05 Oct Prevent Breast Cancer With Exercise

October is breast cancer awareness month. And I’m willing to bet that there’s not a single reader that hasn’t been affected by breast cancer at some time during her or his life.

According to the CDC breast cancer is the most common cancer among women (not counting some skin cancers).  The highest death rate from cancer is in Hispanic women and second highest death rate from cancer is in white, black, and Asian/Pacific Islander women. In 2013, over 40,000 women and 400 men died of breast cancer.

Cancer can be scary. But we don’t have to wait for it to come knocking. As a certified personal trainer, I work with men and women of all ages, and a very positive benefit of exercise is helping prevent breast cancer. This is clinically proven.

How?

• Go for a Walk, Boost Your Immune System:  Keep in mind, the immune system is complex, not just a target to throw darts at. That said, exercise is an integral part of a healthy immune system. This Harvard Health Publications article, How to Boost Your Immune System, discusses all the components of immune health, saying that not only does exercise help you keep your weight controlled, reducing risk of cardiovascular and many other diseases, so, too, does it keep immune cells circulating, allowing them to do their job better.
• Exercise Away Cancer-Causing Estrogen: A recent study compared the enzymes in women – in those who exercised moderately to intensely five days/week for 16 weeks compared to those who had a more sedentary life. The findings were phenomenal, as women who exercised “contained lower levels of a potentially cancer-causing estrogen byproduct called 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE1) and higher levels of a harmless estrogen byproduct called 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1).” These levels did not change among the sedentary group. They found that the enzymes that break down estrogens in to harmful or benign products work differently in women who exercise compared to those who don’t.  Just 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week can protect you!
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  Don’t Wait to Start, Get Your Daughters Moving!  Studies show that physical activity helps both pre and post-menopausal women reduce the risk of cancer. But in over 60 studies looking at the link between exercise and breast cancer prevention, the data revealed that the best protection may come from the exercise women performed during their adolescence.

Again, as I’ve said in many blogs, exercise doesn’t mean marathons, Iron Mans, Death Rides and extreme sports. It’s all about making exercise a priority in your life. Here are four quick and easy steps to incorporate exercise in you and your children’s day:

• Walk wherever you can. Walk to the grocery store, the movies, the mall. Or walk at the mall. Walk your kids to school. Add 15 minutes on the walk with your dog. Make taking the car, bus, or subway a secondary option. Once you form this habit, it will become second nature to you. Find fun ways to challenge yourself, counting your steps and setting goals with one another in the family. (Maybe if the family reaches a goal together, they can choose a special celebration!)
• Involve Your Friends! Instead of having coffee or cocktails with friends, get together to form a group to learn yoga, exotic, belly or pole dancing. These classes, over time, will probably end up costing the same as you would spend over the course of a few months ordering drinks and appetizers and will help you and your friends get in shape and improve your health.
• Abs of Steel at the Bank: Waiting in line is part of life. Waiting, waiting, waiting. So do ab or butt flexes while waiting. Though this won’t get your heart rate up, like you need, it will keep you in the movement mindset.
• Don’t Sit Still. Have you ever noticed how kids watch TV when they’re on the floor? They squirm; they move; they fidget and stretch. So sit on the Floor. Yes. Really. I loved this idea from the article in The Guardian. If you’re in a comfy lounge chair, chances are you won’t move a muscle for over an hour. Whereas, if you’re sitting on the floor, you will be using more muscles than in that lounge chair!

Be creative. Be diligent. And make movement part of your daily routine. When you get comfortable, add more movement. Exercise just might save your life!