Five Ways to Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

By Stacy Simon While you can’t change some breast cancer risk factors—family history and aging, for example—there are some risk factors that you can control. And while there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, there are things you can do that may lower your risk. Here are 5 ways to help protect your breast health. 1. Watch your weight. Being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk. This is especially true after menopause and for women who gain weight as adults. After menopause, most of your estrogen comes from fat tissue. Having more fat tissue can increase your chance of getting breast cancer by raising estrogen levels. Also, women who are overweight tend to have higher levels of insulin, another hormone. Higher insulin levels have also been linked to some cancers, including breast cancer. If you’re already at a healthy weight, stay there. If you’re carrying extra pounds, try to lose some. There’s some evidence that losing weight may lower breast cancer risk. Losing even a small amount of weight – for example, half a pound a week – can also have other health benefits and is a good place to start. 2. Exercise regularly. Many studies have found that exercise is a breast-healthy habit. The difference in risk between the most active and the least active women is typically around 25%. In one study from the Women's Health Initiative, as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman's risk by 18%....
Source: American Cancer Society :: News and Features - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Breast Cancer Diet/Exercise/Weight Source Type: news