Breast Cancer Prevention Methods / Guide To Help Lower Your Cancer Risk

While no one can tell you how to prevent breast cancer with any sort of guarantee, there’s evidence to suggest that certain healthy lifestyle changes can lower your breast cancer risk.

• Limit your alcohol intake. The more you drink, the higher your risk of breast cancer.
• Watch your weight. Being overweight or obese boosts your breast cancer risk.
• Exercise. Women who work out regularly have a lower risk of breast cancer than less active women.
• Consider breastfeeding your baby. Women who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast cancer than moms who do not breastfeed their children.
• Reduce your hormone intake. Hormone therapy users are at higher risk for breast cancer. If you’re taking hormones to relieve menopausal symptoms, talk to your doctor about taking the lowest dose that works for you for the shortest time.

Patient advocates hope that greater breast cancer awareness will lead to earlier detection and better outcomes. You, too, can join the fight against breast cancer. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a great time to join a breast cancer walk near you.

1. Get regular cancer screening tests.

Regular screening tests can catch some cancers early, when they’re small, have not spread, and are easier to treat. With cervical and colon cancers, these tests can even prevent cancer from developing in the first place. Talk with your doctor about the tests for breast, cervical, colon, lung, and prostate cancers.

2. Get to and stay at a healthy weight.

Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for many cancers, including breast, colon, endometrium, kidney, esophagus, and pancreatic cancer. You can control your weight through regular exercise and healthy eating.

3. Exercise regularly.

Physical activity has been shown to lower the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, endometrium, prostate, and colon cancer. It also reduces the risk of other serious diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

• Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (equal to a brisk walk) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (makes your heartbeat and breathing faster, and makes you sweat) each week, preferably spread throughout the week.
• Kids should get at least 1 hour of moderate- or vigorous-intensity activity each day, with vigorous activity at least 3 days a week.

4. Eat a healthy diet.

Studies show that eating a variety of different vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and fish or poultry is linked with a lower risk of developing certain cancers. On the other hand, eating more processed and red meat is linked with a higher risk of developing certain cancers. The American Cancer Society recommends:

• Eating at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day
• Eating less red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) and less processed meat (bacon, sausage, luncheon meats, and hot dogs)
• Choosing breads, pastas, and cereals made from whole grains instead of refined grains, and brown rice instead of white
• Eating fewer sweets

5. Avoid tobacco.

Tobacco use in the US is responsible for nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths – about 480,000 premature deaths each year. About 80% of lung cancer deaths and 30% of all cancer deaths are caused by tobacco use.
If you don’t use tobacco products, don’t start. If you do, quit. For help, visit cancer.org/quitsmoking, or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.

6. Limit alcohol.

Research has shown that alcohol can increase your risk for certain kinds of cancer, including breast, mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, colon and rectal cancer. The more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk.