Best Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer

For so many women, there is no more dreaded disease than breast cancer. Breast cancer elicits fears associated with loss of body image and sexuality, surgery, and death. As is the case for cancer malignancy, the exact cause of breast cancer is not clearly known. Furthermore, there is certainly no cure for advanced disease, and there's no definitive way of preventing it.

While much work still remains done to understand the causes of breast cancer and also to develop new tests to detect and diagnose the disease, medical scientific study has made significant advances within the fight against breast cancer.

Start the Countdown

The recommendations to prevent all cancers apply to breast cancer. The recommendation includes: Quit smoking, reduce dietary fat, and eat fortifying food such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. These cruciferous vegetables provide indoles, sulfur compounds that could also help spur cancer-fighting enzymes that could block or reduce cell damage.

Know your family history

Using a first-degree relative with breast cancer raises your risk of someday setting it up too. Being aware of your history could change your doctor's recommendations for screening, so speak with your family now. However, most breast cancer happens in women without a family history, so that's not a totally free pass.

Food is always first

Eat antioxidant-rich foods like organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats and oils like avocado and additional virgin olive oil. Eat your rainbow of 8-10 areas of vegetables and fruits every day to get optimal phytonutrient benefit. Especially include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy, which offer indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytonutrient which helps metabolize estrogen.

Maintain Normal Weight

Piling around the pounds-especially around the waistline is associated with increased breast cancer risk. One study demonstrated that women in their 50's who have gained greater than 20 pounds had twice the risk of breast cancer. Body fat may convert adrenal hormones to estrogen after menopause. Losing weight before menopause, however, lowers risk.

Be physically active

Physical activity will help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, plus strength training at least two times a week.

Quit smoking

Smokers have a 24% higher risk and former smokers possess a 13% higher risk of invasive breast cancer than non-smokers.

Avoid alcohol

Alcohol changes the way in which estrogen is metabolized in our body, be responsible for estrogen dominance. Women who drink alcohol have higher body estrogen levels compared to those who don’t.

Limit dose and amount of hormone therapy

Combination hormone therapy for greater than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer. If you are taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options. You might be able to manage your symptoms with nonhormonal therapies, such as physical activity. If you decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks, use the lowest dose that works for you.

Tips for Preventing Breast Cancer

If you're concerned about breast cancer, you might be wondering if there are steps you can take toward breast cancer prevention. Some risk factors, such as family history, can't be changed. However, you will find lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk.

To prevent new cancers from starting, scientists take a look at risk factors and protective factors. Something that increases your chance of developing cancer is called a cancer risk factor.

Watch what you drink

Drinking alcohol can reduce heart disease risk, but if you drink too much, you could be bumping up your breast cancer risk. Eliminate drinking alcohol, or choose to have just one less than 3 times a week to cut your breast cancer risk.

Family history

If anyone in your immediate family (mother, sister, or daughter) has had breast cancer, you're also at greater risk. Breast cancer can run in families, however this does not mean you will automatically get the disease. Genetic testing and counseling is available for women worried about their risk.

Exercise

Yes, it seems to be the fix for everything, but that is because it practically is a magic bullet. With regard to breast cancer, working out hard at least four hours per week drops your risk as much as 40 percent.

Don’t Take Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer when taken long-term. If you are already taking hormone therapy, ask your doctor about other options. If you haven't begun hormone therapy, avoid it if possible. If you do decide to use hormone therapy, make sure that you use the lowest possible dose and just use hormone therapy as a temporary fix.

Meditation

It's important to remember that does not only do we want our bodies to be healthy but our minds as well. If you (or someone you know) has been identified as having cancer, it can be difficult to remain focused in order to see beyond the diagnosis.

Consume as many fruits and vegetables as possible

Eat seven or more servings daily. The superstars for breast cancer protection include all cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower) ; dark leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach) ; carrots and tomatoes. The superstar fruits include citrus, berries and cherries.

Boost Your Immunity

Scientific study has isolated 2 key areas for breast cancer prevention - estrogen regulation and immunity boosting. Many types of breast cancer are fueled by estrogen, but you will find ways you can reduce the fuel which makes cancer cells multiply, divide and spread. Strengthening your immune system is one of the best defenses against cancer and other diseases.