Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among women today, and yet there are many preventative measures that we can take to reduce our risk. From maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing alcohol consumption to undergoing regular screenings like mammograms, there are steps we can all take to ensure our breasts remain as healthy as possible.
In this blog post, we'll be taking a look at the top 10 ways you can help protect yourself from breast cancer – it's never too early– or too late! –to start making smart choices for your health. Remember: prevention is always better than cure. Read on to find out more about protecting yourself against the potentially devastating consequences of breast cancer today.
Breast self-exams
Breast self-exams are an important part of how to prevent breast cancer. It involves obtaining the necessary knowledge and skills to perform the self-examination, along with setting aside time each month to do the routine check. During a breast self-exam, it is important that women feel for lumps or abnormalities, looking for modifications in texture or size in their breasts.
Women may also look for discharge coming from nipples, skin changes, or any changes that can’t be explained by recent weight gain or loss. If any irregularities should occur, it is important to speak with a doctor right away. While performing regular breast self-exams cannot guarantee preventing breast cancer, they can help detect it early on when treatment is most effective and survival rates are higher.
1- Know what is normal for you and report any changes to your doctor
Knowing your own body is essential to preventing serious illnesses, like breast cancer. It's important to be familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you're aware of any changes. To ensure maximum health safety, it's advisable to consistently do self breast exams in order for you to know what is normal for you.
Should you notice any abnormalities or differences, report them to your doctor right away - early detection of diseases can make a huge difference as far as treatment and prognosis are concerned. Being mindful of how your body works and how it changes over time is an important part of how to prevent breast cancer.
2- Mammograms
Get them regularly, especially if you are at a high risk for breast cancer. Mammograms are a proven and essential tool in the fight against breast cancer. This screening method uses low dose radiation to detect lumps or clusters of cells that may indicate cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 45-54 should receive regular mammograms, and women over 55 can decide how often they feel comfortable undergoing the procedure.
Taking charge of how often to have a mammogram is just one of the steps individuals can take to how to prevent breast cancer, including maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly and avoiding alcohol consumption. Mammograms should be treated as an important part of maintaining your health and well-being, not just something to get done when considering how to prevent breast cancer.
3- Diet and exercise
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and stay active. When it comes to how to prevent breast cancer, diet and exercise are key. Eating a balanced diet abundant in fruits and vegetables and limiting processed foods can help reduce the risk. Research suggests that regular physical activity not only has cardiovascular benefits but may also decrease breast cancer risk.
Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight - defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) lower than 25 - also helps protect against getting the disease. So, for those looking for how to best protect themselves from this widespread issue, remember to get active and prioritize unprocessed foods!
4- Reduce alcohol intake
Too much alcohol can increase your risk for breast cancer. Decreasing your alcohol intake is an important step in preventing breast cancer. Alcohol can alter how cells produce and how hormones behave, leading to a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Research has linked two drinks or more per day and an increased risk of breast cancer. Beyond that, not all alcohol is equal when it comes to the risks: beer, for example, may increase the chance of one type of breast cancer more than another kind of beverage. Keeping an eye on how much you drink on a regular basis can help lower your risk - moderation is key!
View More: Breast Cancer - Symptoms Causes and Treatment
5- Quit smoking
Smoking increases your risk for many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to help prevent breast cancer. While it cannot be guaranteed that it will entirely eliminate your risk, reducing how much tobacco you are exposed to will make a big difference.
There are several strategies available to help someone quit smoking, including using nicotine replacement therapies or enrolling in cessation programs. Regardless of how you choose to stop, taking the first step towards quitting can make all the difference in focusing on preventative measures for breast cancer.
6- Avoid processed foods and eat more whole foods
Eating a diet that focuses on whole foods is an important factor in how to prevent breast cancer. Whole foods are unprocessed and untreated such as fruits, veggies, eggs, beans, nuts, fish and more. Eating a balanced diet of these nutritious foods will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to support good health.
Processed foods on the other hand contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, salt and preservatives - which can all be detrimental to your health. So make sure to limit or even avoid processed food in order to reduce your risk of breast cancer.
7- Be physically active
Everyone should make physical activity part of their daily routine. Not only does it strengthen the body and improve overall wellbeing, it can also be an invaluable tool in how to prevent breast cancer. Studies have found that those who exercise regularly are less likely to develop the disease. Furthermore, regular physical activity reduces hormone levels and leads to a healthy lifestyle overall, which can certainly play a part in preventing cancer.
So what kind of activities count? Anything that gets your heart rate up counts! Simple tips like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going on a brisk walk every day are great starting points. Try to find something that you enjoy doing that will keep you motivated to stay active, such as yoga or dancing. With just a few tweaks here and there, it's easy to incorporate physical activity into your goals for how to prevent breast cancer – and gain all sorts of other health benefits in the process.
8- Maintain a healthy weight
One of the best ways to prevent breast cancer is by maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, so it's important to stay active and make sure your diet features nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
This will help you refuel and recover more efficiently from physical activity. Regular strength training is beneficial for both fat loss and muscle gain. Finally, be sure to get enough rest at night – not only will this improve your energy levels during the day, but studies show that people who regularly get less than seven hours of sleep per night can have an increased risk of becoming overweight or obese. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential if you want to lower your chances of getting breast cancer.
9- Breast-feed
Breast-feeding comes with a number of incredible benefits for both the baby and mother. Studies have shown that babies who are breast-fed often tend to have fewer illnesses, gain weight efficiently, develop better cognitive skills, and grow healthy bones and muscles.
Furthermore, the process of breast-feeding greatly reduces a mother’s risk for developing type 2 diabetes, having a lower risk for postpartum depression, helpful in quicker weight loss post pregnancy and can even help how to prevent breast cancer in individuals engaged in regular breastfeeding activities. Scientific health organizations like the American Cancer Society highly recommend extended durations of breast-feeding to boot mothers overall wellbeing.
View More: Breast Lumps Causes Types And Treatment
10- Limit postmenopausal hormone therapy
It is important for postmenopausal women to limit the use of hormone therapy due to its potential link to breast cancer. Although the therapy can help with various issues caused by menopause, like hot flashes, it is recommended that women look for other routes to manage these symptoms before starting or continuing hormone therapy.
Studies have shown how prolonged use of this type of treatment can raise a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, which makes it especially important for postmenopausal women to speak with their doctor about how long they should keep taking it. Taking into account how risky this treatment can be, one of the best ways that postmenopausal women can prevent breast cancer is by limiting their use of hormone therapy.
Conclusion
Reduce your risk of breast cancer by making some changes in your lifestyle. Some simple tips are to limit alcohol intake, reduce consumption of processed foods, get regular exercise, and avoid wearing tight clothing. You can also do self-examination at home and see a doctor regularly for checkups. Let's take care of ourselves and create awareness to prevent this disease!
Please book an appointment with the Best Doctors For Breast Cancer in Pakistan, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 02137136090 to find a verified doctor for your disease.
Source: https://instacare.pk/blog/ways-to-prevent-breast-cancer
