This week is National Women's Health Week. One of the messages doctors have for women is the importance of physical activity for mental and physical health.
Research has demonstrated that regular physical activity helps:
Most people know about the general health benefits of exercise on blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and mental health. However, did you know that just 30 minutes of brisk walking per day can lower your risk of breast cancer?
Just 30 minutes of brisk walking per day can
lower your risk of breast cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, physical activity can reduce the risk of both colon cancer and breast cancer.
Many studies have found a link between regular exercise and a lower risk of developing breast cancer in physically active women, and the benefit is seen in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Physical activity may protect against breast cancer development by lowering insulin levels, strengthening the immune response, and decreasing excess body fat. But if women stop exercising, the breast cancer risk reduction benefit quickly disappears.
The risk of developing colon cancer can be reduced by 30%-40% by increasing your physical activity in intensity, duration or frequency. Physical activity protects against colon cancer development through insulin regulation, hormone metabolism, alteration of inflammatory and immune factors, and decreasing the amount of time the colon is exposed to carcinogens.
Less than 50% of women get enough physical activity
This week is National Women's Health Week. This week, make a commitment to be empowered in your health! Get active!
The Office on Women's Health at the US Department of Health and Human Services has many resources to help you get started. Learn more about steps to better health at http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw/about/
Make a commitment to be empowered in your health! Get active!
