Friday Focus: Physical Activity and Colorectal Cancer Prevention

Sneakers_dreamstime_14295723As we enter the second week of a month devoted to Colorectal Cancer Awareness, let’s focus on one crucial aspect of prevention about which far too many Americans remain unaware:

Namely, that moving more matters hugely. The evidence is clear: Being physically active is powerfully protective against colorectal cancer.

Unfortunately for the increasingly sedentary American populace, the inverse is also true: Being inactive — as most of us are — makes colorectal cancer more likely.

That urgent message is not being heard, according to the AICR 2013 Cancer Risk Awareness Survey [PDF]. In fact, awareness that the lack of physical activity is a cause of cancer plummeted from a high of 45 percent in 2009 to 36 percent in 2013, the steepest decline in the history of the survey. Continue reading


Study: Activity Reduces Risk of Kidney Cancer

http://www.dreamstime.com/-image28189192The research on physical activity and cancer prevention keeps growing, with a new review of the evidence including over 2 million people suggesting that getting plenty of activity – whether for work or fun – may help prevent kidney cancer.

The analysis was published in the British Journal of Cancer. Here’s the abstract.

This analysis of all the relevant studies – 19 in total – found that those who were the most active had a 12 percent reduced risk of kidney cancer compared to the least active. It did not matter if people got their activity as part of their job or recreationally. Continue reading


Cancer Myth Busting: My 2025 Goal

http://www.dreamstime.com/-image26588583_MiracleSignPrevent 1.5 million premature cancer deaths worldwide per year by 2025. That’s one goal set by international cancer organizations for World Cancer Day (WCD). With this year’s WCD theme of cancer myths and facts, that got me thinking about what myth I would like to see abolished by 2025.

The myth that I think keeps us from doing what we need to do to prevent many cancer cases is this: Let’s find that one compound or supplement or nutrient or single food that’s the magic bullet for preventing or stopping cancer.

We crave an easy answer – whether for weight loss, for more energy or to prevent a chronic disease like cancer. And many are ready to take advantage with their relentless marketing of the latest “miracle,” whether an extract, supplement or exotic sounding food. Continue reading