Living With Healthy Hunger Health Blog
It’s fairly safe to say that most of us should work out more often. There are plenty of health risks associated with eating fatty foods without exercising (including obesity and diabetes). While it’s important to stay on top your health by scheduling routine visits to a healthcare center in Carneys Point, NJ or your local town, certain lifestyle changes can help you stay healthy and lower your risk for health problems.
This is especially true of one of the world’s biggest killers: cancer. What you may not know is that proper exercise can reduce the risk of all the previously mentioned problems, including cancer.
How does exercise reduce my risk?
There are many factors which suggest there’s a link between physical activity and reduced risk of different cancers. For example, exercise helps lower hormones like insulin, which have been linked to cancer development and progression. It also improves immune system function across the board and helps prevent obesity, which is considered a high risk factor for developing certain kinds of cancer. It can also alter metabolism, resulting in reduced damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
In addition to helping prevent cancer, exercise is also great for cancer survivors. It reduces weight gain after cancer treatment, which can contribute to a lower rate of survival. It also results in a better quality of life in general. Further benefits include higher self-esteem, improved body image, reduced anxiety, and reduced pain.
The numbers don’t lie
How much exercising can prevent cancer, or assist in recovery, varies depending on the type of cancer. Colon cancer’s relationship with exercise has been heavily researched, and studies found that those who exercise regularly are 24 percent less likely to develop colon cancer than those who do not. Additionally, patients who exercise after a diagnosis have a 16 percent lower chance of the disease advancing.
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and physically active women can reduce their risk of developing it by 12 percent. Exercising after a diagnosis has been shown to reduce the chance of death from breast cancer by 40 percent.
Prostate cancer is another extremely common form. One of the most concerning facts about prostate cancer is that one in nine men will develop it at some point in their life, and the risk factor increases significantly after age 50. There is less evidence regarding the link between exercise and prostate cancer, but regular exercise after a diagnosis is estimated to increase survival chances up to 61 percent. The effects of exercise with other forms of cancer are fairly limited at this time.
What exercises are best?
When it comes to preventing developing cancer, it’s best to follow normal rigorous activity guidelines. This will mean standard activities like running and going to the gym. Sticking to regular fitness standards will improve your overall quality of life and reduce your chance of developing chronic illnesses or cancer.
It’s after a diagnosis that things get a bit more complicated. Naturally, cancer patients often have great amounts of fatigue and pain, and they may not be capable of exercising like they would before. A specialist can help each patient find the right program for them. Ideally, the program should include some form of weight training to help maintain strength. Swimming is a common exercise among cancer patients as well as flexibility training to maintain mobility.
Exercise doesn’t always have to be extremely rigorous. Doing something fun for yourself like visiting the dance center or having a relaxing game of golf can also be a big help. The most important thing is to remain active and avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
