Life Style Changes To Prevent Breast Cancer
You can reduce your risk of breast cancer by changing
specific items in the way you live your life. One of the biggest
factors that you can control is your weight. The risk increase if
you have gained weight after menopause or are carrying the extra fat
around your middle.
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If you have gained weight during the adult
years of your life and have a diet that is high in fat, you
may be increasing your risk for developing this disease.
Studies show conflicting data on the relationship of fat in
your diet and breast cancer. One thing is clear; you need
to control your weight. This will help you lead a healthier
life and decrease your chances of breast cancer and many
other deadly diseases.
Exercising is important to reduce your risk
of developing breast cancer. It is never too late to start
an exercise program. Contact your doctor to see if there
are limits that should be placed on your exercise routine.
You may begin an exercise program by gentle stretching
motions, taking a walk around the block, or any other light
form of exercise. Studies show that you will benefit from
as little as an hour and fifteen minutes of added exercise
each week. If you increase that time to over two and a half
hours, you will reduce your risk by another 18%. |
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The more your exercise the lower your risk of
developing breast cancer. Your decision on pregnancy issues may also affect
your risk of breast cancer. Choosing not to have a child or
having your first child over the age of 30 will increase your
risk. Breast-feeding will also lower your risk of breast
cancer.
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Studies show that breast-feeding for one and
a half to two years significantly decreases your risk of
developing breast cancer. Birth control pills may increase
your risk slightly, but if you haven’t taken birth control
in the previous ten years, your risk is reduced.
Hormone replacement therapy over a long
period will increase your risk of breast cancer. HRT also
increases your chances of having heart attacks, strokes, and
blood clots or strokes. One interesting fact I discovered
about hormone replacement therapy is that it decreases the
effectiveness of mammogram screening. That means that
breast cancer is often diagnosed later in patients who have
been on hormone replacement therapy for a longtime. Once
you have stopped taking HRT, your risk lowers after the
first five years of being HRT free. If you are experiencing
menopausal symptoms, contact your doctor about the risks of
HRT or look into natural ways to control your symptoms.
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Drinking alcohol has been proven to increase your
risk of developing breast cancer. If you have one drink a day,
you are increasing your risk slightly. If you are having two to
five drinks each day, you are increasing your risk of breast
cancer. If you drink any alcohol, your risk is more than a
woman who drinks no alcohol.
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