Exercises reduce cancer risk

Many people confuse physical activity and physical exercises and they pretty much believe they do their share of recommended daily exercises.

Physical activity is any body movement produced by your muscles, which requires expenditure of energy.

This includes any motion you do through the day like walking to the shops, taking the stairs, mowing the lawn, cleaning your house and washing your clothes.

Physical exercise is a planned, structured and repetitive activity that moves the major muscles, for the purpose of improving or maintaining physical fitness.

According to World Health Organisation, lack of physical exercise has been recognised as the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide, responsible for approximately 3.2 million deaths per year.

According to American Cancer Society, physical exercise may reduce risk of various cancers including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrial and prostrate. Studies done on physical exercises and breast cancer risk-reduction indicate that physically active women face lower risks compared to inactive women.

Thirty to sixty minutes of moderate to high-intensity physical activity daily is associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk by approximately 30 per cent.

Elevated levels of estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer. However, consistence exercises helps in lowering this hormone thus lowering the risk of developing breast cancer.

As we age, there are changes that occur in human cells which make it very easy to store more fat in the body.

When a woman hits menopause, fat cells facilitate production of estrogen. Regular exercising can help burn this excess fat in the body hence less estrogen is produced.

Exercising helps avoid constipation by improving digestion and bowel movement.

This reduces the amount of the time the waste from the body stays in the colon, and minimises contact of colon lining with harmful chemicals which could potentially damage cells in the colon increasing the risk of colon cancer development.

With frequent constipation, the colon gets injured as one forces stool out. This frequent inflammation on the colon could lead to abnormal multiplication of cells in a bid to replace those that get damaged, and increase the risk of cancer.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on five or more days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercises on three or more days per week for adults.

Physical exercise is essential for overall good health. It not only helps reduce cancer risk but also helps reduce the risk of other non-communicable illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes.

With breast cancer affecting 34 in every 100,000 women in Kenya, staying physically fit is one of the best ways Kenyan women can take charge of their health.