The Weekly One-Hour Habit to DEFY Cancer
Regular exercise is one of your best weapons against cancer.
Studies show it’s linked to a reduced risk of breast, colon, endometrial, and gastric cancers.
But recent research reveals if you do get cancer, exercise could STILL be a lifesaver.
Let’s break down exactly how moving more could help you BEAT this killer…
For a recent study, researchers wanted to see if exercising in the 12 months before a cancer diagnosis had an impact on the cancer outcome.
The study included 28,000 patients with stage 1 cancer divided into groups based on three activity levels…
- None
- Low (less than one hour per week)
- Moderate to high (one hour or more per week)
Compared to those who did no physical activity, those in the moderate to high group were…
- 27 percent less likely to have their cancer progress
- 47 percent less likely to have died from any cause
Those in the low physical activity group still saw significant benefits over those who didn’t exercise.
They were…
- 16 percent less likely to have their cancer progress
- 33 percent less likely to have died from any cause
At the two-year mark, the results were even better.
Participants who had a moderate to high physical activity level before their diagnosis had an 80 percent chance of being alive and of not having their cancer progressing, compared to 74 percent of non-exercisers.
That’s a lot of numbers to digest, but they all point to the same bottom line:
Exercising before a cancer diagnosis could help significantly reduce the risk of cancer progression and of dying from cancer.
The moderate-to-high exercise group exercised for a minimum of an hour per week.
No matter how busy they are, most folks can spare an hour (or two) during the week to devote themselves to working out. The potential that it could save your life will make it well worth the effort.
P.S. WARNING… your favorite chair could be killing you!
View Sources
Mabena N, Rugbeer N, Lehmann S, et al., Association between recorded physical activity and cancer progression or mortality in individuals diagnosed with cancer in South Africa, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Published Online First: 07 January 2025. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-108813
