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3 Ways To Stay Active After Breast Cancer

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Breast cancer is probably more publicized than any other form of cancer. Melissa Ethridge wrote a song about it, Lynn Redgrave published a book on it, and Betsy Johnson created a designer t-shirt to honor her battle with it. There’s a reason why celebrities write memoirs and everyday women run marathons. Breast cancer is an ongoing battle that summons unworldly strength and faith, and treatment is just the beginning.

In the last few years, several studies have shown that even the aftermath of breast cancer treatment can be deadly. In 2005, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that women who had had breast cancer who were physically inactive were more likely to die from the disease. A recent study from The Journal of the National Cancer Institute carried this one step further and showed that inability to perform daily activities of living (like carrying light objects or walking up and down a flight of stairs) after breast cancer treatment was linked to higher risk of from other diseases.

These and other similar studies from well-reputed journals all suggest the same thing: exercise can greatly improve a woman’s chances of survival (and not just from breast cancer) throughout the breast cancer experience.

The following tips are some great ways to heed this advice.

1. SWIM FOR THE CURE
Join Aqua Sphere in their 2010 swim challenge to help raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Sign up at http://swimchallenge.org/ and start logging your pool hours.

2. BOWLING FOR BOOBIES
If swimming’s not your style, try joining in on a bowling fundraiser tournament during breast cancer awareness month. The games are located in L.A., Philadelphia, and Houston this year. http://www.bowlingforboobies.com/

3. PINK VOLLEYBALL AND SOCCER
Get active with friends and family in your own back yard. Baden sports sells PINK volleyballs and soccer balls online that support the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The American Cancer Society recommends engaging in at least 30 minutes or more of moderate activity, five or more days a week. Increasing this to 45 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity may further reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer.

SOURCES:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/293/20/2479
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/canjclin.53.5.268/full

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Jennifer Austin
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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