Reducing Breast Cancer Risk: Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Choosing a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the chance of breast cancer. While some risk factors like gender and age are beyond control, adopting healthy habits can mitigate additional risks associated with the disease.

How to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

There is no perfect way to stop breast cancer. However, we can certainly make good lifestyle choices that might lower the risk of cancer. Various risk factors, such as being born a female and old age, are beyond our control.

Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits like minimizing alcohol use and remaining physically active. Let’s learn what we can do to lower the risk of breast cancer!

Steps to Reduce The Risk of Developing Breast Cancer

Even in women at high risk, lifestyle changes can decrease the risk of breast cancer. Follow the preventive measures given below to reduce your chances of developing cancer.

1. Limit Alcohol

The more alcohol people consume, the more likely they are to develop breast cancer. Based on research on the influence of alcohol on breast cancer, the general guideline is to say no to alcohol or limit the amount, as even tiny amounts increase the risk.

No Smoking: Smoking is one of the risk factors for breast cancer, which is a modifiable risk factor by No Smoking or Quit Smoking.

2. Maintain a Healthy Weight

If the weight is healthy, work to keep it that way. For a healthy weight, you can talk to the doctor about healthy ways to do it. Reduce the daily calorie intake while gradually increasing the workout.

3. Be Physically Active

Exercise can help people maintain a healthy weight, which lowers the risk of developing breast cancer. For the majority of healthy people, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week, plus at least twice a week of strength training.

4. Timing of Pregnancy

Having a late pregnancy after age 35 or if you've never completed a full-term pregnancy might lead to a higher chance of breast cancer. Pregnancy may help safeguard against breast cancer as it forces breast cells into their final phase of maturation.

5. Breast-feed

Breast feeding may help to avoid breast cancer. The longer you breastfeed, the more protective the effect. Women who breastfeed are less likely to develop breast cancer later in life. Breastfeeding is beneficial for both the baby's and the mother's health.

6. Limit Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy

Breast cancer risk may increase with combination hormone therapy. Talk to the doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of hormone therapy. Nonhormonal treatment and medications may be able to help you control the symptoms.

If you determine that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the hazards, use the lowest dose that works for you and continue to have the doctor monitor the duration of the hormone therapy.

Can a Healthy Diet Prevent Breast Cancer?

Vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, garlic, pomegranate, citrus fruits, apricots, and whole grains, are foods that prevent breast cancer. Studies have revealed that a plant diet reduces the risk of cancer.

Is There Any Link Between Birth Control Pills (oral Contraceptives) And Breast Cancer?

Yes, hormonal contraception, like birth control pills and hormone-releasing IUDs, can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer. However, this risk is very low and decreases after discontinuation of hormonal contraception.

Despite this, hormonal contraception offers benefits such as controlling monthly periods, preventing unintended pregnancies, and lowering the risks of conditions like endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Consult your gynecologist to understand more about the use of birth control pills, their impact on hormones, and their relationship to cancer risk.

Conclusion

Early detection saves lives! Consult the doctor if you detect any changes in the breasts, such as a new lump or skin changes. In addition, if there is a family history, consult the doctor about when to begin mammograms and other screenings.

Get yourself screened NOW! Prevention is better than cure!

Frequently Asked Questions