New Research Suggests That 300 Minutes of Exercise Per Week Could Help Prevent Cancer

For a very long time, scientists, medical experts, and researchers were trying to establish a relationship between healthy living and cancer. While most experts were unanimous in their belief that regular exercises could help prevent the onset of cancer, they did not have a comprehensive study to back their claims. 

The study carried out by the American College of Sports Medicine pointed out that exercising for as few as 45 minutes can prevent chances of cancer. This is the most defined study of its kind that had ever been conducted. The study analyzed more than 600,000 men and women in the United States. 

Experts concluded that 300 minutes of exercise every week could help prevent nearly 46,000 cancer cases in the US alone. The global ramifications of the same might probably be in the millions! The study is being lauded by medical experts for throwing light on a belief that was long held by the medical community. 

The World Health Organization on Physical Activity and Cancer Linkages

The first and probably the most important area of confusion for many is what constitutes physical activity. According to the experts at WHO, physical activity is a movement of the body that requires the functioning of the skeletal system, muscles, and connective tissues. 

This means that every time you are making a movement, you are doing some of the other forms of physical activity. WHO recommends that such physical activity can be in the form of light to moderate exercises, weight training, as well as voluntary movements that we make as part of our day-to-day lives like climbing the stairs, getting up from bed, walking to the store, etc. 

This new study comes in the light of many individuals turning to a much more sedentary lifestyle during the Coronavirus Pandemic. With many nations going for lockdowns and strict social distancing, physical activities were on the decline. The shift to remote work has no doubt given rise to several health complications like obesity and diabetes. 

Finding time to exercise is not the only lifestyle choice one can make to reduce their own risk of developing cancer. Giving up smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and maintaining a healthy diet are just a few examples of lifestyle tips to help ward off cancer and many other diseases.

What Happens to Your Body When You Engage in Physical Activity?

Most of us know that when it comes to our body’s natural defense, White Blood Cells (WBCs) play an important role. When we exercise and work out, the body’s WBCs undergo a rapid transformation. Not only does working out increase the production of WBCs, but also allows them to circulate more freely in our bloodstream. 

You need to think about WBCs and compare them to law enforcement agencies. The more they move around, the higher will be their chances of identifying illnesses and infections. When they circulate freely, they will spot, identify and target infections and protect the body. This includes cancer. This is why physical activity is instrumental in boosting our body’s immunity.

Experts have pointed out how exercising helps recharge Mitochondria, which is known as the powerhouse of the cell. A charged mitochondria improve cellular functioning, adds strength, and allow for better reproduction of healthy cells. Mitochondria turn the food that we eat into energy. This is the fuel that we need to live longer and healthier.

The Bottom Line

The report established what doctors and medical scientists had been saying all along. When it comes to preventing cancer or any other major illnesses, physical activity can play a critically important role. You do not have to be a gym freak to prevent cancer. All you need to do is engage and devote 300 minutes of your week to light and moderate exercises. 

If you have any specific questions, which you would like us to address on the subject, please feel free to reach out to us in the comments section below. We will be more than happy to address as many of your concerns as well as possible.