Breast cancer is a risk for all women, but whether or not you develop it comes down to more than a roll of the dice. You can take precautions to decrease your chances of developing it. Athough there is never any guarantee that you can prevent breast cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic, research shows that making lifestyle changes is effective in lowering your risks.
Dietary Choices
Food choices can play a large role in reducing your risk. First, stick to a low-fat diet, with no more than 35 percent of your diet coming from fat. A study by the Mayo Clinic showed that women who eat a low-fat diet reduce their risk of developing breast cancer (note that men are at risk for breast cancer, too, but this study focused on women). As a bonus, eating a low-fat diet can also decrease your risk of developing other health issues, like heart disease and stroke. Next, limit alcohol consumption or avoid it completely. The Mayo Clinic recommends not exceeding one drink per day.
Keep Your Weight Down
According to the National Cancer Institute, being overweight increases your risk. Post-menopausal weight gain in particular seems to a be major risk factor. The Mayo Clinic reports that the estrogen in fat tissue may be behind the increased the risk of developing breast cancer for obese people. Sticking to a low-fat diet can help you control your weight, as can staying physically active.
Rethink Hormones
As study by the Women's Health Institute found that women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) treatments, especially treatments that included both estrogen and progestin, developed breast cancer more often than women who did not. HRT is often prescribed for women during menopause. If you are in menopause and taking or considering taking hormone replacements, talk to your doctor to weigh the benefits of the therapy versus your breast cancer risk. Birth control pills may also increase the risk of breast cancer, though there is no verdict on that, according to the Mayo Clinic. Your doctor can help you make a decision about using birth control pills based on your medical history and other breast cancer risk factors, such as a family history.
Stay Vigilant
Although you can do much to decrease your chances of breast cancer, it is impossible to eliminate your risk. Do frequent breast exams to check for lumps or other skin changes around your breasts. The Mayo Clinic recommends that all women over 40 have yearly mammograms. Watching for signs of breast cancer can help you catch it early when the disease is easier to treat and manage.
Tags: breast cancer, Mayo Clinic, breast cancer, low-fat diet, your risk
