Staying fit might lower your odds of getting breast cancer. According to study, 10 to 19 hours a week ( about two hours a day) of exercise had the greatest benefit. Women who worked out that much had a breast cancer risk about 30% lower than that of inactive women. The intensity of the workout didn’t matter in this study. Age also didn’t seem to matter. Physical activity reduced breast cancer risk in women both during their reproductive years and after menopause.
What did make a difference in the study was the women’s weight — especially after menopause. Gaining a significant amount of weight essentially wiped out the benefits of exercise on breast cancer risk in older women.
What exercises should I do?
Luckily, there are different kinds of fun and moderate exercise you can do:
- Walking
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Tai chi
- Pilates
What are other benefits of exercise?
- Boost energy
- Reduce fatigue
- Prevent weight gain
- Manage stress and anxiety
- Improve bone health
- Improve heart health
- improve sleep
- Prevent constipation
When can I start exercising?
We recommend that you discuss starting exercise with your GP or a member of your treatment team and gain medical clearance. Generally, people can start exercising anytime. In general the earlier the better however you may need to make some modifications and take precautions. You might need consider issues like compromised immunity or current health status when talking to your health professional about an exercise program. The frequency and intensity of the exercise should be based on your current health and fitness.
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