Exercise More to Lower the Risk of Cancer

Reduce The Risk of 13 Types of Cancer with Exercise

Do Moderate- or Vigorous-intensity Workouts to Reduce Risk of 13 Types of Cancer

It is better to prevent cancer rather than curing it. Studies prove that it is possible to reduce the risk of getting cancer by as much as 42% with as little as 10-minute exercise sessions a few times in a day. Sadly, not even 50% of the world population follows this exercise schedule to benefit these advantages. Educating people, creating awareness and providing people with a clear path can help them take the right step in making a positive change needed for overall well-being.

Exercise is good for health, good for mind and what not? A new study has found exercise to lower the risk of 13 specific types of cancer. While earlier studies proved exercise to benefit the reduction of colon, breast and endometrial cancers, recent findings prove it to be beneficial for esophageal, liver, stomach and kidney cancers, cancers of the neck, rectum, bladder and myeloid leukemia. Exercise helps to reduce cancer risk by lowering hormone levels (e.g., estrogen, which lowers breast and endometrial cancer risk), helping body better regulate insulin levels and lowering inflammation.

How Much Physical Activity is Good Enough?
You need not spend hours together at the gym or run marathons to keep yourself out of cancer risk. Involving yourself in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical exercise helps to reduce cancer risk. Your hobby activities such as gardening, dancing, swimming and golfing (without a cart) or every day activities such as climbing the stairs, walking or getting up from a desk are examples of moderate-intensity activities. Aerobic physical activity should be performed for at least 10 minutes, spread throughout the week.

Children and adolescents should involve themselves in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, moderate or vigorous intensity. Vigorous-intensity activities, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities should be done at least thrice a week depending on the child’s/ adolescent’s convenience.

Physical activity is beneficial in the case of cancer survivors too in different aspects: weight gain, quality of life, cancer recurrence or progression and diagnosis.

When people realize their control over health, it can encourage them to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This study should be a definite motivation to a person to exercise more, be it walking, cycling, swimming or any activity the individual loves to do. Some individuals only need a helping hand to make them feel comfortable in exercising. A nutritionist/dietitian at www.firsteatright.com is the right person to help you maintain a healthy weight to prevent cancer or sustain the survival along with a healthy dose of physical activity suiting the person’s body conditions.