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FEATURE
While these recommendations can
mean making signifcant changes in
lifestyle and eating habits, Schober
says the potential to reduce the risk
of cancer recurrence ultimately
inspires many survivors to make
the efort. He cites the example of
one patient who had been diagnosed
with breast cancer and was reluctant
to change her eating patterns; she
previously had no interest in cooking
and usually ate sandwiches, fast food
or frozen meals.
"Once she understood how food
was impacting her body's ability to
fght of cancer, she became very
motivated," he says. "She went out
and bought a lot of cookware and
started making things like vegetable
lasagna and healthy snack bags with
nuts. She lost weight and felt much
better about herself, too."
THE POWER OF
EXERCISE
For many
patients,
concerns about
diet are ofen
accompanied
by questions
about exercise.
Misconceptions about
what is possible when it comes
to physical activity during and afer
treatment are common, Poormon says.
"Two of the most common
misconceptions I hear from patients
are, frst, that they cannot exercise
and, second, that they will not be
able to get back to what they were
doing before they were diagnosed
with cancer," Poormon says. "In my
experience both of these are untrue."
Poormon has seen many patients
not only return to the activities they
once enjoyed but even surpass their
previous level of activity, fueled by a
new understanding of the benefts of
exercise. According to the American
Cancer Society (ACS), one-third
of the cancer deaths each year are
linked to poor diet, physical inactiv-
ity and carrying too much weight.
Each person's exercise practice is
unique, and for this reason Poormon
encourages patients to consult a pro-
fessional, such as a physical therapist,
before starting an exercise routine.
A therapist can evaluate a patient's
functional defcits and recommend
an appropriate plan to achieve the
desired long-term goals. Activity
may start with such simple things
as playing with children, gardening
or vacuuming. Any type of physical
activity that elevates the heart rate
and activates the muscles can help
survivors reach the ACS's recom-
mendation of 150 minutes of exercise
per week, Poormon says.
She is careful to explain, however,
that it takes time to return to previ-
ous levels of activity. "You cannot
expect to be back in a month," she
says. "You almost have to let go
of the timing and expectations
and be willing to travel the
journey of recovery."
Patience and perseverance
paid of for one of Poormon's
patients, who had been diag-
nosed with breast cancer. Before
her diagnosis the woman worked
a physically demanding job in the
package delivery business, but afer a
year of treatment that included che-
motherapy, radiation and a bilateral
mastectomy, she struggled to simply
get out of bed. To decrease the pain
in her chest and back, the patient
pursued regular massage, physical
therapy, occupational therapy and
chiropractic care. At home she
started with simple exercises like
standing up from a chair for several
repetitions and progressed to lifing
light weights and walking. Eventu-
ally, she was able to work out at the
gym several times a week.
"It was a long journey for her, but
afer one and a half years of steady
progress, she was able to return to
her job," Poormon says. "Now her
hair is long, she feels strong and
she is back to her active
lifestyle."
ANY CHANGE
MAKES A
DIFFERENCE
Although the
prescription for
a healthy lifestyle
may seem like a
daunting overhaul,
Schober reminds his
patients that making just one change
can decrease cancer risk. According
to a study published in Cancer
Causes & Control in May 2014, par-
ticipants lowered their risk of cancer
mortality by following at least one of
the recommendations outlined by the
AICR. With each additional recom-
mendation that was followed, the risk
decreased—and people who adhered
to fve of the 10 recommendations
lowered their risk by 50 percent.
2
Te survivors who implement any
of these recommendations not only
decrease their mortality risk but also
start to see positive changes in many
areas of life, Schober explains.
"I've seen people lose weight, and
they always talk about feeling better,"
he says. "Tey need less blood pres-
sure medication, have more energy, no
longer need sleeping pills at night and
feel like they can do so much more in
life without feeling tired."
References
1. Simon, S. (2014, June 1) Report: Number of Cancer
Survivors Continues to Grow. Retrieved May 26, 2015,
from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/news/report-
number-of-cancer-survivors-continues-to-grow
2. Hastert, T. A., Beresford, S. A. A., Sheppard, L., &
White E. (2014). Adherence to the WCRF/AICR cancer
prevention recommendations and cancer-specifc
mortality: Results for the Vitamins and Lifestyle
(VITAL) Study. Cancer Causes & Control, 25, 541–552.
Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://link.springer.com/
article/10.1007%2Fs10552-014-0358-6
3. Recommendations for Cancer Prevention. American
Institute for Cancer Research. Retrieved May 26, 2015,
from http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/
recommendations-for-cancer-prevention