As October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it would be foolish not to address the most common cancer to affect women.

Whether a breast cancer sufferer, or not, studies that span the last decade have shown that exercise greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Two very clear findings emerge from various studies undertaken by universities and cancer research centres worldwide.

Firstly, in a study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St.Louis, and Harvard University in Boston, researchers were pleasantly rewarded by their findings. Acknowledging proven research that exercise by post menopausal women greatly reduced the risk of breast cancer, they sought to see if such exercise had the same benefits for pre-menopausal women. The study concluded that women who were physically active between the ages of 12-35 saw the greatest reduction in breast cancer, lowering their chances of contracting the disease by up to 23%. The findings show that regular activity was the key factor, not intensive activity. It is believed that through exercising frequently from such a young age, females can reduce their exposure to estrogen which, in high quantities, is often associated with a greater risk of breast cancer.

Secondly, exercise has been shown to aid those who already suffer from breast cancer. The Alberta Cancer Board in Calgary, published a study which examined women with breast cancer over a period of 8.3 years. They concluded that those who participated in at least four hours per week of moderate intensity recreational activity over their lifetime, were at a far lower risk of death from breast cancer, in addition to the risk of its recurrence or progression. Granted, physical activity is no substitute for medical intervention, and it might be the last thing that many exhausted cancer patients feel like doing, but it can help address the 'what can I do?' feeling of futility that affects many people when diagnosed with cancer. Though housework was not considered sufficiently beneficial, the intensity of exercise does not have to be extreme, with brisk walking being enough. Again, it is thought that the link back to estrogen is the key in this study, and that physical activity lowers hormone levels. That aside, getting out of the house and enjoying open space and exercise, can be beneficial for your emotional as well as physical wellbeing.

It is never to late to start safeguarding you, or your family from breast cancer. Make exercise fun and inclusive for all ages of your family, and reap the many benefits.

Read more about the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's on going study, which continues to look at the links between exercise, estrogen and breast cancer.