Getting regular physical exercise is one of the best things you can do to manage your risk of breast cancer.
Experts recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity every week, which is about 30-60 minutes of exercise five days a week.
Try to find an activity you enjoy, and aim for a mix of cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and balance training.
One of the best tools for managing your breast cancer risk is well within your reach.
Ashley Hendrix, MD, MBA, FACS is a breast surgical oncologist with Regional One Health Cancer Care and a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network panel that sets the guidelines for managing breast cancer risk. She says getting regular exercise is one of the best things you can do to positively impact your risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Exercise is very valuable when it comes to risk reduction for breast cancer, and it also reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis,” she said. “One of the main barriers is figuring out how to fit it in – but anything you do, even if it’s for a short time, will benefit you.”
Dr. Hendrix held a Lunch & Learn to educate women on why exercise works, the ideal “exercise prescription,” and how to fit it into a busy schedule.
Why it works
Dr. Hendrix said exercise impacts hormone levels, immune cells, and metabolism, all of which have been linked to the development and spread of breast cancer.
Exercise lowers the amount of the hormone estrogen circulating in your system. Since estrogen contributes to breast cancer risk, reducing your exposure helps manage risk.
“Exercise is very valuable when it comes to risk reduction for breast cancer, and it also reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis,” says Regional One Health Cancer Care breast surgical oncologist Dr. Ashley Hendrix.
Exercise also decreases insulin and other hormones that can promote cancer cell proliferation, while increasing sex hormone binding globulin levels that fight against proliferation.
Immune cells benefit from exercise as well. Exercise helps to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase anti-inflammatory mediators, which works to inhibit tumor progression and recurrence.
Finally, regular physical activity improves metabolism.
It causes the body to release myokines and catecholamines, which suppress cancer cell growth and promote the natural death of cancer cells. Exercise also decreases adipose tissue, or body fat, that can fuel cancer risk by producing more estrogen.
Your “exercise Rx”
Dr. Hendrix and her fellow NCCN panelists recommend getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every week. Aim for a combination of cardiovascular, strength, balance, and flexibility training.
That equates to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week. Exceeding that upper limit is optimal, and you can also try to get more vigorous exercise over a shorter amount of time.
Dr. Hendrix noted moderate intensity means you can carry on a conversation, but it isn’t easy. Vigorous intensity is exercising hard enough that you can’t converse.
No matter what, Dr. Hendrix stressed any exercise is better than no exercise. “What is the best exercise to do? It’s whatever you’re going to do and stick to,” she said.
Making it happen
Finding an exercise plan that works for your lifestyle can be hard – even for doctors!
It is important to find an activity you enjoy so you’ll stick with it. Aim for a mixture of cardiovascular, strength, flexibility, and balance exercises.
“Full disclosure – I am the worst with exercise,” Dr. Hendrix said. “It doesn’t come naturally to me. I just feels like something else I have to do.”
However, there are strategies for improving your odds of success, she said.
Start by making a commitment and setting a goal. Identify barriers like fear, lack of knowledge, injuries, not having a safe place to exercise, etc. Do what you can to address those barriers – enlist a knowledgeable friend or trainer, see a physical therapist, etc.
Take the first step and don’t give up if you have setbacks. “If you fall off the wagon, get back on tomorrow. Every morning is a new day to make that choice,” Dr. Hendrix said. “It’s OK to make a commitment, fail, and make a new commitment. It’s a chance to reassess.”
Dr. Hendrix added exercise is also important if you are a breast cancer survivor or if you’ve been diagnosed with the disease. Exercise can reduce fatigue and improve stamina, sleep, and mental health. Talk to your oncology team about how to exercise safely and make any adjustments you need due to current or previous treatment.
What else can I do?
“Managing your breast cancer risk isn’t just one thing, it’s a lot of things,” Dr. Hendrix said.
Aim for a predominantly plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Select healthy fats like fatty fish and olive or avocado oil, and try to limit red meant to once per week. Limit processed foods like fast food and pre-packaged snacks.
You can also manage your breast cancer risk by eating a predominantly plant-based diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and making sure you follow your provider’s screening recommendations.
Aim for fewer than one serving of alcohol per week and definitely no more than one per day. Remember that a serving is 6 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
Dr. Hendrix also recommends being aware of your non-modifiable risk factors like aging, being born with ovaries, family history, and reproductive history. While you can’t change these risk factors, you can talk to your provider about how they impact your screening needs.
“Risk reduction is not risk elimination. We can get our risk lower, but it never completely goes away,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to be aware of symptoms and make sure you’re following your guidelines for image screening.”
Learn more!
Dr. Hendrix sees patients at Regional One Health’s East Campus, 6555 Quince Road, and Main Campus, 880 Madison Avenue.