Exercise Helps Fight Cancer
Our mission is to help you lead a healthier life by being active. The less sedentary you are, the lower your risks are for a variety of diseases. Get moving to fight cancer!
Exercise Strengthens Your Immune System
There is a popular theory that exercise strengthens your immune system by boosting your white blood cell count. This increases your body’s chance at protecting itself against illness, including fighting cancer. Exercise also strengths your heart and increases your lung capacity. Forty minutes to one hour of exercise a day has been shown to boost immune systems. Remember that overdoing your workout can negatively impact your immune system, so don’t overdo it.
The Flatter Your Tummy, The Lower Your Cancer Risk
Everyone wants the flat abs that we see in magazines, but usually, our focus is on looking great in that swimsuit or simply reducing our clothing size, not fighting cancer. We don’t think about the less overt benefits of a slimmer waist. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, belly fat increases your risk of post-menopausal breast cancer, uterine cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. Sally Scroggs, M.S., R.D., L.D., from the Anderson Cancer Prevention Center notes that it’s important to remember that fat doesn’t just grow under the skin, “fat might be growing around important organs, like the pancreas.”
Exercise Lowers Your Blood Sugar
Exercise is a powerful tool for lowering your blood sugar. In fact, it can lower your blood sugar for up to 48 hours. Decreasing your blood sugar also decreases your hormone insulin, which fuels the inflammatory process and can potentially lead to polyp formation. A study by the British Journal of Cancer found that people who exercise regularly have a 30 percent decreased risk of polyp formation.
These are just a few of the ways in which exercise helps fight cancer. Remember that there is no secret weapon to preventing cancer, but a healthier lifestyle including a well balanced diet and regular exercise can lessen your risks of contracting cancer.
For more health tips, check out my latest book Fitness After 40: Your STRONG Body at 40, 50, 60 and Beyond!
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