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Exercise & Mental Health Post Cancer

Updated: Feb 28

JUST WALK!


FORCLOSURE: Before you read this article a little FYI on the following medical terms and research. When writing, I usually use a lot of my own knowledge/opinion but when it comes to the medical field, I like to know exactly what I am talking about. I hope that my more methodical blogs provide some knowledge and suggestions all in one place (instead of weeding through the internet trying to find what's real and what's not… that’s where I come in, I do hours of lengthy research reading through at least 6-7 valid sources that are recognized by an accredited medical/health related institution, are in some type of reputable medical research journal or study, and/or specific op ed’s that Doctors and other medical professionals write, etc.)


One of the things I really missed while going through cancer treatment was being active (definitely one of the last things on your mind when you’re hit with a cancer diagnosis). I realized it was really affecting my mental health. If you were an athlete like me or an athlete in your younger years you probably understand what I'm saying.


Even if you weren’t an athletic and you just liked being active or you're just not active at all please read on because even the slightest exercise is extremely beneficial for cancer patients in remission.


For me it is probably the most beneficial outlet I have. No I’m not talking about being a “gym rat” or letting it take over your life. I am talking about just going for a walk every other day and just being mindful in the sense of moving your body.



walking woman


I knew exercise can obviously help with our health but what I didn’t know was how it help prevent cancer from coming back. In this article I will give some insight on what I learned which will hopefully help you as you start into your new journey of remission.


For me and for most of us in remission from cancer, our bodies have changed in so many ways; sometimes making it harder for us to be as active as we once were. In my experience I decided to start slow (and no don’t be embarrassed by the word “SLOW”- you’ve been through a lot, DO NOT let that stop you!).


I began my new exercise journey in small increments; stretching for 3 minutes then 10 minutes a day of walking (whether it was around my neighborhood or at my local YMCA track; I was extremely consistent with my walks all while understanding my limitations.) The first week was definitely a trial run. I realized my energy levels had gone down significantly and that I was much more winded prior to my cancer diagnosis. Gage what your body can take. Jot these things down, make a journal and share these with your doctor if you are concerned. I recommend whenever you feel lightheaded or are experiencing any sort of pain to stop pushing yourself and just rest- try again tomorrow- that’s all you can do. Be aware of your body and what it’s telling you.


By the third week, I’m not gonna lie I was tired, but I thought about how I got through my difficult days during treatments/surgeries and that was to keep pushing through; manifesting in my head that “no one can stop me, ESPECIALLY YOU ‘C’ WORD!” mentality. I was ready to do a bit more (with 5x extra fluids than what I used to need due to my spinal cord problems- which will be explained in another future blog post) so I started doing 20 minutes, then a few weeks later I was up to 30 minutes. I stopped myself many times throughout those walks and realized so many amazing things:


1. Oh, wow I’m alive. I’m so blessed to be able to walk (even though my balance is off due to the fact that the brain tumor was in the cerebellum—the lower back part of the brain that controls coordination)


2. Wait, did I not notice those cherry blossoms that have been in my neighborhood for years? Look at the flower buds they are stunning, and wow look at all the pink tones!


3. Suddenly my sometimes down “in a rut” mood, which can follow you after any dramatic situation, seemed just a little bit better (maybe it’s the endorphins!)


4. I felt more like one with my spirituality and was able to speak to God and felt connected to Him more; just mentally feeling a sense of peace after I accomplished these walks.


5. I realized that with each step that I was walking forward I was leaving some of the old bad thoughts behind


You will probably start seeing, hearing, and realizing all new things that you haven't been particularly mindful about before which is really an amazing experience.



Is walking that big of a deal?


As you may or may not know, simply walking is so powerful and beneficial; especially for cancer patients, those in remission, and survivors. Walking pushes your brain to release endorphins, which are known to help lighten your mood and build some positive emotions throughout your body.


You’re going to be stunned at this fact – well atleast I was:


Walking a mile a day can cut risk of dying from cancer by 20%


A study led by American Cancer Society researchers has found that even low levels of walking are linked with lower mortality, which means walking may help people live longer. The study found that all levels of walking, even levels below the recommended guidelines, were associated with lower mortality risk. Participants who walked for less than 2 hours per week had a lower death risk than those who got no activity at all. And those who got in 1 to 2 times the recommended level of physical activity just through walking had a 20% lower mortality risk.




walking group

Going for a walk at an average to brisk pace can provide people with a tremendous health benefit. It’s free, easy, and can be done anywhere,” says Alpa Patel, PhD, Strategic Director, CPS-3, American Cancer Society, and lead investigator of the study. The study was published early online October 19 in American Journal of Preventive Medicine.


How amazing is it to know that if we physically can help prevent cancer that walking may be one of the most useful exercises. Yupp JUST WALKING. That’s amazing to me that something so simply could help with something so major.


The Restorative Benefits of Walking Volume 17 Issue 1 says that “The affective response of walking is evoked immediately by the visual stimulus array and involves like–dislike affect accompanied by change in psycho-physiological activation. For a person already experiencing stress, this might help promote a degree of recovery from stress.”


Walking alone can reduce inflammation, strengthen bones, and help physical endurance. It can also


reduce your risk of developing any new conditions post cancer such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and some cancers from reoccurring or developing.


A published article from MDAnderson.org says that, “Walking, after all, can be a great way to get the daily activity your body needs to fight off cancer. Walking also can help you maintain a healthy body weight.


For women, walking lowers hormone levels that increase the risk for breast and endometrial cancers.


According to a medical journal from the National Center for Biotechnology Information: Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative moods, all while improving self-esteem and cognitive function. It reduces blood pressure levels and improves the following:

  • Sleep

  • Endurance

  • Stress

  • Mood

  • Energy and stamina

  • Tiredness/Chronic Fatigue

  • Weight reduction

  • Cholesterol and Heart levels

  • Anxiety


So a lot of us post cancer may suffer from a decrease in all that was just mentioned. I suffer from chronic fatigue and anxiety. I was diagnosed with Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) about 7 years ago.


What is Chronic Fatigue?


CFS is a long-term disorder that affects many body systems and can often make you unable to do your usual activities. Sometimes you may not even be able to get out of bed. Symptoms can include, severe fatigue that is not improved by rest, sleep problems, problems with thinking and concentrating, pain in the body, dizziness, and post-exertional malaise (PEM; where your symptoms get worse after any physical or mental activity)


An article from ME/CFS states that “Being ill reduces activity level and produces deconditioning, fatigue, pain, stiffness, anxiety and depression. One way to start a spiral in the other direction is with exercise. Exercise counteracts all these factors. It produces a higher level of fitness; it reduces fatigue, pain and stiffness; and it improves mood.


Endurance work like aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs. This form of exercise helps lessen fatigue and pain by giving you more stamina; it also improves sleep and mood.


Other examples include walking, biking, yoga, and water exercise.


yoga and hands

An example of another type of exercise I recommend adding into your workout routine is Pilates-based conditioning. It offers a complete body workout that is extremely adaptive to all multiple levels of fitness – so whether you’re a 1 or a 10 at exercising this may work for you. It combines strengthening and stretching floor exercises aiming at toning up the entire body through certain movements. It’s nice because it offers more of a gentle workout which is more tailored to those post cancer.


Pilates exercises can help with chronic fatigue by creating a strong core which can ease any pain on the back and other limbs.


Melissa Williams, an integrative physiotherapist says that “Reclined or recumbent exercises are generally a good place to start for someone with chronic fatigue. Strengthening major muscles, such as the leg muscles, may improve mechanical efficiency when carrying out daily activities. But when performing resistance exercises such as the leg press, it is strongly recommended not to reach exhaustion because that may exacerbate fatigue.”


The general information I took out of this is for those suffering from chronic fatigue during or after cancer treatments is: if you are physically able try to learn some Pilates or aerobic exercises, yoga stretches, or just get up and go for a walk.


Here is a link to a really good YouTube video on Pilates for beginners: https://youtu.be/CdjRQ6GG8bA



How can exercise help with stress and anxiety?


Well, I’ll tell you this much, I don’t think I would be here right now writing this if I didn’t have the gym or a place to walk as one of my main sources of healing physically and mentally. It is a wonderful, positive outlet that truly helps so many aspects of remission from this disease.



In the medical journal from the National Library of Medicine (Mental health care in oncology) they state that anxiety disorders, specific phobias (in particular those related to well-known phenomena such as chemotherapy induced anticipatory nausea and vomiting, overlapping to the mechanisms of classic phobias) are common in cancer care, particularly after chemotherapy.


Post chemotherapy (no matter how far out you are from your last chemo) can cause sever depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Can exercise help with some of this? YES actually it can.


The Cancer Council NSW says that “Being active can help manage some of the common side effects of treatment, speed up recovery, and improve your quality of life. For some cancers, exercise may even improve how you respond to treatment. Being physically active, along with eating a healthy diet, can help reduce the risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence) for some cancer types. It also helps reduce the risk of developing other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.”


Even just being more mindful and taking time for yourself to meditate with light stretching and some yoga practices can deliver great mental health benefits.


Thirty minutes of exercise of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking for 3 days a week, is sufficient for these health benefits. Moreover, these 30 minutes need not to be continuous; three 10-minute walks are believed to be as equally useful as one 30-minute walk.



yoga poses






Here are some tips for starting out:


1. Set Realistic Goals: for example DON'T PUSH IT. Especially if you are just getting back into the swing of things you need to realize that you need to start slow and then work your way up. If you need to stay at a slower pace, then stay there; at least you’re doing some type of activity! For me I really take it slow at the gym. It’s really more of a mental health type of exercise. I do 15 minutes of cardio and if I am tired I go lay on a mat and take a break. IT’S OK YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT do not overexert yourself. YOU got this! Tell yourself you can get through this - and use your mind as motivation like a personal punching bag in your head ( I AM GOING TO FINISH this set or this mile walk because I am helping my body to fight off anything that will potentially get in my way of remission- even if it only helps even 5% I’M GONNA DO IT I’M STRONG I GOT THROUGH CANCER I CAN GET THROUGH THIS!!!


2. Know Your Body: I always like to ask my Oncologist first if I am trying something new regarding what vitamins I am taking or what changes there are in my activity levels, etc. She always tells me to “not overdue it.” Stay in tune with your body. If something is hurting you stop doing it- it’s that simple.” I think over time you will adjust and be more knowledgeable about what your body can and cannot do. Post cancer exercise routines should be tailored to the unique situation of each individual person. The type, duration and intensity of exercise will depend on the severity of your illness and also will differ depending on whether you have certain restrictions of not.


3. Consistency: Consistency with whatever physical activity is so important. The repetition of exercise will help you incorporate it into your daily life, and it will soon become second nature; ultimately progressing your health and keeping you from quitting for the long haul.


Overall, I can’t stress this enough, athlete or non-athlete, exercise (even just walking) has changed my life and has given me the opportunity to WANT to continue to work on my health journey. Now, everyone’s situation is different but if physically possible a simple 10-20 minute walk a day can really alter your mental state of mind as well as promote an overall healthy lifestyle.



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