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Taking a proactive approach towards breast cancer prevention is one of the best things you can do for yourself, whether or not you have a high risk of the disease. The reality is that 1 in 8 women in the US eventually develops breast cancer, with over 370,000 cases diagnosed each year. While this is troubling, there’s also plenty of reason to be optimistic. Increased awareness and advances in medicine have led to a 44 percent reduction in mortality over the last 4 decades. These numbers reinforce the importance of personal action and self-empowerment, as small behavioral and lifestyle changes can make all the difference in preventing or beating breast cancer.
Lifestyle Changes to Lower Your Breast Cancer Risk
Know Your Body & Your Risk
The most important step you can take in breast cancer prevention is to learn more about the disease and your own body. An online breast cancer guide can help you better understand the risk factors, assess your own risk, and the warning signs that you should look out for. Breast self-examination is regarded as a crucial tool for you to become familiar with your body so that you are more likely to detect any changes early.
Fix Your Diet
Takeout and processed ready-to-eat foods may seem like a good idea when you’re pressed for time, but it’ll cost you a lot more in the long run. Instead, try meal prepping for convenience, making it a point to include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Large-scale studies clearly show that a high intake of such foods, especially cruciferous vegetables, can lower the risk of breast cancer by as much as 11 percent, which is significant.
Stay Active
Regular exercise doesn’t just help you stay in shape; it can also help to lower the risk of breast cancer. In fact, the American Cancer Society recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, including activities such as walking, swimming, and cycling. The more you exercise, the greater the benefits. This small lifestyle change can lower the risk by between 25 and 40 percent.
Maintain Healthy Weight
Obesity is a known risk factor for breast cancer, especially after menopause. This makes it important to take steps to lose excess weight through healthy approaches, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, before reaching menopause. If you still struggle to lose weight or continue to gain weight, talk to your healthcare provider, as weight gain may also be triggered by underlying health conditions or hormonal changes that occur during menopause.
Breastfeed if You Have a Baby
Hormonal changes that occur with pregnancy and breastfeeding have a direct impact on levels of hormones such as estrogen. These changes have been linked to a reduction in the risk of breast cancer, with studies showing that changes in breast tissue and reduced exposure to estrogen can lower the long-term risk of cancer. These benefits are found to accumulate over time, increasing with longer durations of breastfeeding.
Don’t Skip Routine Screenings
Although self-examination is an important tool in breast cancer prevention, very often, breast cancer can develop and progress slowly, only showing up at a later stage. This is why regular screening with mammography is recommended for women who are at a higher risk because of a family history of the disease, age, and other factors. Talk to your doctor to find out about appropriate screening tests for you.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is mostly associated with lung cancer, but it also increases the risk of other cancers, including breast cancer. Research that appeared in BMJ shows that women who smoke have a 16 percent higher risk of breast cancer, as compared to non-smokers. Quitting at any age will help to lower this risk, although former smokers continue to have an elevated risk as compared to never-smokers.
Avoid or Limit Alcohol Intake
Contrary to popular belief, no amount of alcohol consumption is safe when it comes to breast cancer. This is because the breakdown of alcohol releases a toxic substance called acetaldehyde, which is known to cause DNA damage, also increasing estrogen levels. If you do drink, make it a point to limit your intake, as studies show that the risk of breast cancer increases with higher levels of alcohol consumption.
Get Adequate Sleep Earlier
Although more research is needed, sleep deprivation and impaired sleep quality are thought to increase the risk of breast cancer. Interestingly, a study by researchers at the University of Bristol found that breast cancer rates were higher among women who tend to sleep and wake later. However, it’s not clear if sleep timing itself affects your risk or if genetic determinants of sleep are involved. The best thing you can do would be to simply follow a healthy sleep schedule with fixed sleep and wake timings that give you adequate downtime daily.
