Moving from Sweat to Therapy: Physical Activity as a Key Component of Cancer Treatment

Remember that time you told your personal trainer you can’t do another burpee and they just laughed it off? Welp, it’s just official, sport stars. We’re gate-crashing the field of medicine, flexing our biceps, and flipping over the standard perceptions of healing. The latest trend? Exercise as a key aspect of cancer therapy. That’s right, replace the squats and lunges with your doctor’s appointment, because movement is starting to share the stage with medication.

Fusion of Fitness and Medicine: Movement Takes the Silver Screen

There’s a new movie out that could give “Rocky” a run for its money. It’s titled “Moving Through Cancer,” and it isn’t about boxing—it’s about bopping, prancing, lifting, stretching, climbing, and anything else that gets your heart-rate up. Debuting on World Cancer Day, it’s a production of the nonprofit Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows, highlighting the global move toward incorporating exercise into cancer protocol. The film showcases the solid research (15,000 studies worth) proving the beneficial effects of physical activity on well-being, strength, and resilience. Like Rocky himself, movement knocks out the challenges, this time in the form of cancer. So, whether you’re healing or have kicked cancer to the curb, the message is potentially as simple as “get moving!”

Why Exercise Is the New Antibiotic?

Ever wonder how exercise sheds that belly fat? Well, consider that same principle applied to dealing with a cancer diagnosis. It’s like getting two for the price of one effort; you’re not just growing your muscles, but potentially shrinking malignant cells too. One of the leading voices in the exercise oncology field, Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, has quantified the benefits of exercise for those living with and beyond cancer. The specific benefits of consistent movement for cancer patients are myriad, from reducing the side effects of treatment to improving emotional stability. There’s now enough evidence that organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Cancer Society support this cause.

Exercise as Cancer Treatment: Practical Application

All this talk might have you thinking: Can we see some evidence? This film “Moving Through Cancer,” gives practical examples of how this new philosophy is actively helping cancer patients. It shares programs such as The Maple Tree Cancer Alliance and GIFT OF LIFE in Texas that are successfully integrating physical activity as part of their treatment plans. The cherry on top? The film narrator is none other than four-time cancer survivor Scott Hamilton, a former Olympic Gold Medalist in Figure Skating. His main message? “Just get moving.” Time to channel your inner Olympic athlete, it seems!

Key Takeaways:

• “Moving Through Cancer” is the first film to highlight the shift towards incorporating physical activity into cancer therapy.
• The film emphasizes the health benefits of regular exercise for cancer patients, including improved well-being, strength, and resilience; confirmed by over 15,000 studies.
• Prominent organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Cancer Society fully support this move.
• In practical application, programs like The Maple Tree Cancer Alliance and GIFT OF LIFE in Texas are pioneering the integration of physical activity into their treatment programs.

In a final note, let’s remember to not only listen to this advice but to impart it too. Spread the word to all your fitness pals, gym rats, run buddies, happy joggers, and even those couch potatoes. Exercise isn’t just about getting that dream body anymore—it could be the key to help many people moving through cancer, too.

Source Citation: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/moving-through-cancer-patient-education-film-debuts-on-world-cancer-day-302052645.html