Fitness Inspiration for Cancer Patients

Those who have cancer may feel like the treatments are more draining than the disease itself. These can sap their energy, making them feel weak and tired all of the time. They may even feel nauseous and sick. This is not the way that they want to live, and they will be glad to know that it is not the way that they have to live. Something that many people do not realize is that exercise can really help them to overcome these feelings. It can help them to regain their strength and to feel better.

Increased Strength
First of all, exercise can help them by increasing their muscle mass and making them physically stronger. The body will be weak already, so this strength can help them to feel like they are able to be more active. They will be able to do more things, showing them that their life can still be as fulfilling as they desire.

Better Blood-Flow and a Higher Heart Rate
Any exercise gets the heart working. This helps to prevent blood clots and other such problems. The rising heart rate can also make them feel less lethargic. This is one of the reasons that cancer patients have been shown to have a lower risk of a reoccurrence of cancer if they are exercising frequently.

An Improved Outlook
Exercise can just help people to feel better in an emotional sense. They will be more awake and alert. This will improve their mood. It can also help them to connect with those around them.

The Best Exercises
Some exercises are ideal for cancer survivors. One such exercise is simply stretching. Increased flexibility helps with blood flow and allows more exercises to be possible. Resistance training with weights or machines is also a good idea since patients will have often lose muscle mass during their treatment. They could also have gained fat, and having larger muscles will help them to burn it off. As they start to feel better, aerobic exercises such as walking or swimming are encouraged. These can also help to reduce fat.

How To Stay Motivated
When someone is not feeling well, it can be hard for them to want to do anything, let alone work out. They need to keep the positives in mind so that they can be encouraged to continue working out. They need to set goals for themselves. Even small goals, such as walking for a mile, can be helpful. Furthermore, they could reward themselves when they accomplish certain things. They should also think of exercise as a way of showing cancer that it cannot rule their life.

Many doctors and patients have noticed the benefits of exercise and healthy living throughout cancer treatment. Many hospitals have open fitness classes, and some gyms offer course designed for cancer patients or survivors. No matter what, patients with an unfavorable cancer prognosis, lean towards some sort of exercise routine. They are fun, social, and exciting ways to learn how to challenge the body.

Taking too much paracetamol

Victims of 'staggered' overdoses often fail to realise the amount they are taking could be fatal over a few days, they say.

Experts have also pointed out, however, that many of us will be taking paracetamol or combination remedies containing the drug this winter to combat colds and flu, and that it is a safe and effective painkiller when the correct amount is taken.

A study shows the risk of dying from liver failure is higher from accidental overdose than deliberate suicide attempts.

This is because people report feeling unwell to GPs or accident and emergency departments without knowing the cause, making it difficult to diagnose and treat in time.

It is too easy to 'top up' the dose without realising the dangers, they warn.

Eight 500mg tablets a day – the equivalent of 4g – should be the maximum daily dose.

In the study, a team led by Dr Kenneth Simpson analysed data from 663 patients who had been admitted to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary between 1992 and 2008 with liver damage caused by paracetamol.

Tragedy: Donna Bishop overdosed on paracetamol

Donna Bishop overdose in paracetamol

They found 161 people with an average age of 40 had taken a staggered overdose, usually to relieve stomach and back pain, headache or toothache.

Two out of five died from liver failure – a higher fatality rate than recorded for deliberate overdosing, says a report in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Dr Simpson, of Edinburgh University and the Scottish Liver Transplantation Unit, said staggered overdoses can occur when people have pain and repeatedly take a little more paracetamol than they should.

He said: 'They haven't taken the sort of one-off massive overdoses taken by people who try to commit suicide, but over time the damage builds up and the effect can be fatal.

'They are often taking paracetamol for pain and they don't keep track of how much they've consumed over a few days.

'But on admission, these staggered overdose patients were more likely to have liver and brain problems, require kidney dialysis or help with breathing and were at greater risk of dying than people who had taken single overdoses.'

Hospital doctors may find low levels of paracetamol in the blood of people suffering from staggered overdoses even though they are at high risk of liver failure and death. Dr Simpson said some people reacted worse to a lower dose than others, with high alc0hol consumption exacerbating the problem – and it was not possible to identify them in advance.

He said 10g was the lowest amount in the study leading to death while 24g over 24 hours was a recognised fatal dose.

'The safest thing to do is monitor how much you're taking and do not exceed eight 500mg tablets in a day,' he said.

Normal quantities of the drug are broken down harmlessly by the body but excessive amounts can accumulate in the liver, leading to irreversible damage.

By JENNY HOPE