Think Pink!

If movement causes pain, rapid heart rate or shortness of breath, it’s good advice to rest when recovering from a chronic illness. But new evidence suggests that exercise is not only safe during cancer treatment, but it can also improve how well a patient functions physically and may improve quality of life. Many cancer care teams are urging patients to be as active as possible during cancer treatment to improve balance, lower the risk of falls, keep or improve physical ability, keep muscles active, improve blood flow, lower the risk of heart disease, lessen nausea and fatigue, and even improve self-esteem. While there’s still more research to be done on the effects of exercise on recovery and the immune system, moderate exercise has been found to have health benefits to make it a good addition to treatment.