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Life Style Changes to Prevent Breast CancerYou can reduce your risk of breast cancer by changing specific items in the way you live your life. One of the biggest factors that you can control is your weight. The risk increase if you have gained weight after menopause or are carrying the extra fat around your middle. If you have gained weight during the adult years of your life and have a diet that is high in fat, you may be increasing your risk for developing this disease. Studies show conflicting data on the relationship of fat in your diet and breast cancer. One thing is clear; you need to control your weight.
This will help you lead a healthier life and decrease your chances of breast cancer and many other deadly diseases.
Exercising is important to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. It is never too late to start an exercise program. Contact your doctor to see if there are limits that should be placed on your exercise routine. You may begin an exercise program by gentle stretching motions, taking a walk around the block, or any other light form of exercise. Studies show that you will benefit from as little as an hour and fifteen minutes of added exercise each week. If you increase that time to over two and a half hours, you will reduce your risk by another 18%. The more your exercise the lower your risk of developing breast cancer.
Your decision on pregnancy issues may also affect your risk of breast cancer. Choosing not to have a child or having your first child over the age of 30 will increase your risk. Breast-feeding will also lower your risk of breast cancer. Studies show that breast-feeding for one and a half to two years significantly decreases your risk of developing breast cancer. Birth control pills may increase your risk slightly, but if you haven't taken birth control in the previous ten years, your risk is reduced.
Hormone replacement therapy over a long period will increase your risk of breast cancer. HRT also increases your chances of having heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots or strokes. One interesting fact I discovered about hormone replacement therapy is that it decreases the effectiveness of mammogram screening. That means that breast cancer is often diagnosed later in patients who have been on hormone replacement therapy for a longtime. Once you have stopped taking HRT, your risk lowers after the first five years of being HRT free. If you are experiencing menopausal symptoms, contact your doctor about the risks of HRT or look into natural ways to control your symptoms.
Drinking alcohol has been proven to increase your risk of developing breast cancer. If you have one drink a day, you are increasing your risk slightly. If you are having two to five drinks each day, you are increasing your risk of breast cancer. If you drink any alcohol, your risk is more than a woman who drinks no alcohol.
Risk Factors of Breast Cancer You Can't Control
One of every eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. It is the most common cancer for women and over two million women have been treated for this disease. Men are also at risk but they are less at risk of developing...
Stages of Cancer and Treatments for Each Stage
As there are different stages of cancer, there are different treatments that are usually recommended for each stage. What factors decide what stage of cancer you are in? The stage of breast cancer is determined by your general health, how large...
What's Happening In Cancer Research?
There are many new promising clinical studies taking place in cancer research. Clinical studies are groups of volunteers to take part in studies of ways to prevent, diagnose, detect, and treat breast cancer. Many clinical trials are working on...
Using Alternative and Complementary Medicine for Breast Cancer
Complementary medicine is what we call medicines we use with standard treatment of breast cancer. Alternative medicines are used instead of regular medical treatment. You will want to talk to your doctor about these two alternative methods of...
Surgery as Treatment for Breast Cancer
There are many treatment choices for women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy are the primary choices for treatment. Many women will have more than one treatment....
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