There is one key way to reduce the risk of breast, bowel, bladder, oesophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach cancer, according to NHS GP Dr Hana Patel.
The activity is associated with better health outcomes and a longer lifespan.
“Studies have shown that an increase of 1,000 steps a day was associated with a 15 percent reduction in the risk of dying from any cause,” said Dr Patel.
“And an increase of 500 steps a day was associated with a seven percent reduction in dying from cardiovascular disease.”
It is walking that is associated with a minimised risk of eight types of cancer, but that’s not all.
“Being active can improve self-perception and self-esteem, mood and sleep quality whilst also reducing stress, anxiety and fatigue,” said Dr Patel.
Walking also offers neurological benefits, such as “reduced risk of dementia and reduced depressive symptoms”.
In order to reap the maximum benefits of walking, which also includes maintaining a healthy weight and reducing diabetes risk, you should take 10,000 steps daily.
This equates to around 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, which is also recommended by the NHS.
The most walkable cities in the UK, according to Accor, are:
- London
- Inverness
- Edinburgh
- Newcastle
- Manchester.
While walking can be part of a healthy lifestyle, there are other factors to consider when wanting to minimise cancer risk.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that cancer is “a leading cause of death worldwide”.
In order to mitigate such risk, there are five things to consider:
- Do you smoke?
- What’s your body weight?
- How frequently do you drink alcohol?
- How much fruit and veg do you eat?
- How much exercise do you do?
In order to best minimise the risk of developing cancer, it makes sense that you need to:
- Be a non-smoker
- Have a healthy weight
- Not drink alcohol
- Eat plenty of fruit and veg
- Exercise frequently.
Taking these steps will help to lower your risk of cancer, but it does not guarantee you will not develop some type of cancer in your lifetime.
If you experience any unusual symptoms, it’s strongly advisable to seek medical support.
Should cancer be detected, an early diagnosis and treatment plan may present better outcome opportunities.
