Let's start with diet. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables hasn't been consistently shown to offer protection from breast cancer. Also, a low-fat diet appears to offer only a slight reduction in the risk of breast cancer. However, eating a healthy diet may decrease your risk of other types of cancer, as well as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. A healthy diet can also help you maintain a healthy weight — a key factor in breast cancer prevention.
Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol — including beer, wine or liquor — limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
Breast-feed. Breast-feeding may play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.
Don't smoke. Accumulating evidence suggests a link between smoking and breast cancer risk. In addition, not smoking is one of the best things you can do for your overall health.
Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer. If you're taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options.
Avoid exposure to radiation and environmental pollution. Medical-imaging methods, such as computerized tomography, use high doses of radiation, which have been linked with breast cancer risk. Reduce your exposure by having such tests only when absolutely necessary.
Regular checkups and consulting with your doctor should be on the top of everyone's list. As always, ask your doctor before making any health related changes.
Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade. Call us today at 704-909-7958. And as always, you can find us on our website, Facebook and Google+!
