Five Reasons to Get Off the Couch in '07 - Exercise Has Many Cancer-Related Benefits
From the American Cancer Society News Center
How many times have you made that New Year's resolution to get in shape? A
lot of us put exercise on our list, but it's typically one
of the first things to fall by the wayside when life gets back to normal after
the holidays. If you're looking for some extra motivation to keep you on track,
here are 5 good reasons to get active and stay active in 2007.
1. Exercise can help keep your weight down.
The evidence linking excess weight to cancer has gotten stronger. Being
overweight or obese is known to raise your risk of cancers of the colon,
endometrium (uterus), esophagus, kidney, and *** (among women past
menopause). It is also thought to be linked to several other types of cancer
including ovarian, pancreatic, cervical, and prostate.
How can you tell if you need to lose a few pounds? Most experts use body mass
index, or BMI, as a measure. BMI is a ratio of weight to height. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight, and a BMI of 30 or
over is considered obese.
Watching what you eat is
key to keeping your weight at a healthy level, of course. But exercise is equally important.
The most recent American Cancer Society recommendations call for adults to get
at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity -- over and above
usual activities like housework or taking the stairs instead of the elevator --
on 5 or more days a week. Moderate activities include walking, slow biking,
gardening, golfing, or yoga. Vigorous activities include jogging or running,
fast cycling, soccer, swimming, or jumping rope.
2. Exercise may reduce your risk of colon cancer.
A recent study from Europe found that people who exercised had a lower risk
of developing colon cancer than people who didn't get much exercise. Researchers followed more
than 413,000 men and women between the ages of 35 and 70 for more than 6 years.
Those who got the most physical activity had a 22% lower risk of colon cancer
(especially on the right side of the colon) than people who got the least. The
benefit of exercise on colon cancer risk was also seen in the overweight
participants, a known at-risk group.
People needed to get about 1 hour of vigorous physical activity, or 2 hours
of moderate activity, every day to reduce their risk of colon cancer. But it
didn't matter whether they got that exercise at home, on the job, or for
fun.
"It is important for people to understand that they can take steps in their
daily routine to reduce cancer risk," said Lesley Walker, PhD, director of
information for Cancer Research UK, which helped fund the study. "You don't need
to join a gym to get the benefit of exercise. If regular brisk walking or going
for a run doesn't appeal, you can… do some strenuous housework. Cleaning
windows, vacuuming, and scrubbing floors burn off a lot of calories. So does
gardening or cleaning the car."
3. Exercise may help prevent bre-a-st cancer.
Numerous studies have linked exercise with a lower risk of *** cancer. Recent
research from the Iowa Women's Health Study adds to that evidence. With 18 years
of follow-up, the researchers found that women with high physical activity
levels had lower BMIs and a 14% lower risk of *** cancer after menopause.
Exercise especially reduced the risk of one very aggressive type of tumor
described as ER+/PR- (it has estrogen receptors but not progesterone
receptors).
In this study, a high activity level was defined as getting vigorous exercise
2 or more times per week, or moderate exercise more than 4 times per week.
4. Exercise can improve your quality of life after ***
cancer.
Lifting weights can help *** cancer survivors get stronger and feel better
about themselves, according to researchers from the University of Minnesota and
the University of Pennsylvania. They divided 86 survivors into 2 groups; one
group weight trained twice a week for 6 months, while the other did not change
their daily activities.
By the end of the study, women in the weight training group reported
significant improvements in physical function, as well as in communication,
relationship, and psychological issues. The women told the researchers they felt
stronger and more confident, with more energy and fewer aches and pains than
before. The researchers think the increased strength and sense of control of
their bodies resulting from weight training may have been part of the reason for
the women's improved attitude.
5. Exercise has health benefits beyond cancer.
Cancer isn't the only disease that can be affected by exercise. Regular
activity can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, too. Exercise can
give you more energy, help you deal with stress, improve your sleep quality, and
make you feel better about yourself.
If you're just starting an exercise program, be sure to talk with your doctor
first. Discuss how hard you should work out and how often, especially if you
have health problems like high blood pressure, heart problems, high cholesterol,
diabetes, or if you're a smoker.
Then find an activity you enjoy and get moving in 2007. You'll be glad you
did.