Physical Activity

There has been a lot of research on how exercise can benefit cancer patients and increasingly understand that it can have a vital role alongside medical interventions. Primarily exercise:

• Supports the body in fighting cancer and restricting its growth
• Reduces the risk of re-occurrence
• by up to 40% depending on cancer type
• Restores strength and fitness after treatment.
• Boosts mental health
• Reduces fatigue

• Walk more – increasing your total number of daily steps can give your overall health a boost. Add a daily walk to your schedule.
  
  
• Stand – we spend a lot of time sitting. Where possible why not stand instead – on the bus, at your desk.
  
  
• Do more gardening – gardening is a great way to boost your activity. You don’t have to be a keen gardener to do the basics such as mowing the lawn or weeding the borders.
  
  
• Find a way of exercising that you enjoy – join a gym, play sport, join an exercise class, run.Micro workouts – It has been shown that doing short bursts of exercise (around 5 mins) can be highly beneficial. Have some resistance bands or dumbbells around your house to pick up while watching TV or when you have a few minutes to spare.
  
  
• Make it a lifestyle – Whatever you do make it achievable and sustainable. Having a consistently active lifestyle is where the real change is.
  
  
• Monitor what you do – use smart watches, your phone, pedometers etc to trach your daily activity, that way you can aim to increase it over time