Get off the couch
Physical activity is huge for cancer prevention—a recent, large review of research on over 1.4 million people found that exercise reduced the risk of 13 different cancers by as much as 30 percent. People who are physically active tend to have less body fat, which also reduces risk, but there may be other ways exercise lessons your chances of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
‘Regular exercise may help reduce inflammation, improve immune system function, and lower the levels of some hormones that are associated with cancer,’ Hopper says. Physical activity also helps things move along the digestive tract, reducing exposure to possible carcinogens. ‘Try to work in four to six hours of moderate exercise per week to reduce your overall risk,’ Hopper says.
‘That can seem daunting at first, but this can be achieved by breaking it down into smaller segments—take three brisk walks per day for approximately 20 minutes and you easily will accomplish your weekly goal.’
