up a notch. Through exercising and putting my muscles to the test, I got to know myself better.
To be honest, I never liked to move much since I was a child, let alone making exercise a routine. I am a slow runner to this day, and I am only able to swim in one style. I can never play basketball because I am not tall enough nor do I have quick reflexes. When I started my medical practice, I realized that there is no way I can help my patients if I don’t walk the walk, so I started to practice Yoga and Qigong. As much as I hate getting up at 6 am, I have been practicing morning Yoga for more than a decade.
I can tell you through experience, if you want to feel more energetic, you need to exercise.
If you want to get out of depression, you need to exercise.
If you want to lose weight, you definitely need to exercise.
There is no excuse for not exercising.
You might be asking: what if I am too sick to exercise?
That’s a great question. The answer to it is not “no exercise”, but “what kind of exercise.” Take cancer patients for example, because of the pain and fatigue, certain strenuous exercises, such as running a marathon, might not be appropriate for this group of people, but it doesn’t mean cancer patients should stop exercising altogether.
A few benefits of exercising that directly impacts cancer is inhibiting cancer cell growth, such as TGF-1 suppression, regulating cancer metabolism, and suppressing proinflammatory cytokine production (Research Article).
Even during chemo, patients can incorporate mild to moderate aerobic exercise , such as walking, to reduce the severity of fatigue and regain functionality after chemo-radiotherapy (Research Article). There is also evidence showing that moderate exercise can reduce C-reactive protein and interleukins, which can help with inflammation and fatigue during chemo (Research Article).
The integrity of the immune system plays an important role in cancer. The development of cancer is related to the under responsive immune function. Exercise can significantly increase natural killer cells activity, stimulate the antigen, and regulate blood sugar and insulin metabolism (Research Article).
Of course, it’s always a good idea to consult with the patient’s care team to assess each individual’s fitness level and come up with a plan to incorporate into the treatment.
If you are interested in kick starting your health recovery journey, book your free consultation below!
