"I like you. I'll gladly sit down and have dinner with you after the race. But when the gun goes off, I pretty much hate you, and I want to stomp your guts out. That's racing." -J Rapp



"the best night of my life.....
...in the most beautiful place on earth"



"It's just one, long, tedious conversation with yourself" -Paula Newby Fraser






"Have faith- trust in the plan - the breakthrough will come. I promise. " Woo




"You can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week or you can quit and your mind will hurt for a lifetime.” -Mark Allen




“The only time you can be brave is when you’re afraid.”


Saturday, March 30, 2013

Running with Cancer: A Guest Blog Post


Let's face it, all of us, no matter what we do, know that exercise is beneficial.  Just as well, let's face the fact that we all know someone with cancer.  An e-friend sent me the post below to publish on my site.  You all know I don't just "go through the motions" of life...I make my own motion (of course unless I'm in a stupid business situation).  I recently upped some Life Insurance for the new practice, which required blood draws---ugh.  After the 12 hour fasting, a nurse showed up at our door for "samples."  After the blood draw, and practically fainting as I wolfed down a banana, crashed on the couch, white as a sheet,hyperventilating, and sweating, I was eager for the results.  Well, they came back last week, and I am off the charts healthy.  So, all this IM abuse has had a great effect on my body at least.  The most startling number was a "0" for blood glucose level---no wonder I almost blacked out.

So on to the post below----exercise is "all good" when you are healthy, but here is an example of applying it when someone is at their worst physically.  We've all heard stories of people being given 6 months to live, yet they are alive and well now...the mind is a powerful weapon, and a little running looks like it can help a bit as well ;-)

BTW:  I DO NOT have cancer for those worrisome people out there (mom)  ;-) 

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Running: Can it Help You Fight Cancer?

Throughout the past 20 years, the connection between exercise and cancer has been thoroughly established. Studies show that exercise can help in all phases of cancer treatment, but there is one exercise that appears to be especially beneficial: running. Here are some of the ways that running can help those who are dealing with cancer.

Can Running Prevent Cancer?

While there is no way of completely preventing cancer, people can reduce certain risk factors. Low levels of fitness have been proposed as a risk factor along with obesity, smoking and excessive intake of red meat. When it comes to fighting obesity, running is considered to be one of the best exercises. In addition, high levels of endurance have been linked to a reduction in the risk of developing cancer in several studies, and those who focus on increasing their endurance will be at a lower risk of developing cancer in the future.

It should be noted, however, that even people who run marathons develop cancer, and there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of developing cancer. However, studies have shown that the correlation with decreased risk of development is still strong.

Can Running Help During Cancer Treatments?

While chemotherapy may make it impossible to continue running on a regular basis, running before chemotherapy has commenced will give patients higher levels of endurance. Chemotherapy is notorious for draining energy levels, which can lead to lower levels of mental health and other problems. By mitigating these factors, high levels of endurance can help patients endure chemotherapy as well as possible.

In addition, high levels of fitness have also been linked to better mental health, and running has been shown to fight depression. Studies have shown a strong link between positive thinking and cancer outcomes, and those who are able to enter treatment with high levels of endurance set themselves up for success.

Running After Treatment?

Good fitness habits have also been linked to a reduction in the likelihood of cancer returning, and those who begin running after treatment has finished will be less likely to have to battle cancer again in the future. While it may take time to return to your former endurance levels, beginning to walk or jog soon after treatment has stopped can put you on the road to success. Fortunately, there are a number of programs available that can help cancer survivors start running again. Whether you have battled mesothelioma, breast cancer or any other type of cancer, view running as a necessary step to fighting the recurrence of cancer.