Exercise and Prostate Cancer

My father will be eighty-nine on his next birthday. He didn’t stop working until he was eighty-three. I remember growing up there were two things he instilled in his children. Number one: hard work never killed anybody, and if a man doesn’t work, a man doesn’t eat.

The benefits of exercise

He got prostate cancer at the age of seventy-two and continued to work after that as a landscaper. This was considered hard work and exercise, but he loved doing it. They say exercise has a cure for every problem, whether it is physical, mental, or even emotional. We know that this is not a magic cure, but it can bring a positive impact on body health. When it comes to prostate cancer, exercise is one of the ways that can bring a difference to your well-being.

Being active can help regulate your body's metabolism and burn that extra fat that can be a problem for prostate cancer.

When we say exercise for prostate cancer fighters, it also often revolves around strengthening the pelvic area generally known as the core. They work on this part to give it more strength in the face of harsh treatments, chemotherapies, and surgeries.

Ways to exercise

Of course, this is something you would discuss with your doctor in this regard to help you in going in the right direction. You can also join a gym. Walking, running, cycling, and gardening can also bring in similar support.

My father’s doctor encouraged him to stay active and focus on exercise as a cancer fighter, and told him to focus on Kegel exercise. He was told to specifically contract, hold, and relax his pelvis muscles. It would help him to relieve some pain also. I was really intrigued by this technique. This is an exercise that I feel can be done at almost any time and anywhere; you just need a floor to lie down.

Getting my father into a routine

I got to spend a lot of time with my father during this time of his life. Some days, I could see that he wasn’t very happy, and having prostate cancer was taking a toll on him. We would talk about his overall treatment and how this experience was shaping up his life in general, but I did find one thing very intriguing. Exercise!!! We both laugh at this time. This was something we could do together.

I wanted him to get on an exercise routine. He didn’t have sons, so I just decided I will do this with him. It seems his spirits were low on some days, but I would have him smiling and enjoying his exercise routine after a few minutes. Although this is not enough to draw a statement about his well-being and all, this is just an observation I made while being there and he was happy. He probably just wanted to please his baby girl.

I enjoyed seeing him in a good mood and his smiling face. His willingness to make it work, and the power to overcome all of this. Exercise and hard work brought back the will for my father to fight against this adversity of life. Almost eighty-nine and counting!!