After skin cancer,breast canceris the most common cancer among American women.
Keep your weight in check.
Physical activity is essential for staying healthyit’s also been shown to reduce breast cancer risk.
Jocelyn Runice
Over 60 studies have been done exploring the connection, according to theNational Cancer Institute.
“Survivors are told to exercise every day,” Zahnow says.
Most evidence suggests 30 to 60 minutes of moderate- to high-intensity activity daily to truly reduce your risk.
Cut back on booze.
Unfortunately, research shows a strong link between breast cancer and alcohol consumption.
Alcohol impacts estrogen levels and causes them to rise, which increases the risk of breast cancer.
Fortunately, it’s something you could control.
It’s not as simple as saying stop drinking and you’ll never get breast cancer.
Butdrinking in moderationthat means just one drink (or fewer) per daycan help keep your risk low.
“And it’s certainly healthier overall,” Zahnow adds.
This is a controversial one.
TheAmerican Cancer Society writesthat its research has found a link between smoking and breast cancer.
But it also notes that the evidence isnt airtight.
But we do know unequivocally that smoking cigarettes cause lung cancer.
It’s so certain that cigarette companies have to slap a warning on the packaging.
And some studies have suggested that smoking can worsen your prognosis if you already have breast cancer.
It’s worth quitting no matter what.
Consider non-hormonal ways to manage menopause.
Hormone therapy is a treatment used to supplement estrogen after the ovaries stop producing it during menopause.
It’s used to minimize the symptoms of menopause and help prevent associated health problems, like osteoporosis.
Luckily, it’s believed that going off it brings your risk back down.
Get familiar with your set.
But Zahnow, who detected her own breast cancer with a self-exam, disagrees.
“All women should be conducting breast self-exams every month,” she advises.
Those who have dense or more naturally lumpy breasts should be more diligent.
“The mammogram didnt detect mine,” she says.
Get tested for risky genetic mutations.
You don’t need to have a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene to develop breast cancer.
But if you do have it, your risk skyrockets.
If screening suggests you are, the next step is genetic counseling and if deemed appropriate, BRCA testing.
If you test positive for an inherited mutation,experts recommendenhanced breast cancer screening.
There are also medications you could take that may reduce risk for certain individuals, a practice called chemoprevention.
These are all important and personal decisions that you should always discuss with your doctor.
