Exercise is key to cancer cure and prevention – Research

Mounting evidence continues to show that exercise may be a key component in successful cancer prevention and treatment. Studies have also found that it can help keep cancer from recurring, so it’s really a 3-star win.

Much of the research to date on exercise and cancer has focused on cancer prevention. Recently, however, research has started to examine the effectiveness of exercise for people with cancer.

Cancer treatment causes a range of side effects that are different for different people. Exercise has been shown to help people cope with many of the side effects of cancer treatment, including:

• fatigue
• depression and anxiety
• nausea (feeling sick) and loss of appetite
• anaemia (low red blood cell or hemoglobin count)
• body weight and composition (muscle and fat) changes.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for example, is a cancer that originates in your liver cells, and is one of the most common types of cancers. According to reported research, the key to significantly reduce your chances of developing this kind of cancer is regular exercise.

The benefits of exercise are not limited to prevention alone. It can also help you recuperate faster and help prevent recurrence of cancer. It is recommended that all patients getting cancer treatment should be told to engage in moderate-intensity exercise for two and a half hours every week, stating that the advice to rest and take it easy after treatment is an outdated view.

According to the chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, Ciaran Devane;

“Cancer patients would be shocked if they knew just how much of a benefit physical activity could have on their recovery and long term health, in some cases reducing their chances of having to go through the grueling ordeal of treatment all over again.

Previous research has shown that patients suffering from breast and colon cancer who engage in regular exercise have half the recurrence rate than non-exercisers.

Talk to your doctor before starting exercise – some people may need a modified program and others may have to delay starting a program.

There might not just be a cure yet, but trust me “exercise” could be about of great importance when dealing with cancer. 

What do you think? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.