It feels like summer here in Florida. Our temps topped 86 degrees last week and this kind of heat prompts my little boys to request their favorite summertime activity: swimming.

My kids don't quite understand that the temperature outside is not the same as the temperature of unheated water. And so as soon as warm weather arrives, they dash for their suits and insist we make a trip to the neighborhood pool. I oblige, convinced they'll want to head home once they submerge their piggy toes in pure ice.

But somehow, the temperature doesn't register. They plunge right in, dunk their heads and kick and flop and float. They are happy as clams, quivering lips and all. I am happy too as I watch their joyous moments from the privacy of my lounge chair, tucked away in the shade that borders my kids' perfect playland.

Thanks to chemo, I am the mommy who hides in the shadows during any sunny event. It's been two whole years since my last dose of toxic drugs, but something about the sun and the heat and the residual effects of my infused poison causes my skin to produce red, itchy, unsightly bumps. It happened last year and already this year and I'm wondering now if this will be a life-long nuisance, if I will be seeking shade for the rest of my years.

It's all OK really. Secluding myself from the sun's rays is a pretty healthy venture. And I'm not a real pool enthusiast. Any my boys are old enough to swim independently. And it's peaceful in the shade. So I'm not bitter about this unexpected side effect of chemo -- it's called UV recall -- and I'm not complaining. I'm merely marveling at the power of the drugs that hopefully killed all the cancer in my body, the drugs that seem to creep back year after year, perhaps reminding me that in the whole scheme of things, red, itchy, unsightly bumps are not such a bad life condition.

Regular. Strenuous. Exercise. Memorize these three words. Live these three words. And abandon all thoughts of a fitness routine that is easy, moderate, or periodic.

Brisk walking, golf, and volleyball are considered moderate forms of exercise. Swimming laps, aerobics, and running are considered strenuous. And these are the activities we should be taking part in -- for the rest of our lives -- if we really truly wish to prevent breast cancer.

A new study, published in the February 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, shows women with a long-term history of engaging in strenuous exercise for more than five hours per week were 20 percent less likely to develop invasive breast cancer and 31 percent less likely to develop in situ breast cancer than those logging less than 30 minutes of strenuous exercise per week.

It seems strenuous exercise most affects estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer. But clearly, everyone can benefit from vigorous fitness training -- the American Cancer Society recommends moderate to strenuous exercise five days per week for at least 30 minutes each day -- and this is exactly why I am headed out for a run. Today!

A new study shows that if you drink, bathe or swim in chlorinated water it may increase the risk of bladder cancer. The chemicals, mostly chlorine, used to disinfect water can be harmful when they are inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

The chemical by-product produced, called trihalomethanes (THM), can be a powerful carcinogenic because it does not get detoxified by the liver.

The researchers analyzed the average water THM levels in the 123 municipalities in the study. People living in households with an average household water THM of more than 49 micrograms per liter had double the bladder cancer risk of those living in households where water THM concentration was below 8 micrograms per liter. They noted that levels of about 50 micrograms per liter are common in industrialized societies.

Those who drank chlorinate water were at a 35 percent greater risk of bladder cancer than those who didn't and the use of swimming pools boosted bladder cancer risk by 57 percent.

Something else we need to worry about--great! I am not losing sleep over this one. I cannot take back all those years swimming in the backyard pool!

Calorie counting may be a bit tedious for some -- like me -- but for others, it may be just the ticket for the management of weight and overall health.

Charles Stuart Platkin, author of the new book The Diet Detective's Count Down, takes calorie counting one step further and offers the exercise equivalent of a nutritional label.

His 341-page book offers charts that detail the number of calories, fats, and carbohydrates in more than 7,500 foods and drinks and then translates these details into what it takes, in terms of minutes, to burn the calories with walking, running, biking, swimming, yoga, or dance.

Platkin, a syndicated nutrition and fitness columnist, says he is not trying to encourage people to count every calorie consumed in a day and to exercise until each calorie melts away. His goal is to help those who exceed their daily calorie budget -- the number of calories they can eat each day without gaining weight.

The Count Down goes like this -- you consume one martini at your New Year's celebration, pushing you beyond your allotted calories for the day. All you have to do is walk it off the next day in a mere 71 minutes. Or you can run it off in just 39 minutes. If a single cracker with one slice of Genoa salami and cheese tempts your palate, go for it -- then plunge into a 55-minute yoga class.

Before taking a stab at the diet detective's approach, there are several considerations to take into account. First, the book is based on a 155-pound person. A person carrying more weight would burn more calories per minute, and a person carrying less weight would burn less. Second, a person's basal metabolic rate (BMR) must be calculated -- Platkin offers formulas for this task -- so it's clear how much activity output is required by each person. And third, the exercise equivalents are based on scientifically researched metabolic equivalent tables that try to measure what is being burned versus a person's resting metabolic rate. So this is not just a crazy gimmick. It's science -- with a touch of personal perspective too.

Platkin, clinically obese for most of his life, lost 50 pounds a few years ago and came to realize that people just don't know what a calorie is. He wishes the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) would include exercise recommendations on food labels and says, "I think that we are so confused in general as a population as to what's healthy and what's not, we confuse the term healthy with low-calorie. Sometimes they don't mesh. There's so much confusion out there that I think that it needs to be more defined. We need to have some sort of reference points so that people can make decisions before they consume."

Until the FDA delivers on Platkin's wish, he is taking matters into his own hands for those who choose to borrow from his wisdom.

Some of his wisdom includes eating calorie bargains (air-popped popcorn) instead of calorie rip-offs (potato chips) and substituting mustard for mayonnaise on a burger -- it will save 2,000 calories per month for someone who eats fast food three times per week.

Platkin's hope is simple -- he wants people to ask themselves whether certain foods are worth the cost. Is it worth a 54-minute run to burn the 510 calories in a McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese? How about a 144-minute walk to rid yourself of a Subway six-inch Meatball Marinara sandwich?

It's a worthy hope, I think -- although this method is still a bit tedious for me. I think I will stick with my own formula -- eating moderate portions of what I enjoy and intensely exercising several times per week. I don't need to know how many calories I am consuming. I don't even need to know how much I weigh. As long as my clothes fit and my fitness routine keeps me sweating, I'll be a happy girl.

One common thread woven into overall cancer prevention and survival is this -- exercise.

One hour of daily vigorous exercise -- or two hours of less strenuous activity -- is now linked to a lower risk of colon cancer, according to the results of a recent study.

Jogging, pumping iron, swimming, and even housecleaning can do the trick, as demonstrated by research conducted with 413,000 people in 10 European countries.

Of those studied, people with the highest level of exercise were 22 percent less likely to develop cancer and 35 percent less likely to develop tumors on the right side of the colon. Those of normal weight enjoyed a greater benefit, but exercise was also beneficial for the overweight and obese. Exercise did not have a protective effect against rectal cancer.

This research -- helping to support the fact that about 70 percent of colon cancer cases can be prevented by changes in diet and exercise -- is significant because of the large sample size and the different levels of activity observed across the borders.

Colon and rectal are among the most common cancers in developed countries. More than 940,000 cases are diagnosed each year. About 492,000 people die from the illness.

Stapling the stomach of an obese child is a last resort, but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued a stamp of approval for bariatric surgery as part of a national guideline aimed at reducing obesity in children and minimizing the long-term adverse health effects that being overweight has on health.

This is the NICE organization's effort to find solutions to England's rising obesity epidemic where the number of overweight and obese people in the last quarter century has tripled.

Stomach stapling is not the only solution, but it is now an approved option. Other recommendations include the following: local authorities working with local partners, such as industry and voluntary organizations, to create safe spaces for physical activity; providing cycling and walking routes, cycle parking, area maps and safe play areas; creating pedestrian-friendly streets; designing building and spaces to encourage more physical activity; requiring schools to provide an environment that promotes healthy eating and physical exercise; healthcare professionals taking the time to educate and give advice on how to maintain a healthy weight; raising public awareness and encouraging daily physical activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, aerobics or gardening.

Obesity cannot go unchecked and it is a threat to the health and welfare of children and adults alike, as obesity is linked to greater increased risks for a number of life-threatening diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. But, it is uncomfortable to think that one of the solutions to childhood obesity is a scalpel. The NICE press release New NICE guideline calls for urgent action to stem the rising tide of obesity in England and Wales is available as a pdf document here.

I'm headed for a Saturday morning workout with my fitness trainer. For one hour, I will physically challenge my body and emotionally charge my spirits. I will sweat and pant and if I am required to do the inner thigh exercise, I will scream. I will also whine -- it's in my nature -- and I will push, pull, bounce, balance, lift, squat, lunge, and run until it's quitting time. I will fall short on some of my exercise expectations. And I will surprise myself and exceed others. In the end, I will feel accomplished, strong, motivated, and ready to tackle the day.

I'm making a comeback. I have come back from the depths of cancer and all of its accompanying treatment, and I have invited this powerhouse of a girl to transform me. She has accepted the challenge -- and she has helped me evolve from a weak, shaky, dizzy cancer patient to a semi-strong, 5K-running breast cancer survivor with biceps that are almost visible at a close distance.

This spunky fitness girl -- also an accomplished kick boxer, wife, and mom of two little ones -- has accepted another one of my challenges. I asked her to share some of her health and fitness expertise so that we all may reap the benefits. And so she kindly extracted some important tidbits from her vast library of knowledge and concisely crafted the responses that follow.

Take it from Fitz Koehler -- exercise and healthy eating habits are key for survival. For all of us. Cancer survivors included.

Why is fitness important for everyone?

100% of the population needs to exercise in some way. For the most part, if you're not working to get stronger, you're going to get weaker. Whether it's tummy time as an infant, gym class as a kid, weight training as an adult, or short walks as a senior, in order to live well and live long, we must eat well and exercise. Plus, a fit lifestyle prevents so many horrible ailments and diseases -- heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, GERD. Who wants any of that?

Cynthia Yousefi is a wife and mother of three living in Granada Hills, CA. She is 42 years old and works as an analyst for a Federal agency. She and her family enjoy trips to Harrah's Rincon Casino in San Diego -- and while the destination is a favorite, the sights along the way also bring them pleasure. Cynthia enjoys museums and amusement parks and swimming and evening walks. She enjoys a lot these days because she feels she's been given a second chance at life -- now that she is surviving breast cancer.

Ashley was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2003. Earlier that year Ashley felt a lump and went to her doctor immediately. She was reassured that it was most likely nothing to worry about. In July she found another lump and her diagnoses was confirmed after returning to the doctor.

The cancer had spread from her neck to her chest, left lung and spleen. Ashley underwent six months of chemotherapy. In March of 2004 Ashley was in remission.

She then dedicated her life to putting together a cancer fundraiser to raise money for lymphoma research. Ashley wanted to give something back.

One week before her Keep on Swimming Gala Ashley was told her cancer had returned. This time the cancer had spread to her neck, chest, lungs, spleen and liver. This development led to Ashley receiving high dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

Ashley was an amazing girl. I kept up with her blog called Ashley's Journal. I was so sad to hear that she passed away on April 22, 2006. She left a great legacy behind and did so much for such a young girl.

I can't really put into words how brave and admiring she was so I'm going to quote one of her postings on her blog dated February of this year.

"The words palliative and terminal have come up this week. BUT ...they always come with and IF or a WHEN!! These two words are my HOPE. I am still fighting this disease and I haven't give up or surrendered. Yes, these are very scary times but I am also witnessing my bodies amazing ability to heal"

In the past year, I have had three severe skin reactions characterized by red, itchy, burning bumps that start on my chest and without fail climb over my shoulders and onto my back. They last for a few weeks, are irritated by the Florida heat, and have had no known cause -- until today when I visited my dermatologist for a skin cancer screening and briefed her on this bizarre condition that has kept me away from sunscreen and out of the swimming pool and in hiding from the sun. I have suspected that sunscreen, chlorine, the sun -- or some combination of the three -- have been my potential irritants. So I've been avoiding them altogether. But I learned today that the sunscreen and the chlorine are not to blame. That leaves the sun, which is the most likely culprit -- and only because I have received chemotherapy with one very toxic drug. Adriamycin.

My dermatologist told me about a phenomenon called UV Recall that is associated with Adriamycin. Apparently the toxicity of this drug, even though administered long ago, can be recalled, causing a reaction when the UV rays of the sun soak into my skin. Sunscreen may help, my doctor told me, but she cautioned me that it is just a screen -- it does not offer full protection. And she said the best suncreen option would include zinc oxide. I think for me, though, staying out of the sun is my best bet. It's not ideal -- it means I will remain on the fringe of the swimming pool, hiding in the shade, while my boys swim their little hearts out. And tropical vacations will be off my wish list. And I will seek outdoor fun mostly after the sun goes down. But this is okay -- I knew there were long-term side effects of chemotherapy drugs. I am just thankful for now that my heart has not been compromised -- a side effect of both Adriamycin and the drug Herceptin that I have also received. And it's also not a bad thing that the steps I must now take to prevent skin reactions are also the steps that protect me from skin cancer. So in some sort of round-about way, my inconvenient skin issues may just help me stay healthy. And that's just fine with me.

A ninth Hole in the Wall camp is in the works -- thanks to actor Paul Newman who started the first camp for critically-ill children in Connecticut in 1988. Hole in the Wall camps host thousands of children for free and are now scattered all over the map -- in California, New York, France, and other locations. And one will soon open in Israel.

Each Hole in the Wall camp is a separate entity with its own distinct personality and name -- like The Victory Junction Gang in Randleman, NC and Camp Boggy Creek in Eustis, Florida. All camps share a common goal of building self-esteem and restoring joy in the lives of seriously-ill kids. And typical camp activities -- for kids whose diagnoses range from cancer to muscular dystrophy -- include rope climbing, face painting, horseback riding, swimming, and sports. It's a typical camp where children can enjoy childhood, without compromising their medical needs, due to state-of-the-art medical care.

Newman makes periodic visits to the camps and only partially funds the camps that mostly survive on their own through charitable contributions. He clearly loves the camps that have served more than 100,000 kids from 34 states and 31 countries and says he wants the camps to be the legacy he one day is remembered for. And what a legacy it will be.

We just had a family water balloon toss -- me, my husband, and our two little boys. Little hands helped fill tiny balloons that were tossed and fumbled and rolled all over our sidewalk and driveway. Our game resulted in wet clothing and wet hair and lots of laughs. And when we walked inside to prepare for dinner, Joey -- five years old -- said, fun is good for the body. I told him that he is so right -- fun is good for the body, And this one fact really needs no scientific proof or validation -- although I'm sure research is out there to support this simple truth. Fun is simply good for the body. And anyone who has felt the aftermath of fun knows what I mean. It sends good vibes through the body, it relieves stress, it refreshes and recharges, it lightens the load.

So try to incorporate some fun into your weekend -- organize your own water balloon toss, fly a kite, take a bike ride, go rock climbing or sailing or swimming. Whatever you choose, consider it a gift to your body. Celebrate yourself. Celebrate life. Celebrate Independence Day. Set yourself free and enjoy all the moments you have at your disposal. And if you like what you feel, try having fun every day.

I confess. I was once a sun worshiper. I grew up in Ohio where a really sunny day was rare -- so on the occasion when the sun was bright and hot, I was in my back yard or at a swimming pool or at a lake soaking up the warmth and comfort of the rays that mostly burned my skin but gave me a glow that eventually turned the slightest shade of tan and made me feel healthy. It's ironic really -- that I felt healthy when the act of sunbathing is so completely damaging. And I knew this at the time and for the many years that followed -- and I still basked in the sun and vacationed in Florida and sometimes actually drove in the direction of the sun on a overcast day, in search of a tan that was never fully achieved because my skin is pale and fair and was never meant for any amount of sun exposure.

I'm not much of a camper -- vacationing in an RV is the closest I've come to camping really but I wasn't much for that so the rougher, tougher version of camping is not what I've set my sights on. But if I was a kid -- and I had cancer -- I think camping might peak my interest.