Workout Against Breast Cancer

300lb linebackers sporting bright pink gloves and cleats in the NFL; it must be Breast Cancer Awareness month! I salute any person who contributes to making others aware of this prevalent terminal illness that strikes so many women. Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and friends – you would be hard pressed to find someone who has not known a women who has survived or died of cancer.

Breast cancer awareness month means much more than just being aware that the disease exists, and that we need to find a cure. It is also a time to remember the preventative measures that women can take to either decrease the likelihood of being diagnosed, or ways to detect symptoms early on when it is most treatable. Women over the age of 40, or women who have a family history of breast cancer should have mammograms every 1-2years (www.womanshealth.gov ). There’s debate over how frequent a woman should have mammograms. Natural medicine enthusiasts believe that the radiation from having a mammogram will do more harm than good over a long period of time. The best line of defense is a self-exam. ALL women should perform self-exams! Any abnormalities should be brought to the attention of your Doctor as soon as possible.

Regular exercise aids in weight and stress management, and also reduces your chances for medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. But it has also been scientifically proven for all women, regardless of family medical history, that regular exercise decreases a woman’s chances of being diagnosed with cancer! One hour of exercise a day, four days a week, can reduces a women’s likelihood of getting the disease by 22% (www.cancer.gov). Some would argue that it’s the healthy weight management that actually reduces the chances of getting cancer. But er ummm….if I get to be healthy and reduce my risk, I’ll take it! Even if a woman does have cancer, her likelihood of surviving decreases if she has lead a healthy lifestyle. A 2010 study found that in African American women, vigorous exercise reduces the risk of cancer by a whopping 64%! (www.eurekalert.org)

With so many benefits for working out as a means of combating cancer, it seems highly befitting that people “Walk for the cure” each year for finding a cure. So to that I say “Walk on women! Walk on!”…preferably, for 4 or more hours per week. And if you are black, do it with vigor!

For more information, please visit www.nbcam.org