If there’s one thing we all fear in life, it’s this: Cancer.
And once we hit our 30s, we’ll either know a friend, colleague, or family member with the disease–if we don’t have it.
But now researchers from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School says there’s one way to cut the risk of death from cancer in half: Exercise more.
“The number of cancer survivors is increasing rapidly; however, little is known about whether engaging in physical activity after a cancer diagnosis is associated with lower mortality rates in men,” say researchers in the January issue of the Journal of Physical Activity & Health. “Engaging in physical activity after cancer diagnosis is associated with better survival among men.”
Recruiting a group of 1,021 men who had an average age of 71 with a history of cancer, researchers examined their exercise habits to see how it affected their overall mortality rate following cancer recovery. To do so, they had the men complete questionnaires about the frequency of their physical activities, first starting in 1988 and ending in 2008. By the end of the study, a total of 777 men had died–nearly half caused by cancer.
After analyzing the data, their theory held true once more–those who stayed physically active were less likely to die from cancer. Those who burned more than 12,600 calories in a week from physically activity benefited the most as well, facing a 48 percent lesser risk of dying from cancer during a 15 year period.
“The research supports a previous study that found the most physically active cancer survivors are much less likely to die of cancer and heart disease,” says Sarah Griffiths, a health reporter for The Daily Mail. “While there has been plenty of research that shows regular exercise boosts the life expectancy of healthy people, this study is among very few that show exercise also extended the life of cancer survivors.”
In conclusion, the researchers believe exercise is crucial for a man’s survival after beating cancer–and the more you get of it, the better.
What This Means For You
If you face a higher risk of cancer, or perhaps you’re trying to beat it yourself, then the evidence couldn’t be clearer about exercise’s role in cancer mortality. And you’ll reap the best benefits of cancer protection by doing the most intense calorie burning possible–by doing high intensity interval training or long bouts of competitive sports. To stay fit, follow what these men did to lower their cancer rate:
- Make it a priority to exercise everyday. It’s hard to exercise when you feel tired, but regular exercise is a great energy booster, believe it or not–and it’s good for your immune system as well.
- Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. This is the right amount of exercise to keep your heart pumping, resulting in a stronger cardiovascular system.
- Challenge yourself. While it may be tempting to err on the safe side and stick with walking as your main method of exercise, understand that you’ll reap the biggest benefits by doing more intense activities, such as stair climbing or lifting weights.
Readers: What sort of exercise do you like best?
Sources:
Study: Exercising More After Cancer Improves Survival Rate – HumanKinetics.com
Exercise Reduces Cancer Death Risk in Men – RedOrbit.com
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