I’ve had family members diagnosed with cancer and seen first hand how exercise can help them and their caregivers. 

It seems that nearly every family is affected by the terrifying diagnosis of cancer. The word suggests uncertainty and fear. Many people when first diagnosed with some type of cancer are afraid of early death or a long, painful process from which death is a welcome release. These kinds of thoughts weigh on the mind even when all is being done to perform a cure.

There are different treatments available for those suffering with cancer ranging from the alternative vitamin C therapies to the more conventional chemotherapy and radiation. One overlooked but valuable treatment option is physical fitness. Many are overwhelmed with a new diagnosis or have lost stamina after fighting the disease for a longer period so they do not consider exercise a priority. In fact, doctors have long advised cancer patients to get plenty of rest and cease physical activity. Modern medicine is suggesting a different treatment plan, however.

First of all, quality of life can be greatly improved by an exercise regimen. A fit body will maintain a healthy weight and keep organs, bones and muscles strong. Regular exercise can improve circulation, balance and appetite all of which may be compromised in a cancer patient. All of these benefits will give a person more motivation to fight the disease. Lynda Johnson, a nutrition specialist at University of Missouri suggests that the side effects of cancer can be lessened through exercise.

Cancer is a very complex disease and types of cancer vary greatly making it difficult if not impossible to suggest a proven protocol for cure. However, the emotional state of a person diagnosed with cancer can be greatly improved with fitness even if there are no physical benefits.

Exercising with a friend can give a great emotional boost. Spending time with loved ones takes a priority position in the lives of those with uncertain futures. A fitness buddy is also there for support if the cancer patient feels weak or sick.

Many newly diagnosed or recovering cancer patients can benefit from a personal trainer. Certain types of cancer call for specific fitness therapies. One example is mesothelioma, cancer of the lining of the lungs and other major organs caused by smoking or asbestos exposure. While a person going through treatment for mesothelioma will have periods where he is bedridden, exercise with a trainer that is educated in how to help a body fighting cancer is highly beneficial for those days when he is able to be up and around.

The link between a positive mood and the ability to fight disease is not well understood. However, those that take advantage of the euphoric state of mind that exercise produces seem to live longer and better lives even with cancer. This state of mind greatly affects the success of defeating the disease entirely.

Anyway, when I was in Jacksonville last month my mom and I went to her exercise class together, Timed Exercise. This is a 30 minute class that combines cardio and strength training, using a high-intensity workout that combines body and free weight movements.

Each time you go there is a different group exercises that need to be completed in six rounds of reps. The day I went our WOD was lateral jumps, dips, push ups, pike push ups, wipers (which are done in ab straps),  and we had to do 30, 28, 26, 24, 22, 20.  About halfway through the 30 reps round, I already wanted to die.

Somehow by the grace of whatever strength I had deep down, I made it through all six rounds. My arms and chest were aching the worst and I had a hard time washing my hair the next day.

The cool down/stretch afterwards wasn’t the greatest, but I would recommend anyone looking for a HIIT workout in Jacksonville to check it out.

UPDATE: I wanted to let you know how awesome my mother did at this workout. She rocked it and when I thought I was going to puke she was still going.

A lot of traveling, a lot of work and not enough time to actually slow down and relax or even take care of myself. My body and brain were just tired, I think they still are.

I’ve decided for the month of May to switch up how I exercise. Less running, more yoga/barre exercises and a regimented sleep schedule. I’m hoping that will help my body rejuvenate itself.

Next step, changing my diet a bit and maybe a monthly massage….

Then a few weeks ago while in NYC for work, I went to Pure Yoga with my bestie and took Figure 4. I was skeptical, but a willing newbie. Most barre classes follow the same basic format: upper body, thighs, glutes and abs. Figure 4, however, goes straight to thighs. The place that no matter how many squats, runs, or lunges I do can never be lean.

Rather than isolate one muscle at a time, Figure 4 incorporates leg exercises with arms to keep the body in a fat-burning zone. I really loved how the instructor didn’t let me slack off because it was my first time. She was there to correct my form and push me when she thought I was going too easy.

I was dripping in sweat before the hour was over, and was feeling it in my legs days later. It turned me into a believer of barre workouts, so much so that I invested in Physique 57 DVD set (review to come).

Doing yoga on a hill–lead by Alison Adams, of  DownDog Yoga, accompanied by a live Bluebrain performance–was pretty challenging, especially when going into balance holds.

The varying levels around me were inspiring. An older couple just in front of me looked like this was an unplanned morning activity–dressed in kakhis–but that didn’t stop the man from getting deep into his pigeon pose. He was more flexible than me! The girl behind me was in full handstands and side crows…something I swear I will do one day.

Bluebrain provided a great soundtrack, the base of which was Alison’s heartbeat.

I was so connected with their music and my practice that I didn’t notice the hoards of tourists taking photos and videos behind me until I stood up to take my own.

I recently read an article that said: “young women have accepted exhaustion as a normal state of being.” Last year, the CDC proclaimed insufficient sleep a public health epidemic. Even more concerning…an American Psychological Association survey showed a large gap between the level of stress people say they experience and what they think is healthy.

Many of us don’t even realize how tired we are. With serious fatigue comes a continuous rush of the stress hormone cortisol, which can act as a mental and physical stimulant. And your brain rewards you for that big score at work, releasing feel good chemicals. So highly charged people don’t sense that they are burning out.

So how do you go from ragged to rejuvenated?

By now, I have identified my warning signs: bitchiness, uncontrollably laughing that turns into crying, inability to focus. This usually means it’s time to get in bed earlier and give up one of my activities (usually exercising) until my body feels like it can work at full steam.

I’d also really like to bring naps back…just saying.

All of that can get mighty expensive, especially when training for half (or soon-to-be full) marathons. I need enough to get me from start to finish, without repeats. I hate repeats, it makes me feel like I haven’t completed the run in the right amount of time.

My two favorite FREE workout music downloads have provided me with enough variety that lately I haven’t had to purchase, unless of course there is that one song that I desperately need to get me over the hill.

Motion Traxx: I love this podcast series. Not only do I get running music set to BPMs, but they also have coached podcasts for cross training like elliptical, tabata,cycle and boot camps. They have treadmill interval training and just straight high-energy music. I like using them for a variety of my workouts.

SHAPE Free Workout Music: This was recently introduced to me probably from one of SHAPE‘s email newsletters. They have great remixes of songs new and old that really get you moving. New playlists are introduced each month, helping me keep the music fresh. Their most recent March edition had a remix of Kelly Clarkson’s What Doesn’t Kill You and I swear it is the best running song out there.

For me, the influx of emails, a growing to-do list, and the fear that I would let someone on my team down triggered anxiety attacks. I’m pretty sure my attacks were visible. I imagine I got this crazy-wide-eyed look. I know it was noticeable because it was actually a goal on my review form to “conquer my anxiety” for two years.

Let’s go high science for a second:

When a person is under chronic stress the structure of neurons can be altered. Neurons have bodies and branches used to communicate with other cells, and the more branches the neurons have, the better the communica­tion. Chronic stress causes a person to experience a loss of higher brain control over emotion. Stress reduces the number of branches in the prefrontal cortex, a regulatory part of the brain connected to memory and depression, which in turn causes den­drites, the branches that relay information between neurons, to shrink.

When we fret, especially when it becomes irrational or compul­sive, we fan the hot coal bed of anxiety until it bursts into flames. And so it follows that anxiety must be remedied over time as well, by learning to fret less.

I’ve learned to conquer my anxiety a few ways:

• Yoga (or some other physical activity): Since working from home if I start to get worked up, I take a break. I walk, go for a run, complete a few flows. It helps me recenter myself.
• Diagram: More than a to-do list, I think about how long each project will really take, and if one flows into another. I work out an actual process for completing the work.
• Avoid reacting: We are surrounded by people who are just as anxious as we are. Instead of feeding it, and making it your own. Reassure and demonstrate that you have it handled.

It doesn’t always work and I still have my moments, but on my most recent review it was noted that I had conquered my anxiety. So, I’m feeling pretty good.

After almost 10 months of making the bi-monthly commute I’ve been trying to make some adjustments.

1. Planning: I started bringing in oatmeal to at least get me through breakfast so that I make smarter choices (and less likely to grab that bagel that I miss so much). Doing this has allowed me to make better choices for lunch and then if dinner becomes pad see ew or a giant smothered veggie burger I feel less guilty.
2. Routine: I’ve identified ”travel friendly” workouts, consisting of yoga and cardio DVDs that do not require much more than my body weight. Also, going back to the planning, I look at my meeting schedules and determine which days will be easier to get on the treadmill in the morning, even if it is just for 20 minutes.
3. Prioritize and reorganize: One of the things I love about going to NYC is that I get to see my friends. So if I know that I am going to have dinner with them on Tuesday, that may be my rest day for the week. Or I walk to dinner to meet them.
4. The killer session: Last week, I was bad. I ate better, but couldn’t get in my workouts. So  I messaged my trainer @LAQfitness that I was in desperate need of a hard workout. Having one predetermined long session gets me back in the groove and helps me restart my exercise routine

Other tips for making sure your healthy routine doesn’t bite the dust when you travel for work?

While yoga helps your brain learn to relax, I also was on the look out for something that actually worked it out. Finding something that requires coordination is probably the best thing you can do to challenge your brain during a work out. I am not talking about stepping on or off a bench, or whatever moves you do in Zumba. I mean the type of coordination that is necessary to do more than one thing at a time, like juggling while walking coordination.

I’ve found that in Revolve’s Complete Body Ride. The first time I took this class, I scoffed. How hard could riding and strength training really be? Especially when a two-pound weight was resting on your handle bars. I was very, very wrong.

I'm not even insync with the rest of the group

I’ve been going to Grant’s Wednesday night classes for a few weeks now and each time I am surprised at how hard it is to keep your legs moving while punching across your body. It takes a lot of concentration to keep your legs moving at the same pace, let alone moving at all. Also, those two-pounders are pretty heavy by your umpteenth punch.

I’ve gotten better at it, and I am going to own that to the fact that I am growing my brain power somehow. Kinda like getting the results of a Sudoku puzzle while you are sweating.