Preventative Measures

Prevention is in our hands as we are our biggest advocates! Thus, it is our duty to ourselves and to our loved ones to take care of ourselves and do what is possible to reduce our risk of developing breast cancer and any other cancer! Below are some tips to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer!

Prevention Tips

• Eat less red meat - red meat has been associated with higher risks of cancer, especially charred meat. Thus it would be beneficial to not have barbecued meat often.

• Limit your alcohol intake - Frequent amounts of alcoholic consumption have been linked to higher risks of breast cancer. The recommended alcoholic intake is to consume less than one drink per day because even small amounts of alcohol have been shown to increase your breast cancer risk.

• Don't smoke - Smoking increases your risk of breast cancer risk, particularly in premenopausal women.

• Maintain a healthy weight according to your height - Obesity or being overweight increases your chances of developing breast cancer, especially if the obesity occurs post menopause.

• Stay physically active - As being overweight is associated with higher risks of breast cancer development, staying physically active would help you maintain a healthy body weight. Plus, physical activity has been proven to boost ones mood. It is recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services to do 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week depending on the individual. Additionally, they recommend strength training twice a week in addition to the previously mentioned exercise routine. Keep in mind that some exercise is better than none and you have to start somewhere!

• Breastfeed - Breast feeding may have a role in reducing one's risk of breast cancer as the longer you breastfeed there is a greater protective effect

• Limit your dose and duration of hormonal therapy - Hormone therapy for more than 3 to 5 years increases your risk of breast cancer development.

• Avoid radiation exposure and pollution - Some studies suggest a connection between radiation exposure and breast cancer. However, further studies are needed.

• Get routine screenings - Be familiar with your breast to detect any changes in your breast and schedule routine screenings to detect any breast tumors as early as possible.

Please keep in mind that preventative measures do not guarantee that you will not develop breast cancer, but it does decrease your risk of developing breast cancer and leads to a healthier you!

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Information and image obtained from the following website(s):

https://cancare.org/cancer-prevention/breast-cancer-prevention-tips/?keyword=&creative=344157960452&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6-jj69Lx4QIVAtbACh0p_AkUEAAYASAAEgKAFPD_BwE

Lecture Presentation by Dr. Amy Saldana

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