Not only can regular physical activity lower your risk of obesity, it can reduce your risk of developing cancer and relapsing, CBS News reports, and recent studies demonstrate the extreme of importance of exercise for cancer patients and survivors.
Though cancer survivors may be quite fatigued after battling their illnesses, Dr. Karen Basen-Engquist, director of MD Anderson's Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship in Houston, Texas, said to CBS News that people with breast and colorectal cancers who regularly exercise have lower relapse rates.
"There may not even be a need for a special program. You can find recommendations on the American Cancer Society website about the recommendations for cancer survivors and how to get started and really take it from there on your own," she explained.
The National Cancer Institute recently reported that obesity, which can cause metabolic dysfunction, can not only affect sex hormones and overall quality of life, but significantly increase your risk of developing "cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colon, breast (after menopause), endometrium (lining of the uterus), kidney, thyroid and gallbladder" as well.
To prevent against both obesity and cancer, improve quality of life and retain more energy day-to-day, the National Cancer Institute strongly recommends regular exercise for patients, survivors and those at risk.
But just how much exercise is necessary in maintaining good health and well-being?
The Center for Disease Control advises that adults "engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week," or "engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three or more days of the week."
One of the biggest problems cancer survivors face, according to Nancy Campbell, a clinical exercise physiologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, is their lowered "normal energy level" after battling the disease.
"We heard through ongoing conversations...that cancers survivors wanted to exercise and to improve their physical health, but because of their treatment, they were unsure of what was safe and effective," Haley Justice Gardiner, Livestrong's manager of community programs and engagement, told CBS News.
Campbell advises people to listen to their bodies and not overdo it when starting out, even if they initially feel great, as they run the risk of crashing early on in the process. She suggests looking into local programs designed specifically for cancer patients and survivors, such as local community option, Livestrong at the YMCA.
If all else fails, Campbell recommends a "good pair of shoes," as vigorous walking and jogging doesn't require any special equipment.
