Lower Cancer Risk Through Exercise

tidbits that tantalizeSure - Walk With Friends...

Do you love to walk? Do you sneak in a little stroll on your lunch breaks during the week, then really roam far and wide on the weekend? Or, is vacuuming your preferred method of exercise? Maybe digging in the dirt is what gets your heart pumping – or a game of golf, building a new deck, pouring a bit of concrete…

…It’s all good.

New research out of Japan finds that exercise, of virtually any type, lowers the risk of several cancers. The scientists studied 79,000 men and women, ages 45 to 74, for up to ten years. The study participants answered surveys about their diets and lifestyles, and about their physical activities.

The study revealed that the most active men were 13 percent less likely to develop cancer than their couch-potato counterparts. The women fared slightly better – they were 16 percent less likely to develop cancers.

The researchers postulate exercise helps fight cancer by reducing body fat. Their study showed a lower correlation in risk reduction for overweight participants. Another possibility is that exercise stimulates the immune system, which is a natural defense against cancer.

Regardless of how it works, take the plunge. Get out that vacuum and clean like crazy. Or, build that deck, carry those bricks, roam that neighborhood…

To read more about the study, see this from Reuters. To learn more about leading an active lifestyle, see this from familydoctor.org.