Breast cancer is all too common; on average, one in eight women will develop the disease in her lifetime. Some factors that may increase someone’s breast cancer risk, such as genetics, being female or getting older, are beyond our control. However, we do have influence over some factors.
If you want to lower your risk, here are some steps you can take:
1. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise can decrease your breast cancer risk. Obesity increases estrogen levels, which increases your chances of developing the disease. Regular exercise, 30 minutes per day, has been shown not only to decrease breast cancer risk, but other cancers and health conditions as well. Diets high in fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods also can help you maintain a healthy weight and decrease your cancer risk.
2. AVOID OR LIMIT ALCOHOL INTAKE
Alcohol consumption increases your breast cancer risk. To decrease your risk, stick to no more than one alcoholic beverage per day.
3. BREASTFEED
You probably know that breast feeding has many benefits for your baby, but did you know that it also has enormous health benefits for the mother? Breastfeeding not only decreases the mother’s risk of breast cancer, but it also decreases the risk of ovarian cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. You should breastfeed exclusively for at least six months to get these benefits, but the longer you breastfeed, the greater the benefit. Every 12 months of breast feeding decreases your lifetime risk of breast cancer by 4.3% (in addition to the 7% risk reduction for each live birth)!
4. ELIMINATE OR MINIMIZE YOUR EXPOSURE TO HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
Menopause often comes with symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings, which can be effectively treated with hormone replacement therapy. However, this therapy also increases breast cancer risk.
Many women do not realize that there are non-hormonal options available that can effectively alleviate menopausal symptoms. If you are experiencing such symptoms and want to avoid hormone replacement therapy, ask you provider what alternatives are available. If you do need to be on hormone replacement therapy, use the lowest dose that relieves your symptoms for the shortest time possible.
And finally, regular mammograms are the most effective way to detect breast cancer early, which improves outcomes. Women at routine risk should start mammogram screenings at age 40.
