Exercise is the key to a health body and a healthy mind.

It is believed that one hour of daily vigorous exercise or two hours of less strenuous activity is now linked to a lower risk of colon cancer, according to the results of a recent study.

Cycling, Jogging, running, pumping iron, swimming, and even housecleaning can do the trick, as demonstrated by research conducted with 413,000 people in 10 European countries.

Of those studied, people with the highest level of exercise were 22 percent less likely to develop cancer and 35 percent less likely to develop tumors on the right side of the colon. Those of normal weight enjoyed a greater benefit, but exercise was also beneficial for the overweight and obese. Exercise did not have a protective effect against rectal cancer.

This research helping to support the fact that about 70 percent of colon cancer cases can be prevented by changes in diet and exercise is significant because of the large sample size and the different levels of activity observed across the borders.

Colon and rectal are among the most common cancers in developed countries. More than 940,000 cases are diagnosed each year. About 492,000 people die from the illness.