{"id":23,"date":"2025-07-22T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/?p=23"},"modified":"2025-08-09T13:59:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T13:59:37","slug":"movement-is-medicine-for-cancer-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/?p=23","title":{"rendered":"Movement is Medicine for Cancer Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When you&#8217;re living with or healing from cancer, the word&nbsp;<em>exercise<\/em>&nbsp;can carry a lot of baggage. It might remind you of what you used to be able to do, of expectations you no longer feel able to meet, or of all the ways your body has changed. For many, it becomes something you&nbsp;<em>should<\/em>&nbsp;do, another task on a long list of things supposed to help you heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what if we changed the narrative?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if movement wasn\u2019t a duty or a demand, but a&nbsp;<strong>joyful, life-affirming practice<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Movement Is an Invitation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Movement isn\u2019t about performance or metrics.&nbsp;<strong>It\u2019s an invitation&nbsp;<\/strong>that meets you where you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>It\u2019s an invitation to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reconnect with your body<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Breathe a little deeper<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notice what feels good<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move in a way that honours how you feel right now<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some days, it might be as simple as stretching in bed. Other days, it could be a slow walk, dancing in your kitchen, or lying on the floor and swaying gently.&nbsp;<strong>There is no one right way to move.<\/strong>&nbsp;And&nbsp;<em>all of it counts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we release the pressure to \u201cearn\u201d movement, it becomes a return to self and a celebration of life. A quiet rebellion against the idea that our bodies must&nbsp;<em>perform<\/em>&nbsp;to be deserving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you\u2019ve been feeling disconnected from exercise or burdened by its expectations, try this pause:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How does my body want to move today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then gently follow that whisper without guilt, without rules, just compassion and presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Evidence: Exercise and Colorectal Cancer Outcomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A landmark clinical trial presented at the 2025&nbsp;American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting has confirmed what many of us suspected:&nbsp;<strong>structured movement can actually reduce colorectal cancer recurrence and improve survival<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The 17-year CHALLENGE trial followed nearly 900 patients with Stage II\u2013III colorectal cancer across six countries. After completing surgery and chemotherapy, participants were randomly assigned to either a 3-year structured exercise program or standard health education materials&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Those in the exercise group\u2014which included moderate aerobic activities like walking, biking, or swimming for about 2.5 hours weekly\u2014experienced:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A&nbsp;<strong>28% lower risk of cancer recurrence<\/strong>&nbsp;or new primary cancers after five years&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A&nbsp;<strong>37% reduction in risk of death<\/strong>&nbsp;at eight-year follow-up (90% overall survival vs. 83%)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond longevity, patients also reported better physical function, fitness, and overall well-being.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa2502760\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These findings point to a powerful shift:&nbsp;<strong>movement is not just supportive care\u2014it\u2019s medicine<\/strong>. Physical activity is being embraced as a legitimate, low-cost, life-extending intervention that should be woven into standard cancer care&nbsp;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Translation for everyday life:<\/strong><br>You don&#8217;t need fancy equipment or marathon-level intensity. The study used movement you might already be doing\u2014walking, biking, swimming\u2014structured in ways that feel meaningful. That structured, joyful, self\u2011honoring movement&nbsp;<em>counts<\/em>, not just for quality of life, but for survival too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Embrace This in Your Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Let curiosity guide you.<\/strong>&nbsp;Movement is personal. Ask yourself: what activity feels interesting today?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep it simple.<\/strong>&nbsp;A paced walk, a gentle bike ride, or dancing in the living room all honor your body.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make it consistent.<\/strong>&nbsp;Aim for at least&nbsp;<strong>150\u2011200 minutes a week<\/strong>&nbsp;of moderate movement\u2014breaking it into smaller sessions is totally valid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Frame it as medicine.<\/strong>&nbsp;When you move, you\u2019re not just checking a box\u2014you\u2019re nourishing your body, mind, and spirit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seek support.<\/strong>&nbsp;Whether it&#8217;s a walking buddy, a gentle exercise coach, or simply sharing your goals with friends, connection makes consistency easier.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A New Invitation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Movement is not an obligation; it\u2019s a lifeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a way to reconnect, to breathe deeper, to move through grief or healing with kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s physical survival, but it\u2019s also joy. It\u2019s reclaiming agency. It\u2019s a rebellion against the demand to always do more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So take this as permission:\u2014<br>To stop forcing exercises you dread.<br>To start moving with intention and curiosity.<br>To treat your movement ritual as medicine, not martyrdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because you deserve movement that lights you up and honours your journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Want some help getting started?<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/23S-t17uTU0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enjoy this 15 minute yin yoga practice.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen to this episode of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/ca\/podcast\/living-to-thrive-with-cancer\/id1612720971?i=1000590021685\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Living to Thrive with Cancer Podcast<\/a>&nbsp;to learn more bout studies and benefits of movement for women with cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you would like to know more about the concept of living with cancer, I have written a book all about my personal experience with moving from survivor to thriver. In my book I offer anecdotes and strategies that will encourage you to learn how to thrive with cancer. You can get a copy of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/a.co\/d\/bCsQy9e\">Living to Thrive: a holistic guide to living with cancer here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to navigate cancer alone. As a Certified Holistic Cancer Coach I support women who are looking for more than just surviving day to day &#8211; they want to learn how to thrive with cancer. The THRIVE Cancer Coaching Program is a space for you to learn and grow while getting one to one support from a ten year cancer thriver. Let&#8217;s talk about how coaching can help you create abundance in your life with cancer.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/kathrynwhitewellness\/consultation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Schedule a free 30 minute call today<\/a>&nbsp;to learn more about coaching and how to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Kathryn White is&nbsp;a Certified&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kathrynwhite.coach\/\">Holistic Cancer Coach<\/a>&nbsp;who supports women to turn their cancer diagnosis into a thriving story one woman at a time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you&#8217;re living with or healing from cancer, the word&nbsp;exercise&nbsp;can carry a lot of baggage. It might remind you of what you used to be able to do, of expectations you no longer feel able to meet, or of all the ways your body has changed. For many, it becomes something you&nbsp;should&nbsp;do, another task on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[8,10,14,15,12,11,13,17,16],"class_list":["post-23","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-cancer","tag-cancer-coach","tag-cancer-recovery","tag-cancer-support","tag-cancer-survivor","tag-colon-cancer","tag-holistic-cancer-coach","tag-lifestyle","tag-yoga"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathrynwhite.coach\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}