Staying active with housework can reduce the risk of a certain form of uterine cancer and patients with breast cancer who exercised regularly were more likely to survive. A combination of walking and household chores reduced the risk of endometrial cancer by as much as 40 percent, and a separate study found the more women walked, the better their chances of beating breast cancer. One of the biggest obstacles facing someone who hasn't exercised in some time is how to get started, and walking is a great way to get more activity into your day. Of course, if you're already in shape you'll need to walk for more than two hours to achieve significant health benefits, so in that case you may want to choose a more vigorous activity such as jogging or using an elliptical machine.
Reuters March 29, 2004