Six Best Tips To Prevent Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a kind of cancer that starts in one or both breasts. A breast is a tissue that is situated on the top of the upper ribs and chest (pectoral) muscles and is made up of lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Most breast cancers start in the ducts or lobules and spread outside the breast through blood vessels or lymph vessels. Generally, breast cancer is found in women, and in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer.
If the cancer cells begin in the ducts and spread from the ducts to other parts of the breast tissue is called invasive ductal carcinoma. If the cancer cells start in the lobules and extend from the lobules to the close breast tissues is called invasive lobular carcinoma.
Genetic mutations, age, hereditary, hormonal therapy treatments, radiation therapy treatments, Klinefelter syndrome, liver disease, and overweight are common breast cancer risk factors that make the condition severe.
We can identify breast cancer by self-examination with specific warning signs or symptoms such as thickening or swelling of breast part, a lump in the breast or armpit, change in the breast size or shape, breast pain, dimpling of breast skin, flaky skin, or redness in the nipple region, pain in the nipple area, and nipple discharge.
One out of eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. According to US reports, one out of hundred men are diagnosed with breast cancer. This disease has become a familiar and significant health problem worldwide, including in India.
Many women are fighting through this life-threatening breast cancer. To spread awareness on this disease, October is declared as breast cancer awareness month in which an annual campaign will be organized by the breast cancer charities to educate both men and women about breast cancer.
However, surprisingly, following healthy habits, lifestyle changes, and some incredible breast cancer prevention tips aid in lowering the chances of developing breast cancer disease.
Here are the six best tips for breast cancer prevention that turn out to you for a better survival life.
1. Avoid becoming overweight
- It is always good to maintain a healthy body weight. If you have overweight or obesity problems, you are at risk for breast cancer.
- Check out your weight regularly, and if you feel something is abnormal in your weight, it’s better to consult your doctor to get weight loss strategy plans to reduce your weight and maintain healthy conditions.
- Lower your calorie and fats intake and significantly adapt to working out regularly to burn calories.
2. Don’t smoke and limit alcohol
- Smoking increases the risk of breast cancer. So try to avoid smoking as far as possible.
- However, if you cannot quit smoking altogether, keep checking the count of cigarettes or other smoking products you choose to smoke daily.
- In this way, gradually, you can get out of your smoking habit, and it is a simple tip for breast cancer prevention.
- Consumption of alcohol is considered one of the breast cancer risk factors because alcohol intake increases estrogen levels in the body.
- If you drink excessive alcohol every day, you are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer.
- According to research, women who consume half bottle of beer per day, half glasses of wine per day, or two and a half to more than four or five shots of liquor per day possess a 41% increased prevalence of breast cancer. Hence, to reduce the risk of breast cancer, one needs to limit alcohol consumption.
3. Breast-feed
- Breastfeeding is one of the proven tips for breast cancer prevention. It reduces the risk of breast cancer in women.
- Many researchers have proved that women who breastfed their children up to one of duration are at lower risk of developing breast cancer.
- Breastfeeding mothers should ensure that their breasts are not heavy due to the accumulation of milk. They should feed the baby regularly or pump out the milk and store it for later use. In this way, their breasts are not full or heavy.
- Generally, heavy breasts tend to develop lumps, thereby causing pain and those untreated lumps may turn into cysts or tumors. Therefore, the longer you breastfeed your baby, the lesser your risk of breast cancer will be.
4. Avoid hormone replacement therapy
- Hormonal replacement therapy is thought to be a breast cancer risk factor.
- Studies reveal that hormone replacement therapies, especially a combination of estrogens and progestins, increase breast cancer risk.
- So, if you are taking hormone replacement therapy to treat your menopause symptoms, it’s better to seek your doctor’s advice.
- Non-hormonal therapies and lower doses of medications benefit you in managing your symptoms and reducing the risk of breast cancer.
5. Eat healthy to avoid tipping the scale
- A healthy and balanced diet plays a significant role in breast cancer prevention.
- Diet rich in plant-based foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats such as extra-virgin olive oil and fish helps in reducing the risk of breast cancer and enhance your overall health.
- Hence, make sure to maintain a healthy diet regularly, and this, in turn, helps you manage your body weight as well.
6. Keep physically active
- A sedentary lifestyle also impacts on developing the risk of breast cancer. So, it’s essential to keep yourself physically active.
- Make physical exercises as a part of your daily routine that may in any form of workout such as brisk walking, running, jogging, aerobics, skipping, dancing, yoga, etc.
- Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, strengthens your muscles, aids in breast cancer prevention. Spend at least 30 minutes every day on your health and fitness.
Conclusion:
Let us create a future without breast cancer risks by promoting awareness and motivational drive. With the advancements in the medical field, health experts have been focusing their scope of treatment at an initial stage of diseases.
However, early detection of the disease always plays a crucial role in breast cancer prevention. Recognizing warning signs of breast cancer and regular screenings from a highly qualified Oncologist helps you prevent the impact of breast cancer.