Cancer Patients Beat Depression with Exercise

By David Haas

Several years ago, doctors and professionals warned cancer patients against exercising while they were battling the disease. It was believed that exercise was a drain on the body and wouldn’t help the cancer patient heal. Today, professionals in the medical field know that the exact opposite is true. Exercise cannot only help prevent cancer, but it can help you beat it, too. Doctors now recommend that cancer patients get at least two and a half hours of exercise every week, no matter how light. Even walking at a slow pace is beneficial if you’re at the height of your cancer treatments. Regardless of if you have breast cancer or are dealing with treatment for mesothelioma, exercise will help in more ways than one.

Many people who have dealt with or are dealing with cancer feel depressed. Learning that you have cancer can drag down your mood drastically. Fearing the worst can make it impossible to function and regain a happy mood. Even after beating cancer, so many survivors live in fear of the cancer returning some day. This stress takes an immense toll on the body and mind. Dealing with cancer, even if the best possible outcome occurred, is so mentally taxing that many people never bounce back. When depression sets in, it can be near impossible to do things to help yourself get out of it.

Exercise is among the best holistic approaches to improving your mood and beating depression. Exercise naturally raises your serotonin levels, which is the chemical in your brain that’s responsible for a positive, upbeat mood. People with depression don’t have enough of this chemical, which makes it pretty much impossible to simply feel happy on their own. Exercise will increase your serotonin, raise your mood and make you feel less depressed. You won’t even need any pricey medications to feel an instant lift.

Even if you’re feeling healthy enough to start working out daily, consult your doctor. Cancer takes a huge toll on the body and your doctor will be able to guide you towards what your body can handle at the moment. You’ll also need to learn the difference between feeling sick and feeling weak. If you’re undergoing chemotherapy, for example, you may actually be too sick to exercise. Take a few days off and get back on your feet when you’re feeling better.
 
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