Illustrated by Sydney Hass.
If you're still stuck to the sofa like glue after the holidays may we point you in the direction of recent stats that suggests a sedentary lifestyle will increase your risk of cancer? Yup, thought that would make you sit up a little straighter.
In an article in The Huffington Post, The World Cancer Research Fund reveals that getting fit isn’t just important for weight loss or an endorphin rush. It can also help to reduce the risk of certain cancers, including uterine, breast, and bowel. In 2012, 80,000 British women were diagnosed with these types of cancer, ranking the U.K. the tenth rate in the world for cancers linked to sedentary lifestyles. The findings suggest that 12 percent of bowel and breast cancers and one in 10 cases of uterine cancers in the U.K. could have been prevented if the women had exercised on a regular basis, the charity says. Sobering stats, indeed.
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Dr. Rachel Thompson, head of research interpretation at the World Cancer Research Fund, highlights the benefits of a daily fitness routine: “Regular activity can help strengthen the immune system, keep hormone levels healthy, and the digestive system in good shape, all of which help reduce our chances of developing cancer.”
Hope is not lost. The charity has just launched a 100-calorie challenge, a 21-day program featuring a daily email showing you the ways to carve out 100 calories from your daily intake through a variety of easy lifestyle changes. The charity claims that by eating an extra 100 calories a day a person can put on 14 pounds over a year.
And, as the American Cancer Society reveals, it's these small changes that can make all the difference. According to research, it takes five years for former smokers to lower their risk of developing cervical cancer to the same levels as a nonsmoker.
All this data makes us feel like taking a jog. Who wants to join us? (The Huffington Post)