12 Effective Ways To Prevent Breast Cancer

UPDATED ON 21 FEB. 2022

AUTHOR

TREATMENT

IVF

CONDITION

Breast Cancer

GET IN TOUCH ON

Did you know that one in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer? Yes, unfortunately, the incidence of breast cancer is on the rise in our country. Moreover, over 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year worldwide.

In this case, the best thing one can do is; prevent breast cancer.

Today in this blog, we will talk about 12 effective ways by which we can decrease the risk of breast cancer. Don’t forget to read the blog till the very end to know about certain food items that you should eat and avoid.

Breast Cancer: An Overview

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that leads to the formation of atypical cells in the breast. Cancer can start with a lump that can increase in size and form a tumor. In most cases, women don’t notice the changes in their breasts and cancer grows rapidly.

Here, it becomes crucial to know about breast cancer symptoms. Some of these include:

• A lump or thickening in the breast region
• Change in shape, size, or overall appearance of breasts
• Inverted nipple
• Abnormal changes in the skin of breast area or nipples like peeling, scaling, crusting, or flaking 

So if you notice any of these changes in your breast, consult a doctor immediately. However, if you wish to keep breast cancer at bay, the trick is to prevent it.

Let’s learn how!

How to prevent breast cancer?

With multiple causes of breast cancer, some causes are not in your control. There are several risk factors that increase the risk of breast cancer. As a rescue, we need to inculcate some habits to decrease the risk. Just a heads up, many risk factors could be beyond your control, like being born female or getting older or even a family history of cancer. 

However, some risk factors can be changed to lower your risk. Let’s find out!

1. Exercise:

It is not uncommon for you to say that you clean your house or do gardening, but instead, you should be doing a physical activity that counts. Hence, doing 30 to 60 mins of vigorous activity for 5 to 6 days of the week can drastically lower your risk.

2. Don’t smoke:

People who abstain from smoking clearly have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. People who start smoking at a young age and smoke for a long time are at high risk.

3. Limit alcohol intake:

Just 3 to 6 drinks per week can increase your risk of breast cancer. You might even think that drinking a glass of wine at night cannot harm you, but it negatively impacts your risk of breast cancer in the long run.

4. Control your weight:

Unfortunately, the heavier we become, our risk of breast cancer increases. This pertains to women; as we go through so many changes in life like premenopause or post-menopause, we are likely to put on weight. Hence, it’s essential to maintain a healthy body weight at all stages of life.

5. Give your body the nutrients it needs:

Some studies suggest that women who eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of breast cancer. Here, the lesson is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. See the chart at the end of this blog to know the foods that help prevent breast cancer and foods you can avoid to lower your risk of breast cancer.

6. Avoid or limit hormone replacement therapy:

Hormone replacement therapy is a medication containing female hormones used to replace the estrogen your body stops making in menopause. There is a lot of evidence that has proved that hormone replacement therapy can cause breast cancer.

7. Know your family history:

Knowing your history is crucial for testing for breast cancer. Either way, having this cancer in your family will definitely raise your risk of breast cancer.

8. Get screened:

Screening is the best way to listen to the signs that your body tells you. You should do regular self-breast examinations at home to look for any abnormal changes. Check out this video to see how to do a self-breast examination at home.

Furthermore, make sure you have a clinical breast examination done by your doctor once a year.

9. Keep It Dark:

Some studies say, exposure to a lot of light during night time- either due to shift work or living in well-lit areas-may increase the risk of breast cancer. Research has found that women with lower levels of melatonin (hormone produced by the body when darkness falls so that you’ll feel sleepy) had more chances of developing breast cancer. In some clinical trials melatonin appears to slow down the growth of breast cancer cells. If possible try to control the light around you especially at night. Tools like a sleeping mask, blackout shades and low-watt bulbs can be helpful.

10. Breast-feed:

Recent studies show that breast-feeding might play a crucial role in prevention of breast cancer. Experts suggest, the longer you breastfeed, the greater will be its protective effect.

11. Consider Birth Control:

Hormonal methods used for contraception like pills and some intrauterine devices (IUDs)- are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. Your doctor can recommend some methods that don’t raise your odds of having breast cancer and which have several health benefits as well.

12. Watch what you use:

Several cosmetics such as lotions, creams, makeup and hair products have harmful substances like parabens, that act as a weak estrogen in your body. Some scientists have discovered that these dangerous chemicals might trigger hormone-positive breast cancer, but this research is going on.If you’re worried about its associated risks, buy items made from organic and herbal ingredients.

Related Post

Foods to eat and avoid to prevent breast cancer

Conclusion

Now, you might have clearly understood that healthy habits, such as regular exercise and keeping a healthy weight, can lower your breast cancer risk. Remember, staying healthy throughout your life will reduce your chances of getting cancer and improve your chances of surviving cancer.

So, are you ready to start these healthy habits? Reach out to us to know more about the best ways to prevent breast cancer.

AUTHOR

CONDITION

Breast Cancer

CALL US 24/7 FOR ANY HELP

GET IN TOUCH ON

Share Article on