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Cancer diagnosis and treatment can bring on a variety of feelings including pain, decreased mobility, stress, and anxiety. For many patients, exercise may be a positive way to alleviate some of these problems. The American Cancer Society credits countless benefits to regular exercise during cancer treatment:

• Maintains or improve your physical abilities (how well you can use your body to do things)
• Improves balance, lower risk of falls and broken bones
• Keeps muscles from wasting due to inactivity
• Lowers the risk of heart disease
• Lessens the risk of osteoporosis (weak bones that are more likely to break)
• Improves blood flow to your legs and lower the risk of blood clots
• Makes you less dependent on others for help with normal activities of daily living
• Improves your self-esteem
• Lowers the risk of being anxious and depressed
• Lessens nausea
• Improves your ability to keep social contacts
• Lessens symptoms of tiredness (fatigue)
• Helps you control your weight
• Improves your quality of life
   

Many cancer patients find that yoga is a good way to get back into exercise, because it helps people pay attention to their breathing and listen to their bodies. Yoga is always possible, even for patients who are confined to bed. Yoga is versatile and allows you to prioritize and focus on specific goals such as breathing techniques or smalls movements of certain joints. Yoga has been shown in many studies to help with sleep problems, a common difficulty for people dealing with cancer. Active yoga produces the same health benefits as do other physical activities although it’s important for cancer patients and their caregivers to speak with their doctors before undertaking any kind of exercise program.

The Community Cancer Center offers “YOGA For Cancer Patients.” This therapeutic, gentle, all-levels yoga and meditation session is designed for patients in any condition and their caregivers. Weekly sessions are held on Tuesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m. and Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 a.m.

A variety of supportive and educational groups and programs are offered free of charge to help patients and families cope with cancer and its effects — emotional, physical, practical and financial. These are sponsored by the Community Cancer Center Foundation and facilitated by the Community Cancer Center staff. For more information about any groups and programs or for individual support please call (309) 451-2217.