Rebounding is a complete cellular exercise, stimulating the activity of the lymphatic system (a critical part of the immune system). Rebounding 3-5 times per week at a minimum of 10-15 minutes at a time is highly beneficial. It is effective at a minimal bounce, using acceleration and deceleration, with each bounce, to open and close the one-way valves between the lymphatic system and the cells. Lymphatic fluid surrounds all of the cells of the body. While bounding toxins, poisons, and metabolic waste are pulled out of the cells into the lymph fluid, while oxygen and nutrients (transferred previously at the capillaries, from the blood) are pulled in the cells from the lymph fluid. Within the lymph system are lymphocytes, for example- white blood cells, which consume metabolic waste, bacteria, and dead cells. Rebounding keeps the lymph system moving and unplugged, so lymphocytes have free reign to do their job. More importantly, bounding does this without stressing the hips, knees, or ankles, or creating shin-splints. It can be done on a daily basis or multiple times per day without creating overuse injury.

What is the Lymph System and how does it help me?

The lymphatic system acts as a secondary circulatory system, except that it collaborates with white blood cells in lymph nodes to protect the body from being infected by cancer cells, fungi, viruses or bacteria.

The lymphatic system is a system of thin tubes that runs throughout the body. These tubes are called ‘lymph vessels’.

Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system is not closed and has no central pump. It is not under pressure and only moves because of exercise or muscle contraction.

When the lymphatic system is congested, the cells become deprived of oxygen, affecting the body’s ability to rid itself of its own waste material. Over time, other body systems that rely on the lymphatic.

It takes only two minutes of rebounding to flush the entire lymphatic system, while cleansing and strengthening cells and lymph nodes. A further benefit to the body is that during this brief time span the white blood cells of the immune system triple in number and remain elevated for an hour. These specialized cells play a major role in the body’s defense against illness and disease.

At this point another two-minute rebound session would increase the demand for white blood cells as the process of cleansing, strengthening, and the flushing away of spent cells and other cancerous debris is repeated.

When beginning a program of regular rebounding it’s best to gradually increase time and intensity as the body – including bones and internal organs – adjusts to the increased gravitational load and becomes stronger.

Exercise and the Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system, a major part of the body’s immune system, is a network of lymph nodes, ducts, and vessels that transport lymphatic fluid from the tissues to the bloodstream.

Lymph nodes act as filters and remove bacteria and toxins. Their role is vital in maintaining health and the lymph system must be kept flowing in order to function correctly, especially for those suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

People with chronic fatigue syndrome often have depressed immune systems, and a healthy lymphatic system will reduce the symptoms.

Unlike the circulatory system which uses the heart as a pump, the lymph system relies on body movement, that is, exercise to circulate lymph around the body.

When you don’t exercise sufficiently, the lymph system becomes stagnant and blocked. For those with chronic fatigue syndrome, it means your body is unable to efficiently dispose of toxins and bacteria and begin to heal.

Cancer-Related Fatigue Syndrome Sufferers Can Rebound with Exercise

When you are feeling dragged down by cancer-related fatigue syndrome, exercise is the furthest thing from your mind. However, to reduce the symptoms of this syndrome you need to exercise to get your lymph system moving and rid your body of harmful toxins and waste.

This will also help to prevent Lymphedema

Lymph fluid is activated in three ways: muscular contraction from exercise, gravitational pressure, and internal massage to the valves of the lymph ducts.

You don’t have to run marathons in order to get the exercise you need. In fact, a mini exercise trampoline called a rebounder is the perfect exercise tool for you.

For chronic fatigue sufferers, mini exercise trampoline rebounding is the most efficient and effective form of exercise to get your lymph system flowing.

Mini Exercise Trampoline Advantages:

More Efficient Exercise: For those with cancer-related fatigue, mini exercise trampoline rebounding is a very efficient form of exercise.

With most forms of exercise, you have to spend as much energy decelerating as you do accelerating. But when you exercise with a rebounder, at the bottom of a bounce the force is recycled upwards without you having to expend extra energy. For those with cancer-related fatigue, this energy saving is a godsend.

When you bounce downwards, the mat absorbs the impact. Even though the impact is cushioned, it still strengthens the entire body more thoroughly than any other form of exercise. If you suffer from cancer-related fatigue syndrome, a strong body is your goal.

10 Reasons to Jump for your Health & Fitness

1. Increased G-force (gravitational load), which strengthens the musculoskeletal systems.
2. Aids lymphatic circulation by stimulating the millions of one-way valves in the lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system acts as your body’s internal vacuum cleaner.
3. Establishes a better equilibrium between the oxygen required by the tissues and the oxygen made available.
4. Increases the functional activity of the red bone marrow in the production of red blood cells.
5. Improves resting metabolic rate so that more calories are burned for hours after exercise.
6. Improves circulation. It encourages collateral circulation (the formation of new branch blood vessels that distribute blood to the heart) by increasing the capillary count the muscles and decreasing the distance between the capillaries and the target cells.
7. Strengthens the heart and other muscles in the body so that they work more efficiently.
8. Improves coordination between the proprioceptors in the joints, the transmission of nerve impulses to and from the brain, transmission of nerve impulses and responsiveness of the muscle fibers.
9. Improves the brain’s responsiveness to the vestibular apparatus within the inner ear, thus improving balance.
10. Rebounding for longer than 20 minutes at a moderate intensity increases the mitochondria count within the muscle cells, essential for endurance.

“Everything is OK, see you next year.” These are the words every woman want to hear at the end of her mammogram appointment. Each year, beginning at age 40, a woman makes her annual trek to her mammogram screening. We sit patiently waiting to be taken into the room where they will conduct the screening. Then we sit patiently to receive the news that, hopefully, it’s all good – “you can get dressed now and we’ll see you next year.”

The first mammogram after my diagnosis was emotionally draining. I couldn’t sleep the night before and I was anxious the morning of. When I received the news that all was OK, I burst into tears – just an emotional release. The radiologist didn’t know what to do, he told me to go home and have a drink. The look on his face was priceless.

The first six years after diagnosis, I was seen every 6 months alternating either a digital mammogram or an ultrasound. Then at year seven, I asked if we could change this to once per year and was given the “OK” for the once/year screening.

For the next few years, I would be nervous on my way to the mammogram appointment. But each year, it was a little less emotional. It has been 11 years since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, I was relatively calm. I had a mammogram and ultrasound in the same appointment… and it was all good.

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Many of the breast cancer survivors out there may not know that it is still important to get a breast screening once per year. If you have had a mastectomy, then the screening would be an ultrasound, not a mammogram. Even after a complete removal of the entire breast, there is a small risk of reoccurrence in the remaining tissue/ chest area. It is not possible to remove 100% of all breast tissue and it is not possible for the medical professional to know that 100% of all tissue has been removed. For this reason, a screening of some type should be scheduled once per year.

This is my story – of how I turned my professional and personal experience with breast cancer into a global brand.

The Pink Ribbon Program, Inc. originated in 2002 when, as an exercise physiologist and certified Pilates instructor, I began working with several breast cancer patients at my New Jersey based wellness studio. When reviewing a patient’s health history, I was dismayed to discover that survivors were discharged following mastectomies, lymph node dissections and even reconstructive surgeries without a medical plan for either physical therapy or rehabilitation. With extensive research into the aftercare for this patient base, what I discovered was astonishing; there was, and still is no medical standard of care for rehabilitation of breast cancer patients.

With this discovery, I was determined to create the first therapeutic exercise program for patients who struggle with the physical complications and limitations following breast cancer surgery and treatment. Based on its principles of proper alignment, stabilization, correct posture, improving flexibility and full range of motion, I believed that using Pilates as the framework for this therapeutic exercise program, was a perfect fit for breast cancer rehabilitation. Using my expertise in Pilates, I created a program with modified movements designed specifically for breast cancer survivors.

In an ironic twist of fate, I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years after creating the program. This gave me firsthand experience and understanding of the actual pain and physical limitations that survivors deal with on a daily basis. I found common ground and could relate to my patients on a personal level as I completed the very program I had created to cope with the aftermath of cancer. Due to this personal experience, I was even more determined to help as many breast cancer patients as possible.

In 2005, I created the educational training component that now has me traveling throughout the United States and Europe to train both healthcare professionals (Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Oncology Nurses), and Pilates instructors and Personal Fitness Trainers. To date, The Pink Ribbon Therapeutic Exercise protocol has been taught to over 1000 healthcare/fitness professionals. In 2011, The Pink Ribbon Program was launched internationally. Training is now available in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and Denmark and Hungary.

The ultimate goal of the Pink Ribbon Program, Inc. is to create a medical standard of care for post-operative rehabilitation for all breast cancer patients. The philosophy of Pink Ribbon Program is to empower patients to: “Get Back to Living, Not Just Surviving”. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us better. We will be posting new blog content monthly.

Kind Regards,

Doreen Puglisi

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Mission Statement: The life-force of the Pink Ribbon Program is to ensure that every woman has the ability to regain a sense of wellbeing that had been lost from diagnosis through surgery and into recovery. This can be achieved, in part, through a post-operative rehabilitation program designed specifically for the needs and challenges facing the growing number of breast cancer survivors.