We all know someone that has had cancer. In our family my dad and sister are cancer survivors. And although this disease is very close to all of us we often don't know what to do when it comes to exercise and cancer. Should you exercise or not? Does it help or harm? I'm not an oncologist and so don't take these ramblings as medical advice. But I still keep an eye on the research and stay informed as more information on this topic becomes available. A paper out of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden gives some promise for exercise with cancer. The authors looked at over 100 studies, involving over one million adults and 13 different types of cancer. What they found was that exercisers had better outcomes, related to their cancer, than those who didn't exercise. It appeared that exercise helped prevent the onset of cancer. And it helped the body fight back more effectively against the cancer. So how does this happen? Well it appears there are particular immune cells, cytotoxic T cells, that are positively influenced by the effects of exercise. These immune cells, aka killer T cells, have enhanced function with individuals that exercise. Representation of the role of T cells Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/t-cells-meaning-373354 Researchers have transferred the T cells of mice that exercise, to non-exercising mice, and seen tumour reductions. More specifically it appears that certain metabolites are produced during exercise that play a role. Lactate, in particular, seems to bolster T cell activity. When mice where given sodium L-lactate there was an increase in T cell activity and greater decrease in tumour growth. While this all sounds promising there are a few things to keep in mind: The papers reviewed and cited included adults with cancer. We might expect similar results with children but the...

Hey guys! Megan here again, which can only mean one thing… time for another spotlight on one of our clients here at Okanagan Peak Performance Inc. How many of you have used an illness or an injury as a crutch to get yourself out of going to the gym?  I know there are a few of you out there; because even I have been there in the past.  Well, there is one girl I know that didn’t let anything get in the way of her weight loss.  But I’ll let her take over now to you her story. Take it away Danielle. My name is Danielle Sambrielaz and I graduated from Immaculata Regional High School in Kelowna in 2011. I am currently at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan in my second year. -I’m only 19. I love languages and political science, and I am doing a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a minor in Spanish literature. I am planning on going on an exchange to Nottingham, England in my third year. I have struggled with weight loss for a long time. I just felt that I could not lose weight! I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2008 and after my surgery I thought my weight would become normal again. That was not the case! I was diagnosed with another medical condition that prevented me from losing weight, but the problem is that losing weight can also cure it! I had tried different types of gyms around Kelowna in the past, but nothing really worked. My mom (Lia) and brother (Gio) started going to this gym called Okanagan Peak Performance Inc., and it sounded very intense. My mom asked me if I wanted to come try the gym out, because my doctor told me I had to lose weight....