Life is about exercise, and exercise is good for health. Maintaining adequate physical activity in daily life is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and a goal that many people continue to set but struggle to adhere to.
Recently, there is a news report: exercise can significantly reduce the incidence of 13 kinds of cancer, reduce the risk of cancer. So, from the perspective of cancer prevention and anti-cancer, how does exercise maintain our health?
01
What is "cancer"?
The basic building block of our body is the cell. From a cell's point of view, they don't necessarily live as long as the body. Different kinds of cells will have their own time for metabolism.
For most cells, when old or damaged cells die, they are replaced by newborn cells. This process will be strictly regulated to ensure the perfect transition between newborn cells and aging cells, and the body as a "collection" of cells, its normal physiological functions can be maintained, and there is no slightest awareness of this process.
Cancer, it's the process that's disrupted. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells can grow uncontrollably and may metastasize to other parts of the body. Cells that should be dead survive, while new cells are constantly being produced when they are not needed, and these excess cells continue to expand and form tumors. Therefore, some scholars say that "cancer is a disease of cells". The number of cells in a person's body is trillions, and cancer can occur in almost any part of the body.
Like many chronic diseases, there are a variety of unchangeable and modifiable influencing factors in the occurrence of cancer. Among them, whether to maintain sufficient physical activity is an important modifiable factor.
02
How physical activity is associated with cancer
Maintaining regular physical activity is an effective means of cancer prevention!
Physical activity has many biological effects on the body. For example, adequate physical activity helps to improve the level of indicators associated with the development of cancer, improve immune system function, and improve gastrointestinal function. These have all been suggested to understand the relationship between physical activity and cancer.
Regular physical activity has been shown to be associated with a reduced risk of developing a variety of cancers. This includes colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, bladder cancer, esophageal cancer and stomach cancer. At the same time, staying physically active may also be associated with a reduced risk of lung, liver, head and neck cancer, etc.
Exercise helps to build a healthy weight, which is also the focus of cancer prevention!
Overweight and obesity are known risk factors for cancer. Overweight and obesity itself are caused by the body's excessive intake of energy and insufficient consumption of energy.
Maintaining positive physical activity habits and increasing the body's energy consumption is a magic weapon for maintaining a healthy weight, which in turn plays a role in cancer prevention.
For people with cancer, exercise is just as beneficial!
People with cancer should also maintain a certain amount of physical activity when physical conditions permit.
Maintaining moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and resistance training during and after treatment can improve health-related quality of life and physical function, and play a role in relieving anxiety, depression and fatigue.
03
Make positive physical activity a daily "compulsory course"
For adults, 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of high-intensity physical activity, or an equal amount of moderate-intensity and high-intensity combined physical activity should be performed. To the extent that physical conditions permit, more physical activity is ideal.
Moderate intensity of physical activity
There is a slight increase in heart rate and breathing during moderate-intensity physical activity, but may not sweat, such as walking, cycling, housework, gardening, swimming, dancing, etc.
High intensity physical activity
When performing high-intensity physical activity, larger muscle groups are usually used, causing a noticeable increase in heart rate and breathing, and sweating, such as running, swimming or cycling quickly, basketball, soccer, etc.
At the same time, you also need to limit the amount of time you spend sitting. In daily life, we should pay attention to limiting the time to watch TV or other electronic screens, choose to take the stairs instead of taking the elevator when going up and down the stairs, choose to walk or ride instead of riding when commuting, and pay attention to standing up and doing some stretching or walking exercises between work. These all help to interrupt sedentary state and increase physical activity.
If you want to know
Details of physical activity,