Several factors contribute to breast cancer. Every woman wants and deserves to know how to prevent this disease. Factors like age and genetics may remain constant but there are many other factors you can control. By making the right choices, you can reduce the risk as much as possible. Some of these options are listed below:
Exercise Regularly
Exercise generally improves your overall health. It also decreases the risk of getting breast cancer. The American Cancer Society acknowledged this as one of the main ways to prevent the disease. Exercise strengthens your immune system. It gives your body the upper hand to detect and destroy breast cancer cells before they begin to form. It is vital to get the right sports attire to help you stick to your exercise routine. Sports bras for plus size women are essential in giving the required comfort to burn fat cells. Physical exercise helps you lose weight. It reduces the levels of estrogen and fat in the body which are one of the leading causes of breast cancer. Exercise also impacts your emotions and moods. Though there is no tangible evidence linking breast cancer and psychological stress, medical researchers say cancer progression can speed up under stress. Exercise supports treatment and speeds up the recovery process.
Control your alcohol intake
Over 100 observational studies have consistently found that excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer. Though studies show a glass of wine a day is healthy, you should avoid drinking more if you’re trying to stay healthy. Medical experts have given several reasons to support this. Alcohol has empty calories that lead to weight gain which in turn increases the risk of the disease. Additionally, it increases the levels of hormones and folic acid in the body associated with the increased risk of breast cancer. Alcohol also contributes to other types of cancer, including head, neck, liver, and esophageal cancers.
Consume healthy diets
This is one of the main factors you can control to maintain a healthy life. In reducing the risk of breast cancer, research on obesity and nutrition has helped us understand the link between the disease and healthy living. Weight management is essential in prevention, rehabilitation, and recovery from the illness. There has been a well-established relationship between obesity and breast cancer. Epidemiological research shows that overweight or obese women are at risk of developing breast cancer.
Additionally, weight gain through adulthood also increases the risk. It also contributes to poor breast cancer diagnosis, surgical outcomes increasing higher infection rates, and poor healing. A research done on 180,000 women over 50 years old concluded that women who eat healthy diets to maintain and reduce weight kept off the risk of the disease for more than ten years.
Avoid smoking
Breast Cancer Now funded a project that researched the link between breast cancer and smoking. It found that smoking increases the risk of getting the disease and particularly to those with a family history of the disease and to women who started smoking before the age of 17. Women with a family history of the disease have a 35% risk than the ones who don’t, while women who started smoking in their adolescent years are still at risk 20 years after quitting. The study conducted on 102,927 women also studied the impact of smoking duration and concluded that smoking for more than ten years increases the risk by about 21% and 22% for more than 30 years. There are many advantages of not smoking or quitting even if you have smoked for a long time.
Avoid Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)
The use of HRT as a method to ease menopausal symptoms has decreased dramatically in the last one and a half decades. In 2002, research confirmed the use of HRT as one of the main factors contributing to breast cancer. There two main types; Estrogen-only HRT and Combination HRT that combines both estrogen and progesterone. Medical experts have reported that combination HRT increases the risk of breast cancer by 75% when used for a short period while estrogen-only HRT increases the risk when used for more than a decade. It would be best if you outweighed its benefits against its risks. Seek medical advice to evaluate all options.
About The Author
Nicole Hinton
Nicole is a freelancer & passionate blogger. She has 4+ years of experience in digital marketing and specialize in content writing, content marketing and organic search engine optimization. She has worked with many brands from Canada as well as the USA. Currently, she manages content marketing team of freelancers and doing their business efficiently.
