EXERCISE AND CANCER PREVENTION

By Rick Morris

Exercise and proper nutrition has been proven to help prevent many forms of cancer. Exercise can also help in recovery from cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately 8.2 million American alive today, have or have had cancer. Around 12 million new cases of cancer have been diagnosed since 1990. Many of these cancer cases could have been prevented with proper nutrition, exercise and health lifestyle practices.

EAT SENSIBLY

Studies show that approximately one third of the more that 500,000 cancer deaths in 1999 are cause by poor nutrition. Dietary factors that can influence cancer risk include: food types, portion size, methods of preparation and caloric balance.

DON’T SMOKE/LIMIT ALCOHOL USE

The ACS estimates that nearly 175,000 cancer deaths in 1999 are caused directly by tobacco use. All of these deaths would have been prevented if the victims did not use tobacco. In addition to cancer, tobacco use causes emphysema and heart disease. An additional 20,000 cancer deaths are expected to be caused by excessive use of alcohol.

High fat diets have been shown to increase the risk of colon, rectum and prostate cancers. You should limit your consumption of meats, especially high fat meat. Red meat has been linked to increased cancer risk of the colon and prostate.

You should eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day. Most of your foods should come from plant sources. Fruits and vegetables have been shown in studies to protect against many types of cancer. Grains supply fiber; vitamins and minerals that are associated with lowered cancer risk.

MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

Exercise and physical activity can decrease the risk of cancer by balancing the calories you take in with the calories you expend, decreasing body fat and other physiological reactions in your body. Obesity or excessive body fat is linked with increased cancer risk of the colon, rectum, prostate, breast and kidney. A properly designed exercise program combined with proper nutrition will maintain your ideal body composition.

EXERCISE AND RECOVERY FROM CANCER

In recent years there have been a number of high profile cases of cancer involving professional athletes. The most recent is the victory of Lance Armstrong (professional cyclist) over testicular cancer. Others include Scott Hamilton (skater/testicular cancer), Peggy Fleming (skater, breast cancer) and Steve Scott (triathlete, testicular cancer). In each of these cases, the athlete resumed their training regime after diagnosis and treatment. In most cases, exercise reduced the nausea and fatigue that accompanies chemotherapy.

Erik Durak, M.Sc. is a co-director of the Cancer Well-Fit program in Santa Barbara, California. In this program, cancer patients engage in group exercise sessions involving resistance training, aerobic training, yoga and meditation. According to Mr. Durak, participants improved their strength and endurance by more than 25 percent. Fatigue levels were reduced by 30 percent and pain was reduced by more that 20 percent.

Oncologists (cancer doctors) believe that quality of life is one of the two most important concerns of cancer treatment. The other is survivability The Cancer Well-Fit program improved the quality of life of its participants by more than 40 percent. Exercise when combined with proper nutrition and improved medical care may open new doors to the cure and recovery of cancer in the future.