Small steps can help to keep the Big C at bay ...

WITH the London Olympics still a recent memory and the Paralympic Games in progress, there is no doubt about the feelgood factor which sport brings to our lives and the resultant esteem in which we hold our sporting heroes.

However success, and the resultant fame and fortune, do not protect against the everyday tragedies of life.

Former Everton footballer Kevin Sheedy will undergo surgery after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.

This news comes not long after Aston Villa announced that their captain, former Celtic player, Stilyian Petrov is in remission and winning his battle against leukaemia.

The benefits of an active lifestyle are well known, especially in reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure. Less well known, however, are the benefits of activity in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

ScIenTIsTs have shown that low levels of physical activity can increase the risk of certain cancers, particularly bowel and breast cancer and that the benefit of being active is in addition to that expected by the reduction in obesity alone.

One of the largest studies followed 40,000 men and found that those who were active for just 30 minutes each day were 34% less likely to die of cancer that those who were inactive.

Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK and one where the benefits of being active have been most clearly identified. Physical activity leads to more regular bowel motions, limiting the time for cancercausing substances in our food to be in contact with the bowel. It also reduces bowel inflammation and has a beneficial effect on some of the body hormones, such as insulin.

Studies on breast cancer and activity have consistently found a reduction in breast cancer risk of 20-40% in those who are physically active with the best reduction in those who maintain a healthy body weight and are active throughout their lives.

Being active has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of other cancers such as lung, In association with prostate and uterus.

In addition to prevention of cancer, physical activity has now been shown to improve the outcome of patients during their cancer treatment.

As well as improved survival, patients felt better, were less fatigued, had a better appetite and maintained their body strength compared to those who were inactive.

A final thought. One of the biggest studies looked at over 10,000 inactive men in America and found that, despite years of inactivity, they could still reduce their risk of disease by around 25%. So it really is never too late to get more active.

National Stadium Sports Health and Injury Clinic is on 0141-616 6161 and www. sportsmedicinecentre. org on the web.