According to research, if you're a woman, you have about a 12% chance of developing breast cancer during your lifetime. While there are some risk factors that might increase those numbers, there are also measures that you can take to reduce the chances of developing breast cancer.
Watch Your Weight
Once you've reached menopause, it's important that you maintain a healthy weight. Not only does obesity increase the chances of developing breast cancer, it also makes mammograms more difficult. If you have high levels of belly fat, you should work to reduce that weight.
Eat A Diet Rich In Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are important to breast health. They contain high levels of antioxidants, which protect against cancer. Eating several servings of fruits and vegetables each day can reduce the chances of developing breast cancer. They can also help reduce your weight.
Limit Your Alcohol
If you drink more than two alcoholic drinks each day, you are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. You can reduce the chances by reducing the amount of alcohol you consume. You don't have to completely stop drinking, but you should limit your alcohol consumption to less than two drinks a day.
Increase Your Daily Exercise
If you don't exercise, you should start. If you do exercise, you should continue doing so on a daily basis. Studies have shown that daily exercise can reduce the chances of developing breast cancer. In addition, daily exercise can also reduce your weight, which can further protect you from cancer.
Don't Smoke
Smoking increases your risk of breast cancer. In fact, it increases your risk of developing all types of cancer. Studies have shown that women are more susceptible to the cancer causing agents in cigarettes. If you're having a difficult time quitting, be sure to speak to your doctor. Treatment plans are available that can help you quit smoking.
Increase Your Phytoestrogen Intake
Those soybeans contain high levels of phytoestrogen. So do many other foods. Phytoestrogen is a natural way of leveling out your estrogen levels and reducing your cancer risk. Some of the other foods that contain high levels of phytoestrogen include soybean oil, whole grains, flaxseed and flaxseed oil.
You can greatly reduce the chances of developing breast cancer by following these simple steps. Be sure to speak to your doctor about ways to improve your breast health. It's also important that you follow your doctor's guidelines and have your annual breast exam at a gynecologist's office like Mile High OB GYN.
Share9 December 2014
My name is Katie Langer. For a long time, I was bed ridden and I felt like I had no control over my life. I simply went along with what was instructed by my doctor and I didn't ask questions. It wasn't that my doctor wasn't willing to work with me, but I preferred to simply not think about the illness I was suffering from. I didn't realize that some of the symptoms I was suffering from were side effects of my medication and were not normal. After communicating more with my doctor, I was able to alleviate my symptoms. Since then, I've taken an interest in patient-doctor relationships and how to improve them.
