Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 37)

A lifelong athlete and cancer survivor, Brennan wholeheartedly touts the benefits of staying active during treatment. “The research is undeniable that exercise helps the body with its healing processes when you’re fighting cancer,” she says. “Whether you’re motivated by the medical science behind it or the fact that it makes you feel better, it doesn’t really matter; ultimately, they work together.” Having the strength and drive to get moving when you’re not feeling your best is an obstacle for many people, but Brennan recommends doing what you can, and realizing that even a brief activity is beneficial and will help you build up to more. “Sometimes being active for a person with cancer means, ‘I’m going to try to walk 50 feet out the door today, and turn around and walk back to the house,’ ” she says. “But there’s really no increment that’s too small to be worthwhile.” Q: photograph oF WoMaN BY corBis iMages. photograph oF MUFFiN BY thiNKstocK. Will i be able to Work during treatment? Ways to Fight Brain Fog While there’s no magic drug for chemo brain, there are things you can do beyond exercise to lessen its effects, says Dan Silverman, M.D., Ph.D., co-author of Your Brain After Chemo: A Practical Guide to Lifting the Fog and Getting Back Your Focus. His recommendations include the following: StimulantS. “What I recommend people do first, if they can tolerate it, is to simply try coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages,” Dr. Silverman says. “They’re relatively safe, you don’t need a prescription, and you can self-regulate.” uni-taSking. Instead of trying to do 10 things at once, “focus on one thing and give yourself enough time to accomplish it,” Dr. Silverman says. note-taking. “You may find that you do better by writing down things that you might normally have been able to keep in your head before,” Dr. Silverman says. “Try keeping the information you need in one place, whether it’s in an electronic calendar or a notebook you carry with you, instead of Post-its scattered everywhere.” Conventional chemotherapy can be debilitating, with side effects like nausea, fatigue and cognitive difficulties referred to as “chemo brain” that make it hard to work, which is why many people take this period off. The type of work you do can also be a factor, says Dan Silverman, M.D., Ph.D., a physician, a researcher and co-author of Your Brain After Chemo: A Practical Guide to Lifting the Fog and Getting Back Your Focus. “Many people’s jobs do not tax them to the maximum of their cognitive abilities, so while they may not feel as comfortable as before, they can still perform adequately,” Silverman says. “But if their job involves tasks that under normal conditions would require them to use everything they’ve got, even mild cognitive deficits can be the difference between whether or not they can do their job.” The American Cancer Society notes that estimates of how many chemotherapy patients experience brain symptoms vary widely, from as many as one in two patients to as low as one in six. “During chemo and shortly after, cognitive problems are at their worst, but within one to two years after treatment, 80 percent of those affected are better,” Silverman says. And the best thing you can do to fight brain fog is to exercise. “Research has shown that by doing physical exercise, you’re boosting the multiplication potential of brain cells to help counteract the effects of chemotherapy,” he says. “It’s even more important than cognitive exercise.” video See this and other videos at PMC’s content portal, parrishmed.com/vimandvigoronline. Click through the “Be Well Videos” for topics such as portion control, arthritis, skin cancer and having a new baby. Eat to Fight Cancer Vim & Vigor • Wi nter 2012 37 http://www.parrishmed.com/vimandvigoronline

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Cook Like a Pro
Living Well with Lymphedema
Because I Said So!
What’s Wrong with This Picture?
The Future Is Now
Everyday Hero
What Does 200 Calories Look Like?
Johnny Be Good
What Does 200 Calories Look Like?
We’ve Got Your Back
Bank on Your Health
Virtual Health
Community Health
Healthy Journey
Fit to Fight Fires
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Parrish Medical Center