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Physical
Activity
Physical
activity includes exercise and physical
work at home or on the job.
Lack
of regular exercise can lead to the following undesirable
effects:
- Accumulation of excess
body fat leading to obesity.
- Obesity is associated
with an increased risk of colorectal, liver and breast cancers.
- Fats can absorb carcinogens
and store them long-term in the body increasing the risk
for cancer.
- Weakening of the body's
natural defense system against other diseases and cancer.
Evidence
is growing for the role of physical activity in reducing the
risk of cancer. Studies have shown that regular exercise can
reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer.
- One specific protective
role of exercise against colon cancer is to speed up the
movement of food through the colon and decrease the secretion
of bile acids - both of which are potential factors in increasing
the risk of colon cancer.
- Exercise also decreases
the overproduction of sex hormones that are related to risk
of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive organs.
A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity
physical activity per day for at least five days as week is
recommended to maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the
risk of cancer.
The recommended regularity of exercising
will also depend on the intensity level of the activity.
| Intensity |
Frequency |
| Vigorous
Exercise |
football,
running, swimming (laps), basketball 3 times a week |
| Moderate
Exercise |
aerobics,
brisk walking 5 times a week |
| Light Exercise |
strolling,
bowling, golfing Everyday |
Checkout
the other benefits of regular exercise
Regular exercise has significant benefits for health as well
as the physical and mental functioning of the human body that
may influence cancer risk. These benefits of regular exercise
are:
- decreased body fat
- increased lean muscle
mass
- improved natural defense
mechanisms
- improved sense of
control
- improved mental health
and reduced stress, anxiety and depression
- reduced risk of chronic
diseases such as coronary heart disease
- regulated production
of a range of hormones and "growth factors" that
have been associated with cancer risk. These substances
are thought to be produced continually and in high amounts
within the excess fat cells of overweight and obese individuals.
- Maintenance of health
bones, muscles and joints.
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