Exercise to Prevent Breast Cancer, articles, health

Exercise to Prevent Breast Cancer

by Myreille Simard
published October 06, 2008

rating: (97 Ratings)

We all know the benefits that regular exercise has on our health, but did you know that it can go as far as to prevent certain illnesses such as breast cancer? There are some risk factors, like genetics and age, that you can’t do anything about; but you can reduce your risks by becoming physically active. Here are five reasons to start moving!

Exercise helps you lose weight

Physical activity helps in the weight loss process, which has a direct relationship with low incidences of breast cancer. Even being as little as 10 pounds overweight can increase your breast cancer risks, especially after menopause. Make sure you maintain a healthy weight by calculating your body mass index with our BMI Calculator.

Exercise helps protect you from breast cancer

Health Canada attests to what many studies have shown: physical activity—even when done moderately—can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer by 30 to 40%. What’s more, physical inactivity in adults contributes to a third of all breast cancer cases, particularly after menopause. Pick a sport that works your muscles and increases your heart rate (like speed-walking, for example) and practice it for at least 30 minutes every day, five days per week.

Exercise reduces the chances of relapse

Physical activity is advantageous to both women who have cancer, and those who are in remission. Three U.S. studies have shown that people who survived cancer and maintained an active lifestyle had 50% less chances of a relapse than those who did not.

Exercise helps beat fatigue

Breast cancer treatments are very draining and difficult on a woman’s body, and it’s wrong to think that physical activity should be avoided during. In fact, exercise helps beat fatigue and gives energy to patients, causing them to react better to treatments; they also suffer less from the negative effects that the treatments entail such as vomiting, nausea and weakness. Physical activity also counters stress, which helps keep patients’ morale up.

Inactivity accelerates the progression of breast cancer

Physical inactivity plays a role in many illnesses, including breast cancer in women and colon cancer in men. More than 35 studies have shown that a lack of exercise raises one’s risk of breast cancer. Once contracted, breast cancer will develop faster in an inactive person than an active one.

Tag(s): health, breast cancer, exercise, fitness

Related Content:

Rate this article:

We wanna know! Post your comment below. 3 comment(s)

name (required):
email (required but not published):
website

security code (required)

comment notifications Check this box to receive email notifications when this thread is updated.

Jenn McNeil
October 15, 2010 at 2:29 pm

flag as spam | reply | I this
10 others heart this

Learn more about breast cancer at Body, Mind, Spirit 2010: National Conference for Young Women Living with Breast Cancer, October 29 to 31, 2010, Toronto, Hilton Hotel. Conference schedule and online registration forms at www.cbcn.ca (online registration only).

The Canadian Breast Cancer Network and Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation invite 400 women to learn about the latest medical research, participate in workshops, and share experiences with guest speakers like Bif Naked who will speak about her two-year battle with breast cancer in Rock Your Cancer!

Topics include: a three-part series on BRCA (management options, fertility and psychosocial issues); Taking Charge of Your Treatment for Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer; Breast Reconstruction: Knowing Your Options; Intimacy and Sexuality (for couples and single ladies); Babies After Breast Cancer, and Financial Health For Women on Long-Term Disability, and more.

More information: Jenn McNeil, Canadian Breast Cancer Network: 1-800-685-8820 ext. 224, or jmcneil@cbcn.ca.
Joyce Gallon
October 26, 2010 at 11:42 am

flag as spam | reply | I this
3 others heart this

I didn't realize that exercise could make such a difference in both reducing the risk of breast cancer and relapse. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew about overweight playing a part. As an overweight female with a family history of cancer, including breast cancer,I think its time to start to exercise. Thanks for the info.
Joyce Gallon
October 26, 2010 at 11:42 am

flag as spam | reply | I this
2 others heart this

I didn't realize that exercise could make such a difference in both reducing the risk of breast cancer and relapse. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew about overweight playing a part. As an overweight female with a family history of cancer, including breast cancer,I think its time to start to exercise. Thanks for the info.