How to prevent and lower the risk of breast cancer.

Introduction

When women heard about breast cancer it makes them worried and it’s natural. Breast cancer is the most common and dangerous disease in females. There is no mechanism to diagnose this disease in the early stages except proper examination but most women can’t go for breast examination. But there is good news for them about breast cancer. The treatments for breast cancer are getting better day by day and we know more than ever about the ways to prevent this disease. The following steps may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Not all ways apply to every woman but together they have a bigger impact on the prevention of breast cancer.

Maintain your body weight

Weight plays an important role in the risk of breast cancer. If you are overweight then you might have a greater risk of getting breast cancer, especially after menopause. Gaining weight at older ages may increase your risk of breast cancer. At older ages when a woman completes menstruation cycles and reached to menopause stage then most of the estrogens come from fat tissues. If you have more fat tissues they will increase the amount of estrogen that the body makes, it can increase your risk of breast cancer. The level of insulin became high in overweight’s and the higher level of insulin is also linked with breast cancer.

If you are healthy then no issue but gaining extra weight might be the problem and you should lose weight if have extra pounds. Weight loss can reduce the risk of getting breast cancer. Weight loss is also linked with other health benefits. So, start losing weight and live a healthy and strong life.

Make your diet healthy

Diet has an important role in the overall health of the body. A healthy diet is also helpful in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Try to avoid or limit add the fast foods in your diet as they may cause body weight gain. Make your diet healthy and eat fresh fruits and vegetables to lower the risk of breast cancer. A healthy diet helps you to maintain your body weight that is directly linked to breast cancer. You can eat Leafy green vegetables, Citrus fruits, Fatty fish, Berries, Fermented foods, Allium vegetables, Peaches, apples, pears, and Beans. It is recommended to limit or avoid red and processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages to stay healthy. A good diet is essential for good health and also lowers your risk of breast cancer.

healthy diet to reduce the risk of breast cancer. image credit:@healthline.com

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Avoid drinking alcohol

According to the America cancer society if you avoid drinking alcohol it will lower the risk of breast cancer. No alcohol is recommended but if you want to drink then for females one glass is enough in a given day. As one drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. But the recommendations are to avoid alcohol to stay safe and to lower your risk of breast cancer.

Be active physically

Many studies have shown that regular exercise may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Women who remain physically active at least 60 have a lower risk of breast cancer. Regular exercise is the best way to maintain your body weight. Don’t spend your whole day sitting it is not recommended. You should be physically active for at least 150 minutes according to recent researches by the American cancer society. So, keep yourself active every day and lower your risk of having breast cancer.

Think when using hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Most of the studies have shown that using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the combination of estrogen and progestin may increase the risk of getting breast cancer. This combination increases the density of the breast and makes it difficult to find breast cancer on mammograms.  But the good news is that if you stop the HRT then within 3 years it will be normal as the woman who didn’t use HRT.

The HRT with estrogen is a better option for that woman who has had a hysterectomy. The estrogen-alone is safe and it doesn’t increase the risk of having breast cancer. But the woman who still has the uterus is at risk of endometrial cancer with even estrogen HRT. You should talk to your doctor to control your menopause symptoms.

Breastfeed if have children

Breastfeeding can lower the risk of breast cancer. Breastfeed for at least 1 year or more may reduce breast cancer. Breastfeed plays a vital role in the prevention of breast cancer according to the American cancer society. The longer you feed your breast the longer it will be protective. As well as it is good for the health of your child.

Breastfeeding can lower the risk of breast cancer. credit@(Illustrative photo: taramara78, Shutterstock, NTB scanpix)

Conclusions

Be active in the detection of breast cancer. If you feel any change in your breasts like swelling or any lump then consult your doctor on an immediate basis. Do proper and regular examination to make sure everything is ok regarding your breasts. Always get in touch with your doctor and ask when to start a mammogram or other screenings for your breasts. We tried our best to cover all important prevention but if you think we have missed something then please share your valuable knowledge in comments to help people preventing breast cancer.

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