Exercise is essential for both preventing and supporting recovery from breast cancer, as it can reduce risk factors such as inflammation, hormone levels, and fatigue. Older adults should follow safe and tailored movement plans that can include walking, resistance training, and balance exercises.
According to the United Nations (UN), breast cancer cases are projected to rise by nearly 40% by 2050. This equals 3.2 million new cases and 1.1 million related deaths each year.
This can be a scary reality, but there's a link between exercise and breast cancer that seniors in Marysville, CA, and beyond can explore.
Are you interested in learning more? Then keep reading. We'll discuss how exercise affects breast cancer and what you can do to lower your risk of this disease.
Physical activity and wellness go hand-in-hand. Those who get regular exercise achieve positive effects, with the main one being better overall health. Exercise can improve immune function and cardiovascular fitness, which matters for general resilience.
More importantly, exercise can affect breast cancer, both before and after diagnosis. This is thanks to the following mechanisms:
So while exercise doesn't guarantee breast cancer prevention, it can certainly reduce your risk significantly.
This goes for chances of recurrence too. A study done by Bettariga et al., published in the JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that exercise can potentially reduce the recurrence rate of breast cancer.
Yes, walking can definitely help with cancer risk reduction. It's one of the easiest, lowest-risk aerobic activities for older adults. Plus, you can get measurable benefits if you walk regularly.
Usually, exercise is good for an elderly cancer patient, but there needs to be tailoring and medical oversight.
Physical activity can be safe and beneficial for cancer patients, as it can:
You must be careful not to overdo women's fitness in senior living though. You should work with your doctor to find safe exercise types, and time them around chemo/radiation.
Physical activity should be part of every senior's healthy aging strategies, but you shouldn't just dive into things immediately. Considering that you're older now, and you're also dealing with breast cancer, you need to start safely.
In general, you should aim for the standard adult target if possible, which, according to the CDC, is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week. However, if you can achieve this, then that's okay; scale to your individual ability. Even if you do smaller amounts, they're still beneficial.
To support your overall health, you should add resistance, balance, and flexibility work.
Lastly, before you get started, you should ask your doctor whether you need clearance. If so, follow their orders to exercise safely.
If you need memory care health tips to create a sustainable movement plan, then we've got you. Here's our advice:
There are also practical aids and adaptations you can consider:
Worrying is understandable, and to stand a fighting chance against breast cancer, you need effective strategies. They include:
Recommendations will depend on your health status. Many guidelines suggest that seniors continue screening if they have a life expectancy of at least 10 years and are healthy enough to undergo treatment if cancer is found.
Your best bet is to discuss personalized timing with your doctor.
There's no single food or supplement that guarantees breast cancer prevention. However, you should strive to eat a balanced diet rich in:
You should also limit the consumption of processed foods and alcohol.
If multiple family members have had the following cancers, you should get genetic testing (BRCA1/BRCA2 and other genes):
Common signs to watch out for are:
You can reduce your lymphedema risk with:
As you can see, exercise and breast cancer are closely linked, meaning that if you get enough physical activity, not only can you lower your risk of breast cancer, but you can also lower the chances of recurrence if you're a cancer survivor.
Plus, exercise has many other wonderful health benefits, so you're only losing out if you're not physically active. So get started on your movement plan and get off the couch!
Get in touch with us now to find out more about senior living in Marysville, CA. Marbella Marysville has chef-created menus that are certified by a registered dietitian, so you can have peace of mind knowing you're getting the best in nutrition.