Exercising Your Way to a Prostate Problem–Free Life
Dr. Oz’s personal trainer, Donovan Green, shares why men should exercise before and after prostate cancer diagnosis.
Everyone knows that exercise is beneficial for maintaining positive overall health, but what you might not know is that regular physical activity cannot only help prevent prostate cancer but also improve prostate health.
An increasing amount of research suggests that it is time for men to pick up the pace when it comes to exercise.
Research has shown that men with a history of brisk walking, prior to a diagnosis of prostate cancer, had healthier-looking, more normally shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumors if diagnosed. This can be linked to a decreased risk of death in men with prostate cancer. It also appears that the length and the level of activity decreases this risk, and serves as huge motivation to start implementing a fitness routine.
Getting started on your workout plan
After talking with your doctor, start working your body toward more intensive exercise. Start with something simple, like walking. As your endurance improves increase the intensity by walking faster, moving into a slow jog or run.
Depending on your personal preference, swimming, tennis, and biking can be great activities to add to your repertoire to ensure that working out remains challenging and fun. Not only will this help strengthen your body’s immune system as a whole, but there have been studies to show that men diagnosed with cancer who burned 3,011 calories or more each week through physical activity cut the risk of death from any cause in half, compared to men whose weekly exercise burned only 500 calories.
Tips and tricks from a pro
Always remember to add five minutes of warmup prior to exercising and ten minutes of cooldown to prevent injury. Choose activities that you enjoy, or bring a partner along with you. Having a workout buddy who can keep you accountable and motivated will make your experience so much better.
Don’t forget — a good workout plan paired with a healthy, balanced diet is the winning combination in helping to prevent prostate cancer growth and improve recovery.