A software engineer who was leading a sedentary lifestyle once attended a seminar on "Lifestyle and cancer." The next day, he woke up early in the morning and ran. His friends were astonished to see this change in his behavior; they asked him sarcastically, "Who are you running away from, Suresh?". With heavy breaths, he replied, "From colon cancer."
The recent study funded by the World Cancer Research Fund finds that exercising in the morning and evening can perhaps reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by 11%. This is very helpful as it provides insight into how the timing of exercise may influence the inhibition of cancer. More than 86,000 participants were followed using a wrist accelerometer, showing a pattern: activity trends peaked at 8 am and 6 pm and reduced the risk of bowel cancer.
Understanding bowel cancer
Bowel cancer involves the colon and rectum, part of the digestive tract. The exact causes of bowel cancer remain complex and multifactorial, although identified risk factors include age, family history, diet, obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, and low levels of physical activity. Of these, low physical activity levels are potentially modifiable, making them critically important in prevention efforts.
Why does timing your workout right helps?
According to Dr. Ninad Katdare, Consultant- Abdominopelvic Surgical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre Colaba, “Several factors may explain this association. First, the time of exercise may coincide with the body's circadian rhythm, a natural 24-hour cycle that regulates metabolic processes and cell regeneration, as well as the release of hormones. Morning and evening exercise might optimize one's metabolic processes, diminish cancer-promoting inflammation, and improve health generally. Physical exercise could also enhance insulin sensitivity to help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent the activities of noxious insulin spikes; such factors have been related to cancer cell growth.”
Exercise also enhances gut motility, which facilitates effective movements of food within the digestive system. This minimizes the exposure that the bowel lining will have to a potential carcinogen; this may also be one of the factors for reduced risks for bowel cancer. Regular exercise in the morning prepares the body for the productive day ahead of it. This can lead to less stressful conditions. Exercise in the evening can help people obtain the best sleep. Both are important because quality sleep is a needed component for the proper working of the immune system and cell repair, which is another factor for the inhibition of cancer growth.
Incorporation of morning and evening exercises in the form of walking, jogging, or cycling may even come as a simple solution towards the reduction of risk for bowel cancer and also general well-being.
Evidence: How increased physical activity helps reduce your risks
Many research studies have analysed the association of exercise with the development of bowel cancer:
1. Population Studies: According to Dr. Sameer Gupta, HOD, Oncosurgery, DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune, “Large-scale observational studies have shown that active people who exercise with moderate to vigorous effort have a reduced risk for bowel cancer as compared with the sedentary lifestyle. It showed exercise regularity leads to 25-30% decreased colon cancer.”
2. Weight Control: Exercise for weight maintenance and inhibiting obesity, which is excess body fat, particularly in the abdominal area, contributes to increased inflammation and insulin resistance and therefore may worsen risk factors for cancer.
3. Better Gut Health: The population of regular physical activity is connected with better gut motility, thus reduced transit time and a potentially minimum exposure of the intestinal lining to harmful substances. It also develops a good microbiome, which may protect against cancer.
4. Hormonal Regulation: Exercise impacts the levels of hormones such as insulin and
estrogen, both of which have been thought to play a role in the development of bowel cancer. Physical activity, by regulating these hormonal levels, reduces cancer risk.
Video
The recent study funded by the World Cancer Research Fund finds that exercising in the morning and evening can perhaps reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by 11%. This is very helpful as it provides insight into how the timing of exercise may influence the inhibition of cancer. More than 86,000 participants were followed using a wrist accelerometer, showing a pattern: activity trends peaked at 8 am and 6 pm and reduced the risk of bowel cancer.
Understanding bowel cancer
Bowel cancer involves the colon and rectum, part of the digestive tract. The exact causes of bowel cancer remain complex and multifactorial, although identified risk factors include age, family history, diet, obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, and low levels of physical activity. Of these, low physical activity levels are potentially modifiable, making them critically important in prevention efforts.
Why does timing your workout right helps?
According to Dr. Ninad Katdare, Consultant- Abdominopelvic Surgical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre Colaba, “Several factors may explain this association. First, the time of exercise may coincide with the body's circadian rhythm, a natural 24-hour cycle that regulates metabolic processes and cell regeneration, as well as the release of hormones. Morning and evening exercise might optimize one's metabolic processes, diminish cancer-promoting inflammation, and improve health generally. Physical exercise could also enhance insulin sensitivity to help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent the activities of noxious insulin spikes; such factors have been related to cancer cell growth.”
Exercise also enhances gut motility, which facilitates effective movements of food within the digestive system. This minimizes the exposure that the bowel lining will have to a potential carcinogen; this may also be one of the factors for reduced risks for bowel cancer. Regular exercise in the morning prepares the body for the productive day ahead of it. This can lead to less stressful conditions. Exercise in the evening can help people obtain the best sleep. Both are important because quality sleep is a needed component for the proper working of the immune system and cell repair, which is another factor for the inhibition of cancer growth.
Incorporation of morning and evening exercises in the form of walking, jogging, or cycling may even come as a simple solution towards the reduction of risk for bowel cancer and also general well-being.
Evidence: How increased physical activity helps reduce your risks
Many research studies have analysed the association of exercise with the development of bowel cancer:
1. Population Studies: According to Dr. Sameer Gupta, HOD, Oncosurgery, DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune, “Large-scale observational studies have shown that active people who exercise with moderate to vigorous effort have a reduced risk for bowel cancer as compared with the sedentary lifestyle. It showed exercise regularity leads to 25-30% decreased colon cancer.”
2. Weight Control: Exercise for weight maintenance and inhibiting obesity, which is excess body fat, particularly in the abdominal area, contributes to increased inflammation and insulin resistance and therefore may worsen risk factors for cancer.
3. Better Gut Health: The population of regular physical activity is connected with better gut motility, thus reduced transit time and a potentially minimum exposure of the intestinal lining to harmful substances. It also develops a good microbiome, which may protect against cancer.
4. Hormonal Regulation: Exercise impacts the levels of hormones such as insulin and
estrogen, both of which have been thought to play a role in the development of bowel cancer. Physical activity, by regulating these hormonal levels, reduces cancer risk.
Video
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