'Exercise the most powerful medicine'

Edith Cowan University celebrates the work of its students and researchers this week with an array of presentations including one about the medicinal benefits of exercise.

ECU Joondalup’s foundation professor of exercise and sports science Rob Newton believes exercise is the most powerful medicine available.

“It can reduce the risk of virtually all chronic diseases simultaneously,” he said.

As an accredited exercise physiologist and with a PhD in exercise physiology, Professor Newton has been working in the field for the past 30 years and understands the importance of exercise in elderly people, especially those with cancer.

“In 1996, my father died of prostate cancer and I saw how little supportive care he received after his surgery and radiation therapy,” he said.

“He had overwhelming fatigue and lost much of his muscle mass which really impacted his ability to walk.

“He did not die of his prostate cancer but rather the side-effects of the treatment.”

For that reason Professor Newton focused his research on how exercise could improve the quality of life for people with cancer.

“Appropriate physical exercise has been demonstrated to reduce mortality from breast cancer and colorectal cancer by 50 per cent,” he said.

Professor Newton said his research would be explained this Friday at ECU South West building 6, between 11.30am and 12.30pm.