REGULAR EXERCISERS MAY STILL FACE HEALTH RISKS - WHAT TO AVOID, ACCORDING TO STUDY

The NHS recommends a minimum of 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of exercise a week as a minimum; above this window and the benefits grow as the body burns more calories and improves cardiovascular health. Furthermore, if this exercise is done in tandem with a balanced diet full of fruit and vegetables then the benefits grow immensely as the body can use that fuel grow muscle and increase nutrient levels. And yet, while regular exercise is beneficial, those who engage in it are not immune from the risks others are. A study published in 2016 found those who fit into this lifestyle habit still faced threats to their longevity and provided guidance on things that should be avoided by those who exercised regularly and those who did not.

The study was undertaken by the American Physiological Society who found that the benefits provided by regular exercise could be counteracted if that same person sat for too long.

Their review of existing studies found that spending too much time sitting down was associated with chronic health issues such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease; the results were the same in participants regardless of how much they exercised.

Lead author Peter Katzmarzyk said: "It appears that there are independent health effects associated with excessive sitting, and that even in people who are meeting the physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes per week, there are ill health effects associated with sitting excessively during the rest of the day."

Subsequently, although regular exercise can help reduce someone's risk of heart disease and diabetes, it does not mean those same benefits cannot be undone by remaining sitting for too long.

Does this mean regular exercise is negligible?

Far from it, regular exercise is key to maintaining overall health and living a longer life. The message the study was getting across in its conclusions was that regular exercise does not mean one can enjoy sitting down for longer than someone does not.

In common with other elements of life, it is a work in progress; like a plant the body needs to be maintained and not left to wither whilst one has the power to improve overall health.

Furthermore, exercise has been found to help reduce the risk of another common condition, cancer, specifically, the most common cancer in men.

Every year, prostate cancer kills one man every 45 minutes, the equivalent of one football half without extra time. As a result, there is great impetus among the scientific community to work out ways to help men reduce their risk.

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As well as getting checked regularly, as prostate cancer does not present with symptoms in its early stages, a new study has found that regular exercise can help men reduce their risk.

According to a patient group based in the United States known as ZERO, The End of Prostate Cancer, men who exercise one to three hours each week are 86 percent less likely to develop the condition than men who don't.

In their report, the support group said men had to exercise the equivalent of one to three hours of walking. In a statement they said: "Further research has demonstrated three or more hours of vigorous exercise lowered the risk of prostate cancer death by 61%."

The reason for the need to exercise is so men can lose weight as obesity is thought to be associated with a raised prostate cancer risk.

On this, the NHS added: "Recent research suggests there may be a link between obesity and prostate cancer, and a balanced diet and regular exercise may lower your risk of developing prostate cancer."

According to research, diet can also play a role in prostate cancer risk for men. Studies have shown consumption of too much red meat can increase their risk of the condition.

However, it's not just about what enters a man's body, but what leaves it as well. Although a potentially awkward topic, and one rarely discussed, ejaculation is thought to play a role in prostate cancer risk.

A report published in European Urology estimated that 21 ejaculations a month could help a man reduce their risk of prostate cancer by around 33 percent.

As to why ejaculation helps to reduce a man's likelihood of prostate cancer is not known at the moment, but one theory is that it flushes out toxins from the body.

Furthermore, while a potentially useful method, regular ejaculation is not a golden bullet, and there is no causational study saying that it can definitely reduce the risk.

Prostate cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat as it is symptomless in its early stages.

It is only in its later stages that it produces symptoms such as:

• Needing to pee more frequently, often during the night

• Needing to rush to the toilet

• Difficulty in starting to pee

• Straining or taking a long time while peeing

• Weak flow

• Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully

• Blood in urine

• Blood in semen.

2022-09-05T20:53:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd