Exercise and Cancer: the benefits

Written by Melanie Bowen

Physical activity is beneficial for anyone going through cancer. For those who have experienced difficult treatment and surgery for more deadly cancers like mesothelioma, or more common cancer such as breast and colon, it’s important that you help your body heal but also repair itself. Some of the leading medical journals have described physical fitness as one way patients can help themselves get healthier in addition to traditional treatments. While it was once thought that more rest and relaxation allowed the body to repair, many now firmly believe that with daily exercise and activities, you can greatly impact your return to a healthier state.

Getting the Most From Fitness

It starts with just light activity. You don’t have to push yourself in the beginning. Most likely, you won’t be able to move around or have the endurance to go on long
runs, uphill hikes or eight-mile bike rides. However, with some low impact exercises designed to help with bone and joint problems, you can ensure safely getting back
into the swing of things. Some preferable low impact exercises stem from yoga, row machines, cycling, strength training and even martial arts. It’s up to you where you
start, but each day, you can build upon these fitness routines for a stronger body in the end.

Planning Your Fitness Routine

You should start off every day with light stretching. You can help keep your muscles loose this way. Warming up with a short walk is another way to help your fitness
routine go smoothly. Plan for light exercise in the morning, about 20 minutes if possible. However, even something as short as 10 minutes can start you on the path
towards better fitness after cancer. In addition, physical activities also will help you maintain your bone and muscle growth, which is imperative after chemotherapy and
radiation.

Physical Activity Reduces Cancer Risk

Many studies have been released that daily exercise can reduce the risk of cancer significantly in both men and women. Studies have shown that physical activity
reduces the risk of cancers that affect the lining of the uterus, lungs, prostate, and even prevent heart disease. In addition, those who exercise every day for at least
30 minutes are able to better maintain their weight and gain the necessary energy to perform all kinds of other activities. Exercise produces endorphins, which can also
help to improve mood.

If you have been considering what types of physical activity to do after cancer, just start out with something short and light, like a walk or light jog. With weight
training, yoga and exercise machines like ellipticals, you can find your groove for a better you. Talk to your doctor today and see what exercises are conducive to your
condition and treatments.

http://www.claudiasfitness.com/exercise-and-cancer-the-risks-and-benefits/

Top 10 Habits That Can Help You Lose Weight

Weight control is all about making small changes that you can live with forever. As you incorporate these minor adjustments into your lifestyle, you'll begin to see how they can add up to big calorie savings and weight loss. Here are my top 10 habits to help you turn your dream of weight loss into a reality:

1. Evaluate your eating habits. Are you eating late at night, nibbling while cooking, finishing the kids' meals? Take a look around, and it will be easy to identify a few behaviors you can change that will add up to big calorie savings.

2. If you fail to plan, plan to fail. You need a strategy for your meals and snacks. Pack healthful snacks for the times of day that you know you are typically hungry and can easily stray from your eating plan.

3. Always shop with a full belly. It's a recipe for disaster to go into the grocery store when you are hungry. Shop from a prepared list so impulse buying is kept to a minimum. Eating right starts with stocking healthy food in your pantry and refrigerator.

4. Eat regular meals. Figure out the frequency of your meals that works best in your life and stick to it. Regular meals help prevent bingeing.

5. Eat your food sitting down at a table, and from a plate. Food eaten out of packages and while standing is forgettable. You can wind up eating lots more than if you sit down and consciously enjoy your meals.

6. Serve food onto individual plates, and leave the extras back at the stove.Bowls of food on the table beg to be eaten, and it takes incredible will power not to dig in for seconds. Remember, it takes about 20 minutes for your mind to get the signal from your belly that you are full.

7. Eat slowly, chew every bite, and savor the taste of the food. Try resting your fork between bites and drinking plenty of water with your meals.

8. Don't eat after dinner. This is where lots of folks pack on the extra pounds. If you are hungry, try satisfying your urge with a non-caloric beverage or a piece of hard candy. Brushing your teeth after dinner helps reduce the temptation to eat again.

9. If you snack during the day, treat the snack like a mini-meal. The most nutritious snacks contain complex carbohydrates and a small amount of protein and fat.

10. Start your day with breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. After a long night's rest, your body needs the fuel to get your metabolism going and give you energy for the rest of the day.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/top-10-habits-that-can-help-you-lose-weight

Drinking Diet Soda May Put Your Health at Risk

Drinking Diet Soda May Put Your Health at Risk

Weight Loss Basics

Making the decision to revamp your diet and shed some pounds takes courage, dedication, time, and effort, but it absolutely can be done. 

Before embarking on any weight-loss plan, it’s wise to check in with your physician, especially if you struggle with any serious weight-related health problems. It’s also smart to surround yourself with other experts, friends, and family members who will support you. Besides shoring up your confidence, they can empathize when you encounter setbacks and offer fresh perspectives on what might work. 

Educate Yourself:

The seemingly endless weight loss options can be overwhelming. Whether it’s from a magazine, a clinic at a hospital, a storefront at a mall, or a book your coworker lent you, make sure to research each weight loss plan thoroughly. Once you’ve narrowed your options, ask yourself the following questions:  

What is day-to-day life on this plan like? 

Set yourself up for success by selecting a plan that is doable. For example, if you adore pasta and bread, you are setting yourself up for failure by choosing a low-carb diet. Juggling a full-time job and three kids might leave you with no time to attend weekly weigh-in sessions. Not to worry: There’s a plan out there for everyone. 

How many daily calories will I be allotted, and will that change as I lose weight? 

Some plans, including cleanses, ask followers to adhere to extremely strict calorie allotments. But too few calories will leave you physically drained and can exhaust your willpower. Not to mention the fact that your body will go into starvation mode, hanging on to the few calories you do put in. Many people have found success with the 500 Rule — slashing 500 calories a day leads to a loss of 1 lb. per week (1 lb. equals 3,500 calories). But for some people, particularly highly active individuals, slashing 500 calories can be too challenging. Plus, the ballpark figure doesn’t factor in sex, activity level, or muscle mass (lean muscle mass and elevated activity increase calorie demands as does being male because men naturally have more lean body mass than women). Check in with your doctor or a nutritionist to get his or her input; these professionals may suggest a more tailored approach to calorie reduction. 

Despite the massive weight losses seen on reality TV shows, a safe, attainable goal is 1–2 lbs. lost per week. When you lose at this slower-but-steady pace, you’re more likely to keep the weight off. 

What types of foods will I be eating most often, and are any foods considered "bad" or “off limits”? 

A sensible weight loss diet will involve plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat or fat-free dairy, healthy fats, and occasional snacks. Take a look at a week’s worth of eating plans, and ask yourself, “Is this doable for me? Would I enjoy eating these foods — not just for a week or a month, but for the rest of my life?” You’ll also be encouraged to drink plenty of water. Today, many experts say that you don’t necessarily need eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Instead, you should drink enough to produce urine that is pale in colour—just barely not clear. That indicates a well-hydrated body.

http://www.healthline.com/health/diet-and-weight-loss-basics

Chicken Parmesan Wraps

My use of egg roll and wonton wrappers is getting out of hand. In the past few months, I’ve used them to makepetite lasagnas, buffalo chicken rolls, tuna rangoon, and now chicken parmesan wraps. We could call it me expressing my creativity, but I’ll be fair and admit it’s more closely resembling of obscenity. The good news is that if you buy egg roll wrappers, you’ll have four of my favorite recipes to try out.

For these delicious fold overs, I combined sweet marinara sauce, shredded chicken, baby spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. The idea was born from an intense chicken parmesan sub craving, and the sobering realization that such a meal would involve me having to change out of my pajamas, wash the semi-permanent chocolate mustache off of my kisser, and then interact with other human beings. Not going to happen. Especially not on Sunday at 3pm, a time I respectfully reserve for DVRed episodes of Oprah and the New York Times crossword.

I did what any self-respecting individual would do and used my most earnest voice to bribe Daniel. Promises of puppies, homemade chocolate cake, and my entire bankroll, were wagered. He turned down each and every one, maybe realizing that four paper-wrapped rolls of quarters (no matter how shiny) wouldn’t get him very far in life. I told him that silver would be worth something someday, but no, no budging.

I took to the kitchen with a wicked scowl and a vengeance. In my fridge I found each and every necessary ingredient for a perfect chicken parmesan sandwich minus the soft Italian sub roll. I reluctantly traded my angry cap for my thinking one, and within a few minutes I had leftover egg roll wraps in hand. The rest of the recipe came together in no time at all- just a layering of baby spinach, saucy chicken, creamy mozzarella, and sharp parmesan tucked inside a paper thin sheet of pasta, all baked to a golden brown crisp in the oven. Delicious sprung from desperation.

These are a cross between a hand pie and a calzone, but much smaller and without that lovely doughiness. At first I would have assumed the lack of chewy bread casing to be detrimental to taste and texture, but the beauty of these bites is that they allow you to experience the full flavor of the filling- the sweetness of tomatoes and the savory strands of chicken and melting cheese. The egg roll wrappers just provide a light crunch, almost like layering chicken parmesan on top of tortilla chips (which I imagine would make a lovely plate of nachos). They’re fun because they’re small, light, and hand- holdable. Doesn’t get much better.

And though I’d like to say that I withheld love, affection, and delicious chicken parmesan wraps from Daniel who refused to budge after many dire pleas for him to go to the store for sub rolls, I’ll admit that I shared them with him. I’ll call it a win for both of us, since he loved each and every oozing bite dipped in marinara, and I retained all previously offered bribes for future use.

Here’s how to make them for yourself:

Chicken Parmesan Wraps

makes 6

8 oz raw chicken breast

1 cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving (see my favorite recipe here)

6 egg roll wrappers (each 7 inches squared)

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Place the chicken breast in a small pot and fill with enough water just to cover. Bring to a boil on your stovetop, reduce the heat slightly, then simmer for about 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and let cool before shredding with two forks, pulling against the grain of the meat. Mix the meat with the marinara sauce in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the egg roll wrappers on a clean work surface. Layer each with a few leaves of spinach, then chicken, followed by mozzarella and parmesan.

Lightly brush two adjacent sides of the wrapper with water and fold the upper left corner downward, covering the filling, and press to seal on the bottom right corner. Press to seal each of the sides. Repeat with remaining wraps.

Place all 6 filled wraps on a greased wire rack set over a cookie sheet, coat each in cooking spray or a light brushing of olive oil, and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a golden brown.

Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Nutrition information for 1 wrap:

Calories: 178, Fat: 4.4g, Cholesterol: 32.8mg, Carb: 17.7g, Fiber: 1.1g, Protein: 15.7g

http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/02/17/chicken-parmesan-wraps/

The Many Benefits of Cadiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise, sometimes referred to as "cardo" is a "must." Your cardiovascular system is what transfer nutrients and oxygen to organs and tissues, removes waste products and delivers antibodies to the site of infection. Without cardiovascular health, not much else matters. 

It is also beneficial in other ways. Good circulation and a healthy heart are essential in moving oxygen and glucose to the brain. This promotes alertness, decreases reaction time and improves thinking. Cardio also triggers the release of the mood enhancer dopamine which not only improves outlook, but also improves motivation, enhances attention span and positively improves that all important emotional state of arousal. Not only does it increase the amount of useful hormones, it reduces the amount of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. 

Endurance is another benefit. If you've ever felt tired, or even exhausted after a sedentary day of sitting at a desk, you know how slow circulation can affect you physically, even if you are otherwise healthy.

Increasing the activity of the heart and lungs also burns calories that would otherwise settle as fat in the muscle tissue. Our bodies are not designed to operate in the sit-still- in-the-office-cubicle style of modern civilisation. They are designed and built to move. Cardiovascular exercise is an important way to compensate for our present day lifestyle. It's all about getting up and getting moving. Going into motion does more than reduce stress. It can also deliver a lot of other benefits, such as: 

Strengthening the heart and lungs and thereby guarding against heart attack and stroke. 

Improve overall health Improve your body's ability to combat disease. 

Improved circulation means quicker recovery from injury. 

Cardio can increased bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. 

It can help you sleep better by improving circulation and reducing heart rate during the sleep cycle. 

You can improve yourself image by improving your physique. It's time to look good in a bathing suit again. Just because you may be a bit too old for that tiny bikini, doesn't mean that another style can't look fantastic. 

It can help give you the energy that you need to live life to the fullest without the need for artificial stimulants like caffeine. 

It can temporarily relieve anxiety and depression. 

Getting your heart rate up, heating up your muscles and increasing circulation is more than just jumping up and down. Whether you plan on moving on to physical activities like weight training, Pilates or any other form of exercise Cardiovascular exercise can provide a foundation on which you can build a healthy long term exercise program.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Many-Benefits-of-Cadiovascular-Exercise&id=7893884