“Exercise should be regarded
as a tribute to the heart”

— Gene Tunney

I love my heart. I truly do. I believe it is one of the most sophisticated organs in the body. And while I think that it is all too often typecast into being the “center of love”, the heart is so much more!

No offense to any other organ, but without the amazing pumping machine that is our heart, nothing else matters. It’s the center of everything!

In an article by Columbia University Irving Medical Center, they break down the gist of the heart as follows:  First and foremost, the primary function of the heart is to serve as a pump, delivering blood to the rest of the body through a network of arteries and veins. As blood circulates throughout the body and oxygen is used up, the heart pumps more blood to the lungs, where air exchange replenishes the blood’s oxygen content. Your heart also controls the rhythm and speed of your heart rate and maintains your blood pressure. They go on to highlight that to do its job properly, the heart depends on factors such as the size and strength of its muscle, the amount of nutrients and oxygen it receives, the rate at which it pumps, and the condition of the blood vessels.

And so, while it may be a second and often distant thought as you navigate your cancer journey, because the natural tendency is to be focus on the parts that may be under siege from the cancer, the heart cannot be neglected. It is core to your healing path.

In this article, we focus on a few ways to keep it pumped and thus it will also keep you pumped and strong for the journey. You will also want to check out a couple of articles we highlighted in this month’s newsletter about heart health and its relevance for those with breast cancer. To access those great reads, be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter by clicking here.

Maintaining a healthy heart is always important, but it becomes quite literally a matter of life and death while undergoing cancer treatment. A large reason for this is due to the fact that most, if not all, chemotherapeutic medications can cause strain on the heart. For this reason, part of your treatment team should include a cardio-oncologist. They will see you several times a year and will ensure you have regular echocardiograms done to ensure the heart is safe. Your cardio-oncologist may also prescribe medications to proactively address any issues and help you stay on track throughout the journey.

In addition to your doctor, YOU also play a key role in your heart health. I recently heard someone say, “everyone needs to be the CEO of their health”. It is absolutely true!

Even if you have begun the journey not really knowing or necessarily proactively focusing on heart health, the very fact that you are reading this article demonstrates that you care and want to do better. That’s an important first step. Additionally, below I am sharing a couple of practices, I have personally found helpful in keeping my heart healthy and hope they will also serve you well. 

1 | Exercise focused on responsibly increasing your heart rate

• Always speak with your doctor before beginning any exercise routine. I have found that short, exercise workouts such as a 6-minute body workout or simple exercises like a few jumping jacks, light jogging, kneeling push-ups, and brisk walking all help to increase my heart rate and keep my heart healthy. I try to do some variation of these short exercises two to three times a week (the only exception being the week of treatment, as that week is solely dedicated to recovery).

• A particular exercise that I feel serves multiple functionalities is Pilates. While most think of it as a stretching exercise, and it does do that, there are also many aspects of Pilates that will get your heart rate going and thus are very good for you. I try to do a 30-minute session of Pilates a couple of times a week (the only exception being the week of treatment as that week is solely dedicated to recovery). We will be expanding our segments on easy-to-do and sustainable exercises so be sure to check back on our site for further updates.

2 | Eating heart-focused meals

• While I have always been a healthy eater, I’ve further focused on selecting foods that will enhance my nutrition and keep my body healthy and strong, especially through chemotherapy. For me, this means eating the following foods daily: green-leafy vegetables (kale, blanched broccoli, spinach). I’ve also added purple kraut, cabbage, carrots, avocado, cucumbers, pumpkin and sunflower seeds to my regular diet. My go-to protein is chicken, but I’ve also added tofu to my lunch salads and find it quite tasty and filling. Brown rice, quinoa and broths get me through the week of treatment and once my stomach is better, I’m able to resume my regular salads and strong vegetable foods.

• On the sweet side of the diet, I eat blueberries, and dark chocolate as my ‘sweet treats’ that both serve the purpose of satisfying my sweet tooth and being really healthy!

3 | Consistently monitoring your heart

• Regularly checking your heart as part of the treatment journey is a must. I have an echocardiogram ultrasound every three months, and an EKG as part of my regular cardiologist follow-up appointments.

• By regularly screening to ensure your heart is healthy, you and your doctor can proactively make course corrections to your cancer treatment plan and thus prevent more complex issues from arising.

With love,
Amelia O.