Statistics have proven that one in twelve women, at some point in their life, will develop breast cancer. When it comes to the issue of contracting breast cancer there are many risks involved. Fortunately, some of these risks are within your control and don’t require a gigantic sacrifice on your part. Some of these risks are not in your control.
Diet
One of the simplest ways to reduce your breast cancer risk is to consume a healthy diet. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that an individual’s diet does change their odds of contracting breast cancer. There isn’t a specific food that you can eat to produce or prevent cancer, but some foods are helpful in risk reduction and some are not.
Since one leading theory indicates that breast cancer is, if not caused by at least encouraged by, free radicals in the blood, eating foods rich in antioxidants is a good idea. Free radicals are charged ions, usually oxygen, that can do damage to cells. Antioxidants chemically combine with these active molecules to render them harmless. There’s ample evidence to suggest that eating foods rich in antioxidants lowers the risk of breast cancer.
Green vegetables are great for this purpose, but any others will also help. Apples, strawberries and other fruits are also beneficial. Red wines in moderation, as well as green teas, are rich in antioxidants.
Exercise
Another risk factor which you can personally control is exercise. With diet it helps to increase your overall health but it also aids in smoothing the hormone levels thus providing other health values. If you do contract breast cancer then being in good shape helps you to get the most out of any treatments you might have to undergo.
Hormones
Estrogen and progesterone are strongly believed by researchers to contribute to the risk of contracting breast cancer (the first in particular). These natural hormones are vital for health, but excessive amounts can occur. They are readily stored in fat tissues and regular exercise helps keep your body fat percentage at the appropriate level. Proper diet helps here, too.
Alcohol
Heightened levels of alcohol use will increase the risk of cancer. Generally, alcohol has a negative effect on your health and also increases your estrogen levels. Alcohol can also interfere with your body’s natural mechanism for using antioxidants.
Drinking a glass of wine a day is said to be beneficial. You can even have a tiny drink that contains hard alcohol. But, you need to remember that for every 10g of alcohol that you consume over a period of time you are increasing your breast cancer risk by 10%.
Menstruation
The reduction of the number of menstrual cycles an individual experiences has been said to correlate with a reduced risk of contracting breast cancer, because an individual’s hormone levels are altered. It has yet to be determined on the contribution to the risk of cancer, if any, to taking oral birth control. At this point there is no evidence that suggests that the long term use of birth control is harmful and new pills may be created that will eliminate the female menstrual cycle completely.
Another way to reduce the risk of breast cancer is pregnancy. Pregnancy however has its own set of risks and problems. But for individuals who want to have children, conceiving prior to the age of thirty is said to lower a person’s risk for breast cancer.
Even though there isn’t a magic trick that can prevent breast cancer, the best way to reduce your risk is to live a healthy lifestyle. If you do happen to contract the disease having better health gives you a greater chance of both detecting it and eliminating it early. Individuals in good health usually run the chances of having a full recovery and surviving for a long time.