Now that the holidays are over, more and more people are starting to slowly inspect and notice some signs of damage.  Not only did the festive season cause a dent on our finances, but it may also have caused us to gain weight.  All the mindless eating – high fat, high cholesterol, high sugar, high salt, low fibre – greatly poses health risks, such as obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and yes, colon cancer.

Of course, weight gain may seem to be the most obvious problem and you may not want to confront this fact so you have avoided stepping on your bathroom scale for fear it just might shriek and holler curses at you.  But know that it is not too late – it’s time to blow the dust away from your trusty old treadmill, or you may want to pull your running shoes out of your closet – and go back to being physically active.

In order to motivate you further, exercise will help you hit a lot of birds with one stone.  It does not simply help you lose those unwanted extra pounds, but it will also help you prevent a lot of diseases – some of which are fatal.  So if you love your body, and your life, go lace up those shoes – it’s time to get yourself back on the right track.

The Link between Colon Cancer and Exercise

The result of a new study conducted by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine’s Siteman Cancer Center and St. Louis’ Barnes-Jewish Hospital revealed that performing consistent exercise is linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer-related death.  This particular study is considered to be amongst the first to illustrate that consistent physical activity can make colon cancer less deadly.

Researchers from Washington University worked with their American Cancer Society colleagues in examining information coming from the American Cancer Society Prevention Study II (CPS II) to examine whether physical activity changes affects either the incidence of diagnosis or death risks involved with colon cancer.

The Cancer Prevention Study II enrolled more than 150,000 women and men, with the aim of determining how performing exercise affects colon cancer.  The physical activity levels of the participants were compared between the periods of 1982 and 1997, and were afterwards linked to number of colon cancer cases diagnosed between the years 1998 and 2005.  Physical activity levels were also linked to colon cancer-related deaths which took place between 1998 and 2005.  Results showed that participants who performed continuous exercises for a minimum of 10 years had the least possible risk of dying due to colon cancer.

According to Kathleen Y. Wolin, ScD, one of the study’s authors, people who lived actively through their adult lives had a reduced risk of dying from colon cancer, compared to those who lived sedentary lifestyles.  At the start of the year, people would often wonder whether it’s too late to exercise or not.  Truth is, it is always “better late than never” in the case of exercise.  People should make it a point to get up from those couches and start living actively – because it’s never too late, and it’s never too early.  This is the message that the authors want to impart to people.

Wolin emphasized that the benefits of a regular exercise program is not solely limited to the prevention of colon cancer development and death due to the disease, but it also helps lower a person’s risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases as well as other forms of cancer.  She further stated that the greatest benefits are more likely to mount up in people who have done regular exercise for the most part of their lives.  However, she stresses that running marathons, or working out for a great number of hours per day is not necessary. A 30-minute walks each days would suffice.  This will help lower a person’s risk of a plethora of diseases.  Furthermore, their study revealed that the person who exercises regularly tends to function and feel better – both mentally and physically. Wolin is associated with the Division of Public Health Sciences as an assistant professor of surgery.

Additionally, physical activity can also be valuable after a person has been diagnosed with cancer.  Wolin said that there is evidence that supports the claim that physical activity helps reduce the risk of death, and recurrence, after a diagnosis of cancer has been made.  So this means that physical activity is not only used as a form of prevention, but it can also be utilized as a means to manage the condition.

How to Exercise Properly

Too much has been said about exercise – from the how-to’s, up to the reasons why you should, and its health benefits. In fact, if you type in the word “exercise” in your search engine, you will get more than 202 million in a matter of 0.9 seconds.  Truth is, exercise need not be complicated.  All you need to remember is to start slowly, progress gradually and practice consistency.  Fairly simple, right?  But here are five more tips for you to take note of, just so you know you are doing the right thing:

1. Prior to doing an exercise regimen, it is advised that you talk about it with your doctor because he knows your medical history and he is the best person who could tell you what you can and cannot do.  Ask your doctor to help you formulate an exercise regimen which he thinks can benefit you the most, and which you think you can realistically stick to.  Aerobic exercises, or those that increases your heart rate, are considered to be the best.  Remember to choose activities that you enjoy, otherwise, you’ll soon start to see exercise as a burden and a tedious task instead of it being a pleasing activity.
   
   
2. Never jump into your exercise program without doing warm-ups.  Five to ten minutes of stretching will do the trick as this will condition your muscles for the work ahead. Even in doing the simplest form of exercise like walking, it is advised that you start slowly and then gradually increase your speed.
   
   
3. After exercising, stretch once more.  This will be your cool-down period where you give your muscles time to adjust and allow your heart to return to its normal rate and rhythm.
   
   
4. Avoid injuries by avoiding over-exertion.  Again, start with something easy and then progress gradually.  High impact exercises should be done with caution as this puts added strain and pressure on the joints, especially when performed repeatedly.
   
   
5. Bring water – you need this to rehydrate yourself.  While exercising, you’ll give off copious amounts of sweat, and you need water to replace your losses.

Sources
emedicinehealth.com
ehealthmd.com
familydoctor.org
naturalhealthontheweb.com
naturalhealthontheweb.com
news.wustl.edu