5 Reasons for Mesothelioma Patients to Stick with a Weight Training Routine
The benefits of exercise for everyone is well documented and widely acknowledged. Weight training is also important for anyone looking to build muscle mass and strengthen their bodies. For anyone who has been diagnosed with any form of cancer, such as mesothelioma, weight training could have benefits beyond building bulk.
You don’t have to train as hard as you might have if you were of good health; a weight training program can be modified and adjusted according to abilities. However, these benefits make a continued training routine essential in the treatment process and in dealing with some of the symptoms associated with mesothelioma. To get detailed information visit MesotheliomaHelp.org, Symptoms of Mesothelioma.
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Combat Fatigue
You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, how does more activity help with fatigue?” Sticking with weight training combats fatigue by working your muscles, which in turn, creates energy.
Fatigue is common in patients going through chemo treatments and other medical trials. The amount of reps or sets will very likely need to be adjusted so that realistic expectations can be met but sticking with a regular lifting routine will help fight the utter exhaustion that accompanies a diagnosis and treatment.
2. Improve Your Appetite
When you are going through cancer treatments, you will often experience a loss of appetite. You won’t even enjoy foods you once loved. In keeping with a regular weight training schedule, you will help to keep your metabolism running and this may help you keep an appetite for some foods, at least. This also affects the level of fatigue you will experience, since food equals fuel for your body and keeps you more alert and less sluggish.
3. Build Lean Muscle Mass
One of the obvious reasons for continuing with or starting a weight training routine is to build lean muscle mass. Often during the course of treatment, patients will become immobile, which in turn causes muscle loss. By modifying and continuing with as much weight training as possible, you will prevent that muscle loss from happening and maybe even build additional muscle.
4. Improve Your Mood and Outlook on Life
The stimulation of any kind of exercise has been long documented in many scientific studies. When we exercise, strength training included, our bodies release endorphins which can actually change your physical perception of pain. Without the feeling of constant pain, your mood will naturally elevate and you will be able to focus on making through your treatment in a positive light.
5. Help Maintain a Sense of Regularity
When you receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma your world will probably feel turned upside down and inside out. Your everyday life will feel as though it is on pause and everything will become about the illness. It is easy to lose yourself, your identity and feeling like you have anything else in your life other than “cancer”.
Sticking with a weight training program, whether in your own home or a gym, will give you an activity to look forward to where you aren’t focused on getting better, or worrying about medical appointments. If you go to a gym, you will have the added bonus of socialization and feeling like you are part of a community. This support can also become key to your recovery.
Sources:
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/expert-blog/resistance-training/bgp-20113500
www.nccn.org/patients/resources/life_with_cancer/exercise.aspx
