Some might say this cancer cure is a stretch, but they’d be wrong

It’s crazy to think that something as simple as exercising daily can protect you from cancer.

But is it really that far-fetched?

After all, research shows that staying physically active lowers your risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, endometrial cancer and many others.

Exercise also increases your chance of surviving cancer and staying in remission if you’ve already dealt with a cancer diagnosis.

Those are some pretty great reasons to work up a sweat, am I right?

But just how hard do you have to exercise to reap these cancer-fighting benefits?

Do you have to do a sweat-till- you-drop workout session? Or will gentle yoga do the trick?

A new study suggests that even simple stretching may be enough to keep cancer away…

The anti-cancer effect of stretching

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute recently found that stretching can prevent tumor growth in mice.

Researchers went into the study knowing that physical activity is beneficial for people with cancer. But they wanted to see what role stretching had in this anti-cancer effect.

The study included 66 mice who were split into two groups: a group that stretched daily (with a little help from researchers) and a group that didn’t stretch.

Both groups were injected with breast cancer cells. And guess what researchers noticed after four weeks?

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The mice who stretched daily had tumors that were 52 percent smaller than the mice who didn’t stretch. In other words, the simple act of stretching significantly slowed tumor growth. Amazing, huh?

To figure out why stretching influenced tumor growth so much, researchers took a closer look at what was happening inside these mice. They found that mice who stretched had lower levels of an immune system marker called PD-1. They called this marker an “important immune check point” and said that it blocks the body’s ability to fight cancer cells. So, lower levels are a good thing.

They also found that mice who stretched had higher levels of molecules that manage inflammation called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). And, as you probably know, lower inflammation levels mean lower cancer risk.

On your mark, get set, start stretching!

Do you have a stretching routine you practice daily?

If you don’t, it’s time to start one. Besides cancer prevention, stretching also improves circulation and balance, lowers blood sugar, reduces stress and relieves muscle tension and pain. So, there are plenty of reasons to stretch.

Yoga, tai chi and qi gong are all great ways to squeeze in more stretching. Or you can add these five simple stretches to your morning ritual. Easy Health options contributor Dr. Mark Wiley says they are the perfect way to energize a stiff body in the morning. And who knows? They may even protect you against cancer.

Sources:

1. Downward-facing mouse: Stretching reduces tumor growth in mouse model of breast cancer — MedicalXpress. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
2. Berrueta, et al. “Stretching Reduces Tumor Growth in a Mouse Breast Cancer Model.” — Scientific Reports, 2018.
3. Exercise Linked With Lower Risk of 13 Types of Cancer — American Cancer Society. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
4. Physical Activity and Cancer — National Cancer Institute. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
5. 7 Incredible Results You Can Get From Stretching Every Day — Prevention. Retrieved May 31, 2018.