04/05/2021
THE THIRD THING YOU NEED TO LEARN TO AVOID THE RECURRENCE OF CANCER IS TO EXERCISE REGULARLY
Humans are designed to move. But due to the advances in technology, you have lost the interest to walk but instead choose to drive a car or take a public transportation to go from one place to another even if it is just one block away. Start with baby steps to complete the required 10,000 steps a day for optimal health. Instead of using the remote control to change the channel while you are watching your favorite show, stand from the couch, walk a few steps and press on the button of your television. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. When you go to church, do brisk walking on the way there rather than take your car, especially if it is just 15 minutes away.
The recommended number of hours of regular exercise is 30-45 minutes 3-5x a week or 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 100 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
The Harvard Medical School has recommended gentle core exercises that are simple, flexible and portable which you can do at home or in your office a few minutes a day. The core muscles include the muscles in your back, sides, pelvis and buttocks. These are the muscles that help you reach, bend and move freely as well as become steady on your feet. You can do a front plank on your table or countertop and a chair stand using a sturdy chair.
Sedentary play like video games using PlayStation, tablets, and iPads is not a form of exercise because there is very little agility and mobility since only the eye and hand muscles are being utilized.
Scientific studies have found evidence to suggest that physical activity, when coupled with healthy eating, may be a powerful protector from cancer. One such study done in California among 1490 women diagnosed and treated for early stage breast cancer found that those women consuming five or more daily servings of vegetables and fruits and doing physical activity like 30 minutes of walking six days a week had a higher significant survival rate.
Regular exercise lowers the risk to develop illnesses like obesity, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, promotes stronger and healthier bones, muscles and joints also gives good mood, body image and self-worth. You can also handle problems, difficulties and challenges better because exercise "burns off" stress hormones, promotes deep breathing and stimulates the release of feel-good chemicals in your brain.
SOURCE:
Learn More Textbook, Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), Lifestyle Medicine Institute