Another busy weekend here at DYBO HQ – Steve headed off to Majorca for the first training camp he is leading with his new Pro Cycle team, ‘ONE Pro Cycling’, we were putting the final touches to my Masterclass, “Broadway to Hollywood” and my Training Day, ‘The Choreography Equation“ which Karen and I take up to Dunfermline (hosted by Inspire Fit) to deliver to the lovely participants and teachers of Scotland. I’m so looking forward to sharing my many choreography ideas and methods and love of teaching dance inspired fitness. Karen and I are on a mission to support and inspire teachers who are passionate about delivering the very best dance inspired Exercise to Music, Aerobics and Dance inspired fitness via our Training Days and online membership (dyboacademy.co.uk). Read on for class news, a yummy healthy dessert recipe and an over view of the information presented at the One Day Conference I attended at The Royal Marsden entitled “ Exercise, the 4th Cancer Treatment”.
Wooo Hooo
I’m so thrilled that our new classes on a Monday night are going down a storm; the feedback has been wonderful every week. Our Boogie Fit class on Mondays is aimed at Beginners and Returners to Dance inspired fitness, so anyone can join the boogie party at any time as it will always be instructed at entry level.
Our Ski Fit class is also one that, despite running as a course, you can attend without doing the whole course; it’s a fab workout even if you’re not going skiing! Go to www.dybo.co.uk for details.
Yum Yum
I came across this healthy and tasty ‘no added sugar’ dessert recipe and thought that you might like it (the original recipe is from Detoxinista.com). Pineapples are packed with fabulous nutrients and it’s said that they curb your appetite (ayurvedic medicine suggests it stimulates metabolism)
Pineapple Whip – a creamy, fruit-based, soft serve dessert!
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped, or tinned, or ready frozen
- 1 cup almond milk, or non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional, for authentic sweetness)
Instructions
- Freeze the pineapple chunks the day before.
- Using a high speed blender (I love my Nutri-Bullet) or food processor – pulverise the frozen pineapple into an ice cream-like consistency.
- Combine the frozen pineapple with the almond milk and honey, and blend into a frozen sorbet texture.
- Spoon in to serving bowls and scoff the lot!
- Tip-any leftovers (what are they!?) can be frozen in an ice cube tray, and used in smoothies later.
Exercise, the 4th Cancer Treatment
On Tuesday the 13th January 2015 I joined the early commuters and headed up to the ‘big smoke’. My instincts told me that today was going to be a game changer (worth the early start, financial, time and energy investment) and how right I was. Those of us who are regular exercisers know how much better we feel in every way – well, apart from the DOMS! (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, he he). We are the ‘converted’, based on our experiences of improved health, fitness, mobility, muscle tone, energy levels self-esteem and so on. Instinctively I have always believed that if exercise provides you with these benefits when we are healthy, surely we continue to want these benefits if we were sick and it seems that research concurs.
Dr Anna Campbell, from the University of Surrey, delivered the Keynote Speech.
During her presentation she:-
- Outlined the rationale for research into exercise and cancer survivorship. Reviewed the evidence that links exercise with the prevention of primary and secondary cancers
- Reviewed the evidence that exercise is of benefit in the reduction of cancer and treatment related side-effects
- Reviewed evidence of the benefits of exercise throughout the cancer journey
- Reviewed evidence of the mechanisms of protection and exercise oncology
- She discussed how to put the evidence into practices and what future research is needed and how to implement the findings
- She showed us how the predictions for increased cancer rates have been significantly underestimated and we already have 2.5 million people suffering from cancer
Exercise prevents some cancers!
Despite a recent report in the newspaper, which suggest that getting cancer was down to luck, she described lifestyle as having a 40% affect (exercise, diet, and so on) in reducing your chances of getting cancer. Research suggests that there is strong evidence that exercise has a convincing preventative effect of Colon, Breast and Endometrial cancers, there was further (weaker) evidence that it also has a protective effect in the cases of Lung, Prostate and Ovarian cancers. There is insufficient evidence for other cancers at this stage.
In addition to the preventative effects of exercise further, excellent speakers throughout the day presented their own research and working practice in the areas of
- Exercise during cancer treatment
- Getting patients fit for surgery, even delaying surgery as it was regarded more beneficial to get them fit enough to endure surgery – even at the risk of the tumour growing – as often patients succumb to non-cancer related death or illness due to poor fitness
- Exercise and returning to health and staying healthy, fit and cancer-free post treatment
- Exercise in a hospice and a palliative context
In summary, exercise is a key contributor to staying cancer-free; it is also extremely beneficial during treatment, before surgery, during recovery and even at the end of the cancer journey, when cancer is terminal.
The recommended exercise dosage, to prevent illness and disease of any kind, is to achieve 150 minutes of cardio vascular exercise per week, this can be done in up to 60 minute bouts in one go, or accumulated across the day (eg. go for a 10 minute walk, 3 x per day) although the shorter duration activity is for disease prevention rather than fitness gains, thus individuals should aim to build up to longer training efforts. Aim to be active daily. Sitting for more than 8 hours per day will cancel out exercise benefits. We also need to work on muscular strength/endurance and mobility and flexibility for 120 minutes per week; of course we can combine the activities to be time efficient. Diet is also a big factor in creating good health, disease prevention and of course, weight management.
The type of, duration and intensity of exercise should be individualised depending upon the capabilities and preferences of the cancer patient – there is no ‘one-size fits all’ prescription. In my view all exercise regimes should take into account the level, ability, needs and likes of the participant – irrespective of their health status – but of course, most importantly when someone is poorly!
Clearly this is a brief overview of the day’s presentations, I’m happy to answer questions (if I can). I’m hoping to add my support to work in this field by training as a practitioner for Exercise during Cancer, I’ll keep you posted.
Let me know your thoughts,
Have a fab week.
Love ya,
Helen
