I’m a Doctor – This Is the Shockingly Small Amount of Exercise Each Day That Reduces Cancer Risk

Even a few minutes of exercise can dramatically reduce the risk of cancer.

Just four minutes of vigorous exercise a day – such as running, cycling and swimming – was linked to a one-fifth lower risk of cancer.

And just 10 minutes of such exercise can reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 50 percent, a study published last year found.

According to Dr. Layne Norton, a nutritionist and professional bodybuilder, research is increasingly showing that a “disgustingly small” amount of moderate to vigorous exercise is the key to preventing premature death.

During an episode of the FoundMyFitness podcast last week, Dr. Norton from Florida said, “Your body is designed to fight back against things that if you don’t, you’re dramatically accelerating your aging process and your cognitive decline.

“Exercise is one of the few things you can do, aside from weight loss, that will improve all of your health parameters.”

Researchers have discovered that exercising for just 10 minutes a day can reduce the risk of cancer by up to 30 percent

Intense exercise increases your heart rate significantly. This means that your heart has to work harder to transport oxygen to your muscles so that they can function better and grow.

The Mayo Clinic defines the sweet spot as 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can calculate your maximum heart rate by multiplying your age by 0.7 and subtracting the total from 208.

For example, a 30-year-old has a maximum heart rate of 187 beats per minute, while during intense exercise the heart rate should be between 131 and 159 beats per minute.

But a general rule of thumb is that if you have trouble breathing or following a conversation, you’re probably exercising vigorously.

Dr. Norton pointed to research published last year in JAMA Oncologywho analyzed data from more than 22,000 adults who did not exercise regularly. The average age of the participants was 62 and about 55 percent were women.

The researchers found that just four minutes of vigorous exercise a day reduced the risk of cancer by 20 percent. That figure jumped to 30 percent for 10 minutes of exercise.

Three short bouts of exercise per day led to a 40 percent lower risk of cancer and cancer death, and a 50 percent lower risk of death from heart disease.

The researchers did not explain how exercise reduces cancer risk. However, experts believe it does so by reducing potentially harmful inflammation and improving immune function, which prevents cancer cells from developing.

Dr. Norton also noted that short bouts of exercise improve mental and cognitive health.

He pointed to a study published last year in Psychiatric examinationin which men with major depressive disorder were examined who did strength training twice a week for 25 minutes for eight weeks.

Recent research has shown that just 20 minutes of physical activity per day reduces the risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease

The researchers wrote that the exercise sessions “significantly improved symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). “

Improvements were measured with effect size. The higher the number, the more effective a treatment. Exercise scored an effect size of 1.7.

“1.7 is huge. SSRIs fall between 0.3 and 0.8,” Dr. Norton said.

“What I’m not saying is that we should get rid of SSRIs and get everyone moving, because sometimes someone might need an SSRI to get them out of bed and actually move. But when we look at how powerful that lever is, it’s astonishing.”

In addition, Dr. Norton mentioned a small Study 2023This showed that 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity improved memory more than longer periods of exercise.

“Even if you just walk briskly for 30 minutes a day, you’re doing well,” he said.

Dr. Norton suggested treating exercise like “brushing your teeth” to create a habit. “Do you feel motivated to brush your teeth? No, you do it because you know if you don’t brush your teeth, they’re going to go to hell.”

‘The same thing happens to your body when you don’t move.’