Lisa Marie Bernardo, PhD, MPH, RN

The importance of daily physical activity and exercise is being increasingly recognized, and government agencies, professional organizations, and community groups are all seeking ways to get adults and children up and moving.

Mind-body fitness focuses on the connections between thinking, feeling, and doing. These exercises change energy patterns within the body, facilitating relaxation, reducing fatigue, and improving concentration. Because they also can be modified to suit a person�¢ï¿½ï¿½s needs on any given day, they may be appealing to patients with cancer.

Of serious concern among breast cancer survivors is breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), which causes chronic swelling in the arm or hand where axillary lymph nodes were dissected or radiation therapy was administered. The exact etiology and pathophysiology of BCRL is multifactorial and not completely understood.

Technology rules our daily lives. We use our telephones and computers to do work, converse, send text messages, play games, watch videos, and Web surf.