HOW TO PREVENT BREAST CANCER

By  Abet Tonny

Long before they get their first pimple, budding breasts remind them they're women in training. Some men love them, a few hate them. "We want them to grow bigger, we wish they'd stop growing, we wonder why this one is smaller/bigger/rounder/flatter than the other, why men are staring at them—and why they're not".

No matter how conflicted women may be, breasts are part of female identity, which may be why, for most of them, having breast cancer is the biggest fear. They are more afraid of it than  of heart disease, which is 10 times more likely to be what sends them to the great beyond.

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All in all, how can you prevent/avoid falling victim of this life-sapping ailment? Well, it is exactly what we shall be exploring in the next 3 minutes with Siteman  doctor.

1. Keep Weight in Check

It’s easy to tune out because it gets said so often, but maintaining a

healthy weight is an important goal for everyone. Being overweight can increase the risk of many different cancers, including breast cancer, especially after menopause.

2. Be Physically Active

Exercise is as close to a silver bullet for good health as there is, and women who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer. Regular exercise is also one of the best ways to help keep weight in check.

3. Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables – and Avoid Too Much Alcohol

A healthy diet can help lower the risk of breast cancer.  Try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and keep alcohol at moderate levels or lower (a drink a day or under).  While moderate drinking can be good for the heart in older adults, even low levels of intake can increase the risk of breast cancer.  If you don’t drink, don’t feel you need to start. If you drink moderately, there’s likely no reason to stop. But, if you drink more, you should cut down or quit.

4. Don’t Smoke

Smokers and non-smokers alike know how unhealthy smoking is.  On top of lowering quality of life and increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and at least 15 cancers – including breast cancer – it also causes smelly breath, bad teeth, and wrinkles. Now that’s motivation to stay smoke-free or work to get smoke-free.

5. Breastfeed, If Possible

Breastfeeding for a total of one year or more (combined for all children) lowers the risk of breast cancer. It also has great health benefits for the child.

6. Avoid Birth Control Pills, Particularly After Age 35 or If You Smoke

Birth control pills have both risks and benefits. The younger a woman is, the lower the risks are. While women are taking birth control pills, they have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. This risk goes away quickly, though, after stopping the pill. The risk of stroke and heart attack is also increased while on the pill – particularly if a woman smokes. However, long-term use can also have important benefits, like lowering the risk of ovarian cancer, colon cancer and uterine cancer – not to mention unwanted pregnancy – so there’s also a lot in its favor. If you’re very concerned about breast cancer, avoiding birth control pills is one option to lower risk.

7. Avoid Post-Menopausal Hormones

Post-menopausal hormones shouldn’t be taken long term to prevent chronic diseases, like osteoporosis and heart disease. Studies show they have a mixed effect on health, increasing the risk of some diseases and lowering the risk of others, and both estrogenonly hormones and estrogen-plus-progestin hormones increase the risk of breast cancer. If women do take post-menopausal hormones, it should be for the shortest time possible. The best person to talk to about the risks and benefits of post-menopausal hormones is your doctor.

8. Tamoxifen and Raloxifene for Women at High Risk

Although not commonly thought of as a “healthy
behavior,” taking the prescription drugs tamoxifen
and raloxifene can significantly lower the risk of
breast cancer in woman at high risk of the disease.
Approved by the Drugs Authority for breast cancer prevention,
these powerful drugs can have side effects, so
they aren’t right for everyone. If you think you’re
at high risk, talk to your doctor to see if tamoxifen or raloxifene may be right for you.