Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - North Mississippi - (Page 37)

Beat the Blahs Fatigue is a major problem for people going through radiation and chemotherapy. The solution is counter intuitive but true. "This is surprising, but we've seen activity can help with fatigue," Doyle says. "It can give you a sense of more energy." Staying active was Carlson's secret weapon against radiation fatigue. She says it gave her the energy to keep up her daily activities. "Some people feel ﬁne, some sleep for 18 hours a day, some people end up going on disability," Carlson says of radiation effects. "I started walking three times a week, and never got tired enough to miss work." Her experience isn't unique. A study of breast cancer patients found that women who stayed active during treatment not only had more energy to ﬁght the disease, but they also had more energy one and two years later, Brennan says. The author experienced the "bounce back" effect ﬁrsthand. "I bounced back after chemo pretty fast. I personally think a daily menu of light exercise has a lot to do with helping the body heal," she says. "A little bit goes a long way." Another unpleasant side effect of treatment is nausea, and managing it will help keep your strength-and spirits-up. Exercise can help with this, too. online PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MONIKA CARLSON Tame Your Tummy Brennan suffered a queasy stomach after every round of chemotherapy. The only thing that helped was taking a walk. "That alone can be an enormous beneﬁt for people in treatment," she adds. While researching her book, she found that exercise also aids in digestion and helps you make better choices about what to eat. That adds up to a more settled stomach. Seize the Day Carlson is the most positive person with an incurable brain tumor you will meet. Her hope is to keep the tumor from growing so that she can live as long as possible-marry her ﬁancé, enjoy friends and family, and yes, run another marathon or ... 20. "I kind of feel like it's a choice you have to make," she explains. "You can choose to think about the 'what ifs,' or you can focus on today. Focusing on today is what has helped me. I feel mostly ﬁne. I'm more ﬁt than the average person. I'm not in a hospital bed yet. Why worry about that happening?" Thanks to endorphins-those brain chemicals that trigger pleasant feelings-exercise is a natural mood booster and stress reliever. When you're ﬁghting for your health, you need both. "You're ruining today by worrying about tomorrow. I feel like I'm living the reverse of that," Carlson says. "I think continuing to run has been a huge help emotionally for me as I've gone through all of this." Stress Relief and Healing Massage therapy can further enhance the healing process and relieve stress. The North Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Center offers free mini-massages for cancer patients. For more information, visit www.nmhs.net/cancer_center.php. M oni ka C ar ls on (r ig ht ) an d he r gl am pa rt ne r Ta ra -r un ne r.com m ae B aize fi ni sh in g th e LA M ar at ho n. Getting Started Starting a workout routine is challenging when you're healthy, let alone when you're battling cancer. Plenty of distractions, appointments and pains keep you from being active. There are several ways to ease the transition from "sedentary patient" to "active warrior," says Edwin Crenshaw, a personal trainer and fitness coordinator at the North Mississippi Medical Center Wellness Center in Tupelo. * Start with a goal. Researchers recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. (That's 30 or 15 minutes a day, five days a week, respectively.) * Go slowly. Work your way to that goal over time. "I would start with brisk walking," Crenshaw says. "It's something anyone can do, and it's cheap." * Incorporate resistance training. Resistance exercises, like swimming and Thera-Band training, are effective twice a week, particularly for people with prostate cancer. * Find a trainer. Look for trainers certified by the American College of Sports Medicine or a class that you can modify to go at your own pace. WI NTER 2013 37 http://www.glam-runner.com http://www.nmhs.net/cancer_center.php

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
The Weight Is Over
For Your Convenience
Got Excuses?
Managing Your Health with a DIY Tool Kit
Is It the Stress Talking?
The Wonderful World of Greens
Knee-to-Know Basics
On the Cover
Run for Your Life
14 Good-for-You Gifts
Special Delivery
Virtual Health
A Special Kind of Care
High Marks
A Dose of Prevention
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - North Mississippi