As you grow older, maintaining your health becomes of utmost importance to limit the risk of chronic health conditions. Due to the rampant pollution and poor dietary availability across the world, chronic health conditions have become more common than ever before. However, taking the extra step to be healthy can make all the difference. 

There are several simple lifestyle habits that, if you incorporate them into your life, can help you live a healthier and more active lifestyle. It can help you manage your risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer for women. Simple things like choosing to eat better with foods that promote breast health can make a significant difference in your breast health. 

So, what are the top five empowering lifestyle habits to get healthier breasts? Let’s find out.

5 Lifestyle Habits You Should Incorporate in Your Daily Routine For Healthier Breasts

1. Eat Healthy

Eating healthy is easier said than done in today’s busy lifestyle. The food that’s readily available is generally not healthy, and most people don’t have the time to make home-cooked meals at all times to maintain their health. While it is difficult to manage time, the benefits of eating healthy are paramount to living a healthy and long life. Eating healthy does not mean completely changing your diet and removing everything that you love eating from the list. It implies including certain food items in your diet that can help you get the necessary nutrients to help you live healthily. Some of the best foods that promote breast health are mentioned below to make it easier for you to get started.

• Whole Grains: Whole grains contain dietary fibre that’s good for your health and especially your digestive system. In fact, eating whole-grain foods like brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, or quinoa regularly has been known to help you lower your breast cancer risk. Ideally, you should try to incorporate whole grains into your diet every day. However, even if it is not possible, you should consider having whole grains foods at any chance you get.
   
• Colourful Vegetables: Eating vegetables is key to staying healthy, so your parents did have a point when they kept pestering you into eating more vegetables. Colourful vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, beet, and tomatoes are known to contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that help lower your risk of breast cancer. In fact, consuming at least three colourful vegetables every day can help you live a healthier life with a lower risk of several chronic health conditions. Also, note that the vegetables mentioned above are only a few examples; any vegetable that you like, even if it is green and leafy, can help you get the necessary health benefits.
   
• Omega-3 (Fish): Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their numerous health benefits. If you are not averse to eating fish, adding it to your diet regularly can help you live a healthy life. Fishes like mackerel and salmon are known for their high omega-3 content and are known to help reduce breast cancer risk in women. If you have omega-3-rich food items regularly, it can help you reduce the cancer risk. In fact, fish is not the only source of omega 3; vegan options like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts can also be consumed to get the necessary omega 3 in your diet.
   
• Foods Rich in Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency is common among people across the world. Some studies have shown vitamin D deficiency to increase the risk of breast cancer, while others have found inconclusive results. However, when you are trying to eat healthy, adding vitamin D rich food items to your diet (under moderation) is not bad. Foods like egg yolks, certain types of fish, and fortified foods can help you make your diet healthier. To get personalised diet advice, be sure to talk to your doctors for a detailed diet chart that can help you get the necessary nutrition and keep your cancer risk in check.

2. Add Exercise To Your Daily Routine

Exercising is a great way to maintain your health and there are different things you can do to maintain your health with exercise. You don’t have to go to the gym and lift weights to be healthy; simply walking every day and going for a swim can do the trick for you as well. The key is consistency and making space for healthy breast exercise in your weekly schedule. Sometimes, doing household chores can even help you make up for lost exercise time, so make sure you are focusing on your daily activities, as it can help you live a healthier life.

Studies have shown being physically fit and active can help you lower your risk of breast cancer by almost 25%. To get the best benefits, you should incorporate moderate-intensity exercise into your routine. This type of exercise is challenging but not exhausting, allowing you to include it in your daily life at any point. If you want to work on your physical and spiritual health together, there is also plenty of yoga for breast health that you can try. Here are some of the best yoga for breast health that you can try.

• Child’s Pose: Start by kneeling on the ground and lying down, touching your forehead to the floor while remaining in the kneeling position. You should attempt to keep your arms interlocked in your back. If that is too difficult, you can also put your arms beside your head for extra support. Hold yourself in this position and focus on your breathing for at least 30 seconds. This is one of the best yoga for breast lump as this exercise lengthens the back and chest.

• Warrior Pose: The warrior pose is one of the most popular yoga poses known for its physical and mental health benefits. To perform this exercise, start by standing in a ‘T’ pose. Then lunge forward bend the knees towards one of your arms and hold yourself in the lunged position while maintaining the ‘T’ pose with your arms. This exercise promotes lymphatic draining which is good for your health.

• Seated Spinal Twist: As the name suggests start by sitting down in a comfortable position on the ground. Cross your legs and plant the crossed leg on the ground. Twist your upper body in the opposite direction of your planted leg and put pressure only as much of it feels comfortable. Remain in the pose and focus on your breathing for at least 30 seconds. This pose supports the expansion of the chest and helps in lymphatic drainage.

3. Maintain A Healthy Body Weight

Maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial for your overall health. Obesity is linked with several chronic illnesses, which can, in turn, increase your risk for breast cancer. It is crucial to keep your body weight in check by maintaining a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index). Even though BMI is not the only parameter for maintaining health, it is a crucial starting point that can help you determine how much weight you may need to lose.

If you have trouble losing weight or if you have underlying health problems which make it difficult for you to lose weight, it is crucial that you get the necessary medical treatment. Thanks to medical advancements it is possible to get surgical treatments to help you lose weight and manage obesity. Studies have found women who gain up to 10kgs of weight after menopause are at an 18% higher risk of breast cancer compared to others.

4. Limit Addictive Substances

Two habits, smoking and drinking alcohol, have negative effects on your health, and they also increase your risk of breast cancer. Smoking, as you may already know, is known to be one of the leading causes of several types of cancer, especially lung cancer in human beings. When it comes to breast cancer, women who smoke or started smoking when they were young are at a significantly higher risk of breast cancer. Similarly, drinking alcohol, even for occasional drinkers, can be a boost in breast cancer risk.

Studies show that women who drink up to or less than 1 alcoholic beverage a day are expected to have a 5% higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who don’t drink alcohol. The risk increases from 5% to 32% for women who consume up to four servings of alcohol per day. For women who consume more than four servings of alcohol per day, the risk of breast cancer is 46% more than those who don’t drink alcohol. It is crucial to limit your exposure to addictive substances and get medical help if necessary to quit smoking and drinking alcohol. It is proven to help you live a healthier life and get healthier breasts.

5. Get Regular Cancer Screenings

Cancer screenings are a lifesaver and can help you get an early diagnosis. When you get an early diagnosis, it is possible to put the condition into remission with very low chances of recurrence, which can effectively mean it becomes possible to “cure” cancer. 

This is only possible if you get appropriate screening tests at regular intervals as directed by your doctors. Generally, women are recommended to go through preventative breast cancer screenings when they turn 40. Based on your individual risk factors, doctors may recommend you get started earlier or decide the duration between each screening test.

Screening tests like mammograms aside, women are also encouraged to perform self-breast examinations whenever possible to notice any changes to the size, shape, texture, or feel of their breasts. Any lump that you discover in your breasts needs to be medically diagnosed to check for malignancy. 

Being aware of your own body and performing self-examinations from time to time can help you identify the symptoms of breast cancer, most notably the lumps at an early stage, which makes breast cancer treatment much more manageable.

Conclusion

So, now that you know about the different healthy breast exercises and foods that promote breast health be sure to incorporate them into your routine to live a healthier life and attain healthier breasts. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women across the world. The lifestyle habits mentioned here can help you lower your risk of breast cancer and live a cancer-free life. For more information about recommended lifestyle changes for breast cancer or breast cancer treatment, check out MASSH. 

We specialise in minimally invasive surgical treatments for breast cancer that are highly specialised and safe for patients. Our world class infrastrcuture and experienced team of surgeons allow us to offer specialised surgical treatments that are precise and offer quick recovery to patients with minimal surgical incisions. For more information, visit us today to consult with our specialists.