I wrote today's post as part of the WOW-Women on Writing Blanket Tour for Healing with Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey by Diana M. Raab, MFA, RN (www.dianaraab.com). The book includes Diana's experiences, reflections, poetry and journal entries, in addition to writing prompts for readers to express their own personal stories. A survivor of both breast cancer and multiple myeloma, Raab views journaling to be like a daily vitamin--in that it heals, detoxifies and is essential for optimal health.
writer before turning to poetry and memoir. She teaches creative journaling
and memoir in UCLA Extension Writers' Program.
If you comment on today's post you'll be entered to win a copy of Healing
with Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey. To read Diana's post about breast
cancer and a list of other blogs participating in Diana's Blanket Tour visit
The Muffin.
If you comment on today’s post you’ll be entered to win a copy of Healing with Words: A Writer’s Cancer Journey. To read Diana’s post about breast cancer and a list of other blogs participating in Diana’s Blanket Tour visit The Muffin.
It was almost as though my muse pointed me to the Chicago Tribune last Tuesday, September 28. Earlier in the week, I’d started this post for the Women in Writing Blog Tour, but I wasn’t satisfied with the content. What do women really need to do to fight the big “C”?
After reading the Tribune at breakfast, I knew I wanted to share some of Julie Deardorff’s advice in her article, “Rx-ercise: Strong Medicine?”
Deardorff advises readers that physical exercise has become part of prevention and treatment of many diseases. In the beginning, the message about exercising was for cardiac patients, but it has spread to many other health concern areas from Parkinson’s disease to cancer. In researching, I discovered that The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also advises 30 minutes of exercise five days of a week. In the beginning, that sounds like a marathon, but it does pay off.
What can consistent exercise do for the person intent on prevention of disease or one who is undergoing treatment?
-Initiating an exercise regime can be a good reason
to get out of bed in the morning and move achy joints. Setting goals gives structure to workouts and rotating activities provides variety: 30 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the stationary bike, 10 minutes with weights. The payoff?
-Exercise can relieve symptoms of fatigue. Even if a
person is tired at the beginning of the workout session, by the end, the body feels energized.
-Weight lifting can be safe and may stave off loss of muscle
mass.
-Exercise can give an emotional, as well as a physical sense of well being.
From my own experience, I know that some days I have to force myself to get in the car and drive to the health club, or push away from the desk and take a brisk walk in the fresh air. Once I begin moving, my reluctance to exercise gives way to exhilaration.
If you need to read more to convince yourself that exercise is a key to good health, check out the following sites and . . .
Be Well!
Cancer.net
Health Guidance
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4349/1/Advantages-of-Exercise.html
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Helen Gallagher
Kerry Lauerman
Joan Walsh
Salon.com
Comments
Thanks for sharing such great information about exercise. We all need the reminder. We all know we need to do it--it's just getting ourselves there. But fighting diseases, such as cancer, is one really good reason to get the gym shoes on and exercise!
Margo
http://margodill.com/blog/