There is a connection between exercise and stress, and it's a good one!

For those of you who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, or fear you are about to be told the lump in your breast is cancer, stress happens. And getting that stress level under control can be difficult.

And yet we know that when we are stressed, our immune system doesn't work as well as it does when we are feeling relaxed. Unfortunately, when our immune system does malfunction, it allows cancer cells to thrive. So telling someone newly diagnosed to relax has been a Catch-22 situation ... until now.

Studies have verified that vigorous exercise, like power walking, aerobics, or hopping onto the treadmill, is an effective way to send signals to your body to cope and relax more. Your stress hormone levels will be reduced and life will look a little better after finishing a 30-minute workout.

Think of exercise as an important part of your breast cancer treatment, even before treatment gets under way. And do it regularly — daily is best. Then let your immune system do its job of fighting off infection and slowing down the growth of cancer cells.