The Research
The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found in an analysis of two studies involving 63,000 male health professionals (ages 40-84) that six lifestyle habits were related to reducing the risk of advanced prostate cancer.
The researchers followed participants for 10 years and looked at:
- maintaining a healthy weight
- exercise level
- eating lycopene such as tomato products most days
- eating fatty fish such as salmon (at least once a week)
- limiting processed meats (eg. luncheon or deli meats) to no more than 3 servings a week
Authors of the analysis noted that men who had at least five of these healthy habits in their lifestyle were about half as likely to die from prostate cancer as those who had only one or none. Vigorous exercise seemed to have the biggest benefit.
How Vigorous?
Vigorous exercise is intense enough to cause sweeting and /or heavy breathing and /or significantly increase heart rate. Some examples of vigorous exercise would include: brisk walking (8.5km/hr.), running (9.5-11km/hr.), swimming, cycling and cardio machines such as an elliptical or stairclimbing.