The Great Benefit of Fitness While Dealing With Cancer

Today we welcome a post by guest blogger David Haas, who has a passion for teaching people about the benefits of fitness when it comes to the battle against cancer.  I hope this article informs and blesses you, too!

The Great Benefit of Fitness While Dealing With Cancer

By:  Davis Haas, Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Guest Blogger

Fitness serves a wide variety of benefits from improving both physical and mental health. Most people associate fitness with the immediate benefits such as weight loss and muscle growth. However, what many may not be aware of is that fitness serves many other purposes as well, such as aiding cancer patients' in recovery.

It does not matter if the cancer patient has just been diagnosed with the disease, undergoing extensive treatment or if they are in the recovery stages; fitness can help every type of cancer patient. Moreover, it does not matter what type of cancer the patient is currently suffering from. However, rare or aggressive types of cancer, such as mesothelioma, may require additional help from fitness experts.

Various health studies show that fitness can aid a cancer patient. Both the cancer and treatment can leave patients severely fatigued. Exercise will most likely go against patients' natural inclination, seeing that exercise requires energy. However, even a small amount of exercise can help cancer patients restore their energy through muscle breakdown and rebuilding processes.


Exercise stimulates the central nervous system. It also activates endorphins, a natural neurological hormone that relaxes the body. Most aerobic exercises can help relieve the pain caused by chemotherapy and surgery. However, it must be known that heavy exercise is not always recommended for patients who just underwent treatment. Heavy exercise is mostly recommended for patients who are in remission.


Unrelated studies have shown that exercise can help people remain positive, both about themselves and their current situation. Staying positive can certainly help a cancer patient, but it certainly won't destroy the cancer itself. As a result, staying positive can improve a cancer patient's quality of life. Most importantly, when cancer patients can remain positive, it puts their friends and family at ease.


Fitness is greatly beneficial for cancer patients and it can help take their mind off of their current condition. Patients should engage in fitness for 30 to 60 minutes for five days a week. This will help them combat the cancerous cells and also can help their body to quickly recover from treatment.

Scheduling the Week

As I have often related to friends and family when we talk, "mommy brain" is a REAL thing!  This is one reason why I am so thankful for the Women's study several of my friends and I have been doing on a book entitled "Large Family Logistics" by Kim Brenneman (find it here).  This book has been great in providing me with realistic solutions to every day problems, especially as our number of children continues to rise, and more tasks are added to my to-do list until my older children grow in their capabilities (it is happening, but not as lightning speeds!)  One of the most significant areas discussed in this book that has been the most helpful to me is the concept of having specific purposes for each day of the week.  This is a lost art from previous generations, but Kim really helps to fulfill a Titus 2 calling by teaching us younger women some of these techniques.  This is what I will be sharing today.

The way my household runs, we basically do a lot of the same things most days.  Children really love predictability and routine.  We wake up, do chores, eat breakfast, do devotions, have school time, and usually have a little time between school and lunch.  This was my open time for which I needed to find a constructive purpose if possible for myself and the kids to do.  But, since my mommy brain is in full effect, many times when I had this open opportunity to "get things done" my brain would take a vacation and I'd sit there, staring blankly at the computer screen or staring off into space in the kitchen, because I could not, for the life of me, remember what it was that I wanted to accomplish when I went in there or sat down!  It was VERY frustrating (still is when it happens!)  The biggest problem was trying to narrow down the mounds of things that I see every day that "need" to get done to the ones that really NEED to get done and I have time to do realistically.  We all have them: wash dished, scrub floors, bathe kids, iron pants, clean up icky spot on floor, wash windows, sweep, paint hallway, etc.  Some of these are pressing, many are not, so prioritizing this list is very important.  But, I would find myself essentially attempting to do the entire household of items during this "free" time and always feeling like nothing was really getting done.

So, this simple weekly purpose rotation has been a brain-saver for me because it provided me the necessary focus to prioritize my tasks.  In my home (and this is really ever-evolving as seasons change), right now, my week looks like this: Monday- Kitchen Day, Tuesday- Cleaning Day, Wednesday- Laundry Day, Thursday- Office Day, Friday- Town Day, Saturday- Gardening Day, and Sunday- Lord's Day.  Once in a while I need to swap these days because of the needs of the week, but I try to keep them pretty predictable as much as possible.  In each of these days, I try to make the focus of the day on the determined theme, and this has really helped me to get more done in more areas of our life than I thought I could do.  I will likely elaborate more on the purpose of each of these days in coming posts, but I will provide some basic info to maybe inspire you to get your own schedule together.  Kitchen Day is where the focus is in the kitchen.  I try to bake most of my baked goods for the week, clean one part of the kitchen, and really give the counters and sink a good scrub.  On Cleaning Day, obviously, the focus is cleaning, where the kids and I all help clean the house (Lily does the upstairs bathroom, Nadya cleans the play room and vacuums (one of them dusts), Anaya "helps" as needed, I try to task Zack as much as possible with little things, and I clean my bathroom, sweep, and do whatever else needs to be done in my priorities).  Laundry Day attacks the laundry monster.  Thursday I balance the checkbook, pay any needed bills, clean out all the piling papers at the desk, and file away needed files.  Friday is where we food shop, make small errands, and anything else needed out of the home.  Saturday is when we really focus on tended the growing garden (planning the garden or actually working it, depending on the season of the year).  And, Sunday, which is our day to relax, refrain from as much work as possible and enjoy focusing of fellowship with friends and family.  As much as possible, I try to prepare ahead for Sunday (baking or cooking ahead, or making simple meals) to keep the work load as light as possible, but I am still learning this skill.

I hope that this explanation is a help to you!  If you have anything that has worked great for you, please comment below!  God bless!

"I am the Bread of Life"

Lately I have been enjoying getting an "education" through the awesome online video classes provided by The Bread Beckers.  This company is amazing!  A good friend of mine first introduced me to them a little over a year ago, but I am just now getting better acquainted with just what a great resource they really are for the health-minded Christian.  I am thrilled with the wealth of knowledge they offer and wanted to take the time to share a great article written by Sue Becker, the mama of the family.  Women: get ready to be convicted.  We have a great calling for our families and a wonderful opportunity to respond with a resounding "Amen!"  I hope this article gets into your mind and makes you really think about your position in your family, your importance, and the high calling you have.  Feel free to share thoughts at the end of the article, and never hesitate to ask questions or seek counsel.  We are all here to help encourage each other in the Spirit!

Do Not Eat The Bread of Idleness

by Sue Becker, 1994
(An edited version of this article appeared in Above Rubies magazine #44)

 "Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain.  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is near at hand. "Joel 2:1

There is a health care crisis in this land.  Liberals and conservatives alike agree on this fact.  The cause of the crisis is quite another issue.  Some blame lawyers, while others blame doctors, insurance companies, medical suppliers or the government.  While all of these have certainly played their part, the truth of the matter is that we are to blame.  We are a sick and unhealthy people. God's word in Matthew 9:35-38 certainly describes the state of our country today.  We are sick, but as we turn to doctors and medicine, weight loss clinics and diets we are often left "bewildered - harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless - like sheep without a shepherd.(v36)  Our health does not depend on doctors and medicine but on how we live our lives.

The God who created our bodies also caused the earth to bring forth vegetation and gave to man "every plant yielding seed and every tree with seed in its fruit" to have for food. (Gen 1:29)  After the flood His provisions for man included "every moving thing that lives" as well as the green vegetables and plants. (Gen 9:3).  I trust God completely in His provisions to know what foods will best nourish our bodies.  Man, however, has altered His provisions first for the sake of convenience and now for greed.

Look for a moment at the example of the children of Israel in the wilderness.  With nothing to eat, God lovingly provided them with manna from heaven.  It was to be gathered daily.  Some tried to gather tomorrow's portion today so that they would not have to gather tomorrow.  God says six days shall you work and one day shall you rest and so on every day but the Sabbath, God caused the manna that was gathered early to get worms in it.  I'm sure if some enterprising Israelite could have discovered a way to keep the manna from spoiling, to allow it to be stored for several days, he would have had a very marketable product, especially to those who were simply too lazy or too busy doing other things to get their food every day.

This is exactly what we see if we look more closely at the foods offered in the grocery store and how they got there.  Jesus prayed, "Give us this day our daily bread."  God designed the wheat kernel, as well as other grains to perfectly store the nutrients within.  Once broken open, as in milling, the nutrients immediately begin to oxidize.  Within about 72 hours 90% of over 30 nutrients are virtually gone.

Prior to the 1900s most flour was milled locally and the bread baked at home. Since the flour could not be stored, only enough grain was ground fresh each day to meet the needs of the community.  This meant that just about every family was "gathering" their manna daily.  However, in the 1920s new technology allowed enterprising millers to separate the wheat components.  By removing the germ, germ oil, and the bran the remaining white flour could be stored indefinitely.  This began to eliminate the need for local milling and people began to relinquish their own responsibility of preparing their bread daily.

Lucrative markets were also found for the nutritious "by-products" of this new milling process.  The bran and wheat germ were sold as high protein food supplements for cattle.  Local mills soon went out of business as the large roller mills produced huge volumes of long lasting white flour.

This appeared to be a great advance in technology.  In just a short time, however, cases of beriberi and pellagra began to drastically increase.  Both of these diseases are the result of vitamin B deficiencies and health officials traced the problem to the new white flour.  The new milling process strips the B vitamins as well as about 24 other nutrients from the wheat kernels.

Health officials urged mills to return to producing whole wheat flour again but they did not want to lose their very profitable market of selling the germ and bran as cattle feed.  Instead, millers chose to "enrich" the white flour by replacing 4 vitamins for the 25-30 that are removed.  This solved the problem of beriberi and pellagra; however, we are now plagued with many diseases that are directly related to our consumption of white flour (appendicitis, diverticular disease, hiatal hernia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and more!).

Our willingness to be free of the responsibility of preparing our bread daily has now put the control of what we feed our families into the hands of huge food companies with one goal in mind - MONEY.  As we shop for our food we get to choose from what someone with only profit in mind is offering.

What can we do now? "... Thus saith the Lord of host: Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but you do not have enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe yourselves, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of host: Consider your ways."  Haggai 1:5-7  We as women must consider our ways and turn our hearts back towards home.  We must be willing to reclaim the ground that we have relinquished to others.  There are actually many" holes in our bags" where we have lost control.  I wish to focus on one that I think is key.  I call it The Bread of Idleness.......

"She looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness." Proverbs 31:27

Upon first reading the verse I almost laughed.  Who could be idle with children, home-schooling, laundry, a husband and a home business?  The list could go on and I can honestly say I don't think there is ever an idle moment in our house - or is there?  A further study of this verse was truly enlightening and opened my heart to some new truths.

The words "looketh well" come from a Hebrew word meaning "to lean forward", "to peer into the distance" or "to observe, to wait".  "Ways" means "a walk, or a step" and "household" means "family" with its roots coming from a word meaning "to build".  "To build" called to mind a familiar verse from Proverbs.  "Every wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."  Proverbs 14:1

This wise woman that builds her house does so by looking ahead to see what lasting effect today's activities may have on her future and the future of her family.  She ponders each step she must take in her walk with the Lord and in serving her family.  As she peers into the distance she is considering the future and outcome of her children.  She trains them accordingly.  She does not worry about tomorrow but certainly plans her steps as she observes and waits on the Lord's direction.

Considering the foolish woman of Proverbs 14 caused me to wonder what makes one foolish.  I know that God's word says that it is bound in the heart of a child.  Considering the behavior of my own children shed great light on the answer to this question.  Basically children's one desire is for the "pleasure of the moment".

All their decisions, actions or reactions, and thoughts are based on obtaining this "pleasure".  They can not really think about "tomorrow" or future consequences.  They want what they want and they want it now!

The foolish woman, for the pleasure of the moment, is tearing down her house with her own hands.  The wise woman of Proverbs 31 does not eat the bread of idleness but this foolish woman consumes it.  The word "idle" means to "lean idle, having no value, use, or significance".  The root of the word "idle" means "to burn or shine" either in the sense of "only apparent" or "burned out".   "Bread" is "food, especially grain for making it".  Another word for idleness is indolence.  Indolence means "disliking or avoiding work".

We can not afford to be indolent any longer.  We must carefully consider the activities in our lives.  Are they pleasures of the moment that can masquerade as any worthwhile cause?  We must honestly ask ourselves do we merely have the "appearance" of being very busy.  Are we "burned out" because much of what we do (or don't do) is for the pleasure of the moment (either mine or someone else's) and has no real value or significance?  Can we look at our day's accomplishments and say as God did "It is good"?  Are we tempted to work on the seventh day because we are not satisfied with our weeks' work?

Can we see that women have relinquished much of the homeward responsibilities and that the milling of grains and baking of bread was left to others because it freed them (and men) up to do other things.  These "other things", unfortunately have taken us more and more out of the home.  The food products in the stores are there because America wants fast and easy.  "We just don't have time to cook anymore."

I am here to tell you, however, that the food we eat is the "bread" of our own idleness.  For the pleasures of the moment we now have sickness in our land in giant proportions.  God has not sent these judgments on us, rather we have brought them on ourselves by altering His provisions designed to perfectly nourish our bodies.  Many of the foods we now eat for convenience are literally making us sick because they are devoid of the fiber and the nutrients that are essential to our health.  Yet, vital life-giving whole foods are available.

With the purchase of a grain mill and the baking of our own bread we began to discover many of these whole foods and their benefits.  We began to see many positive results - constipation relieved, warts disappeared and a considerable decrease in our cravings for sweets.  This led to our virtually eliminating white sugar from our home.  The use of our grain mill opened the door to unlimited possibilities.  It brought joy and creativity back to food preparation.  Now after 5 years we have seen tremendous health improvements.  We have not been to the doctor for an illness nor have any of us had to take antibiotics in more than 3 1/2 years.  With 7 children (ages 16 yrs -2 month), this is a blessing and testimony of God's perfect provision.  God has the answer to the health care crisis!

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)  As Jesus is the very beginning and source of our spiritual life, we believe that bread -real bread - should be the foundation of sustaining our physical lives.

"Give us this day our daily bread" - If God is willing to provide, are you willing to "gather and prepare"?

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice.  Consult you health care provider for your individual nutritional and medical needs.  The opinions are strictly those of the author and are not necessarily those of any professional group or other individual.