6 Surprising Things That May Improve Breast Cancer Treatment

Being diagnosed with breast cancer can make a person feel powerless, but there are some things women can do to potentially improve how they feel throughout the process. Here are some strategies recommended by experts—and others that are still being explored—which may help improve the effectiveness and symptoms of treatment. Physical activity “Exercise is one of the best things women can do for themselves,” says Dr. Ann Partridge, director of the Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “It doesn’t mean marathons or hot yoga, but walking three to five times a week can make a huge difference it terms of energy, stamina and how you feel during treatment.” Partridge says that while exercising during treatment won’t be easy for every woman with breast cancer, it can be worthwhile if there days during treatment cycles where women feel up to it. The benefits extend not just to the body, but also to the brain. A new pilot study of 87 breast cancer survivors found that women who did a 12-week exercise program more than doubled how fast they were able to take in information, as measured by cognitive tests, compared to women who weren’t in the exercise group and who just received emails about health topics. Moving more is good preventative medicine, too. Several studies have found that physical activity can lower a woman’s risk for breast cancer, and some studies found that the most active w...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Breast Cancer breast cancer symptoms breast cancer treatment Exercise Meditation Nutrition TIME Health Breast Cancer yoga yoga cancer patients Source Type: news