Introduction
In the last few years, scientists and medical health experts have been conducting a lot of studies on cancer research. While most of us know that leading a healthy lifestyle can help prevent the onset of several diseases like heart illnesses, there hadn’t been any study that was able to link the benefits of exercise to cancer prevention.
In what is being termed as a watershed study in cancer research, experts have been able to provide a conclusive relationship between exercise and prevention. Researchers have concluded that nearly 46000 cancer cases in the United States alone could be prevented if individuals would engage in moderate exercises.
In this resource article on cancer prevention, we are going to discuss some of the important findings of the study. Additionally, we are going to explore the relationship between leading a healthy lifestyle with fitness and exercise and the effect it has on the prevention of life-threatening illnesses like Cancer.
The Study on Cancer: Important Things to Note
In this section, we are going to examine some of the important aspects of the study. We are going to present the same in bullet points for effective understanding and analysis-
- The study was conducted by the American Cancer Society in collaboration with Emory University in Atlanta.
- The sample size of the study was exhaustive. It covered 60000 men and women in the District of Columbia.
- The study looked at simple and elementary forms of physical movement like getting up from the bed and moving about the house as the basis.
- The researchers concluded that physical activity helps in the development of cells in the immune system that counter and fight cancerous tumors.
- The findings of the study revealed that nearly 3% of all cancer cases in the United States are linked to physical inactivity.
- The scientists at the University used PAF or Population Attribution Function, a complicated mathematical analysis for their study.
- A total of seven different types of cancers were part of the study- kidney, stomach, breast, colon, balder, oesophageal, and endometrial.
- The final conclusion of the study was something as elementary as 300 minutes of moderate to light exercises was all that was needed to prevent cancer.
Of course, there are several other ways in which individuals can help reduce their own risk of getting cancer. Giving up bad habits such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol can certainly help as both of these activities are associated with a range of different cancer types.
Physical Activity, Exercise and Cancer Prevention
Most medical experts and scientists found that putting your body under physical stress can help in multiple ways.
For example, when we work out, the body starts regulating inflammation naturally. It also enables the brain to pump out positive hormones that have a great effect on the body. Additionally, working out helps in the reduction of blood sugar levels as well as boosts the formation of sex hormones.
Scientists also pointed out that at the heart of cancer prevention is improving the strength of the body’s metabolism system. Better metabolism results in the formation of healthier immune systems and stronger cells.
However, while this is something that has been presented in a generalized capacity, the specific application of the same depends on the different forms of cancer.
The aim of exercise and physical fitness is to enable the body to develop certain core competencies that can fight and ward off infections and diseases. Needless to say, this needs to be done in conjunction with leaving bad habits that have a detrimental effect on the human body.
The Bottom Line
While some medical experts suggest a combination of aerobics and strength training three times a week in thirty-minute sessions, others feel that moderate physical activities like brisk walking for an hour a day (5000-10000 steps) can have the desired impact.
Cancer is something that is related to one’s gene pools and maybe thousand other variables. With ongoing studies trying to come up with more comprehensive ways of cancer prevention, the future looks bright in this regard.
If you would like to add some important points to the article or would like us to discuss something in particular, please do so in the comments below. We would love to hear from you on the topic.
