Research shows that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-5 days a week may lower your risk of breast cancer as much as 50%!
This is incredible. If someone told you there was a 50% chance you would win the lottery would you not try it?
Exercise can lower your Breast Cancer Risk in 8 major ways:
1) Exercise lowers the production of estrogen in your body and breast cancer is strongly linked to estrogen. The more estrogen your body produces the higher your risk of breast cancer
2) Regular exercise has been found to lengthen the menstrual cycle. With each menstrual period, your body produces a surge of estradiol (the strongest type of estrogen and the one most linked to breast cancer.) The fewer menstrual cycles you have, the lower the amount of estradiol you will produce and the lower your risk of breast cancer will be.
3) When you exercise your immune system is strengthened. When your body is healthy and your immune system is strong it will help fight off invaders such as cancer cells.
4) Aerobic exercise also regulates your blood sugar. Sugar is the preferred food for cancer and when you eat sugar your blood sugar spikes which causes your pancreas to respond by releasing a lot of insulin (the hormone that facilitates sugar getting into your cells.) According to research, women will the highest insulin levels are found to have a 283% increased risk of breast cancer. Insulin also makes cancer cells grow faster.
The great thing about exercise is there is so many ways we can do it! I love dancing and yoga. Find what type of exercise you enjoy and recruit friends.
Stay tuned to learn the other 4 other major ways Exercise can help prevent breast cancer and more about aerobic exercise.
Tammy Kohlschmidt RDH, CCT, CBP