“We develop, evaluate and test interventions to help empower people to live healthier,” explained Roberto Benzo, PhD, an Ohio State health promotion and behavioral scientist and director of the James Lifestyle Lab. “We focus on empowering people to eat and exercise better and better manage their stress … helping people find the right solutions at the right time.” In this episode, Benzo explained how exercise, diet and managing stress are important for everyone, and for cancer patients during and after their treatment. “Even after a cancer diagnosis it’s not too late [to change behaviors],” Benzo said. “Being active and eating well can help you better tolerate your treatment and better manage your symptoms.” One of the tools Benzo and his team use re mobile health technologies such as iPhones, Fitbits and Apple Watches, as well as more accurate “research-grade” mobile technology applications. “The data helps us better understand where people are at,” he said. “And helps us establish new goals and behaviors.” Benzo said it can be hard to change long-held lifestyle routines and he offered some tips … “Consistency is one of the top secrets. You don’t have to do a super-hard work out every day, consistency means doing something every day.”

“Acceptance and awareness of where you are is important, being at peace with where you are and not trying to push too hard to get to where you want to be.”

Goal setting … “but setting compassionate goals within your means.”

Social support … “having someone to help you, for emotional support, for informational support and someone to help you do things, such as exercising, and it may not be the same person for all three.”

Benzo’s overall goal is “to help people find acceptance, compassion [for themselves], patience and resilience and use this to help them and motivate them and feel less along, and find joy and contentment for what they do already have.”

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