We’ve never had more reason to exercise.
Every time you turn on the television, listen to the radio, or surf the web, there’s someone with a PhD and a white coat talking about LDLs, triglycerides, blood pressure, and heart health – and their link to physical activity.
Exercise is good for you. That should be engrained by now. But a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, might be the cherry on top of the exercise sundae.
A higher level of physical activity, the study says, is associated with a 7% reduction in your cancer risk.
What constitutes as “physical activity?” What type of routine do you need to engage with to shrink your chances of developing breast, esophageal, colon and lung cancer?
Treadmill wind sprints? Burpees? One-armed pushups?
The answer might surprise you.
Physical Activity
Take a walk. Go for a jog this weekend.
“This is voluntary physical activity,” said the study’s lead author, Steven Moore, “typically done to improve health.”
The study observed the activity levels of 1.4 million adults across the world, and the results are clear. Those who work out regularly are less likely to develop certain cancers. According to the study, even slight exercise can significantly reduce the risk of developing 13 different types of cancer.
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“You don’t have to be a marathon runner to consider yourself physically active,” said Alpa Patel, the study’s co-author, in an interview with the American Cancer Society. “Walking at about three miles per hour, or 20 minutes per mile, is considered moderate intensity.”
That’s it. Get up and move for a few hours per week. The more you move, the lower your cancer risks. According to the study, there is no upper plateau.
The study is quick to announce, however, that the findings are not based on cause-and-effect. The actual act of exercise has not been definitively linked to cancer reduction. However, the type of person who carves time out of his or her schedule to be active typically demonstrates an overall lifestyle that can be associated with low cancer risk.
Federal Exercise Guidelines
If the study criteria is a little too vague for you, you can’t go wrong following the government’s federal exercise guidelines. Here are three simple rules to help you lead a healthier and more physically fulfilling life.
- Avoid inactivity – Any activity is better than no activity. Take the stairs. Walk your dog around the block. Get off the sofa and get your blood pumping.
- Do aerobic activity – Squeeze in 20 or 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each day. Nothing extreme. Walk briskly or pick up a sport in the evenings. If you prefer a more vigorous approach, you can get the same results from 10 or 11 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity per day.
- Strengthen muscles – Keep your muscles active. Lift weights or use resistance bands, and make sure to involve all your muscle groups at least two or more days per week.
The blueprint is simple, and cancer reduction aside, it can lead to extraordinary benefits.
“You can get in the recommended activity levels by just walking on your lunch break for 30 minutes, five days a week,” added Patel.
