Per the Center for Disease Control, 30 minutes of exercise per day lowers your risk for Breast Cancer by 30 to 50%.  Obviously, we are not in control of where cancer resides BUT exercise is known to reduce complications of most disease states and a lot of times you can control disease states with diet and exercise.  This is most commonly seen with diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.

It is no different for survivors and people undergoing treatment. 

Here’s a few ways that exercise fits into Breast Cancer Awareness Month…

People undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer and survivors alike should engage in moderate exercise activity for 150 minutes per week.

Vigorous activities should be limited to 75 minutes per week. There could also be a mix of moderate and vigorous workouts.

Strength activities should be engaged 2 – 3 times per week.

Exercise should be limited on days when you are extremely tired.

If on radiation, exercise should not be done in the pool.

These guidelines are doable for most people meaning you can probably responsibly participate in whatever activity you are interested in with the appropriate modifications

That’s it for the breast cancer community. However, there are numerous ways we all can fit Awareness into our exercise routines.

We can have workout class fundraisers to donate to an organization.

You can participate in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the cure.

If you have a website like this, you can highlight Breast Cancer Survivors, like I did last year with my Pharmacy school professor Dr. Emily Evans. You can read it here and raise awareness all over again!

You can simply host a Pink Out Awareness Class like the #InThePaint members did to raise awareness and remind people to do self exams. We have done this 2 years in a row and it is enough. You never know who’s life you’re saving with a simple reminder!