There are certain lifestyle habits and practices that increase your risk of breast cancer. Limiting these habits can decrease your risk of cancer and help you with effective breast cancer prevention. Apart from lifestyle habits, there are also numerous breast cancer prevention foods and other screening options that can help you reduce your risk of cancer. 

However, there’s plenty of untrue misinformation on the internet. So, to help you sift through and find the most helpful breast cancer prevention strategies, here are ten tips that are medically proven to help you lower your cancer risk. But before you learn about breast cancer prevention, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common risk factors for breast cancer.

Common Breast Cancer Risk Factors You Should Know

Breast cancer is common among women over the age of 50. This is one of two of the most common risk factors for breast cancer as this condition is most common among women of that age group. Even though breast cancer is most prevalent among women, it can also rarely affect men. Apart from age and sex, other risk factors of breast cancer include family history of breast cancer among direct family members like parents, siblings, or children. 

Genetic buildup of a person can also increase their breast cancer risk as mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can increase the risk of breast cancer. Lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking alcohol has been known to contribute to breast cancer risk in women. Lastly, having to go through hormone replacement therapy can also increase your risk of breast cancer. Being aware of these risk factors can help you plan your breast cancer prevention strategies. To help you get started, here are ten powerful tips to help you lower your risk.

10 Breast Cancer Prevention Tips To Lower Your Cancer Risk

1. Prevent Obesity
 

Obesity is a leading cause of several chronic illnesses. Unmanaged body weight, especially after menopause, can increase your risk of breast cancer. This is mainly because fat cells in the body that contribute to obesity also make oestrogen. The presence of excess oestrogen in the body can increase your risk of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, which is a subtype of breast cancer. Obesity also increases your risk of several chronic illnesses, which can impact your overall health and make it difficult for you to go through cancer treatment.

2. Opt To Breastfeed
 

Breastfeeding is known to reduce your risk of breast cancer. For women who are young, breastfeeding can help them reduce their risk of breast cancer. In fact, it is recommended by doctors to breastfeed as long as possible to get the best cancer prevention benefits. During breastfeeding, a woman's menstrual cycle is delayed. This reduces the exposure to hormones like oestrogen, which has the potential to cause hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Breastfeeding also helps women shed their breast tissue and cells, which helps reduce the risk of breast cancer.

3. Improve Diet
 

Diet is a crucial part of preventing your cancer risk. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is crucial to maintaining your health as you age. When it comes to breast cancer prevention, foods, vegetables, and fruits have been linked to lower the risk of breast cancer. Similarly, consuming large quantities of red meat over time can also increase your risk of cancer. It is also recommended for women to eat food items with antioxidants as they can potentially reduce cancer risks. Lastly, a good diet needs to be maintained alongside healthy lifestyle habits, which will be discussed in the next point.

4. Maintain An Active Lifestyle
 

An active lifestyle includes exercising regularly and maintaining physical movement and exercise during the day to remain active. Going on walks, swimming, going to the gym, doing cardio exercises. These are some of the ways you can maintain and active lifestyle. The goal is to engage in at least two hours of physical exercise a week and at least one hour of intense physical exercise a week. It helps keep your body weight in check and also has numerous health benefits, including reducing your risk of breast cancer.

5. Limit Exposure To Radioactivity And Certain Environmental Pollutants
 

Certain occupations require people to be in close contact with radioactive material, which increases their risk of breast cancer as well as other types of cancer. Apart from that, women are also exposed to radioactivity during imaging tests like X-rays. It is crucial to limit these exposures as much as possible to limit the risk of breast cancer in women. Similarly, exposure to certain environmental pollutants like high levels of particulate air pollution has the potential to increase your risk of breast cancer. So, if you are living in an area that has high levels of air pollution it is advisable to invest in air purifiers to protect your health against the harmful effects of pollution.

6. Know The Risks of Hormone Therapy
 

Hormone therapy is often recommended to women as a treatment option for different types of gynaecological problems. However, there are certain risks to hormone therapy, which include a higher risk of breast cancer. It is recommended for women to use hormone therapy as little as possible for the least amount of time to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Hormone therapy used for over three to five years has the potential to increase the risk of breast cancer significantly.

7. Limit Alcohol Use
 

Drinking alcohol has several health risks, and for women, it leads to a higher risk of breast cancer. While abstinence from alcohol is the best way to manage your risk of breast cancer, doctors recommend not drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day to keep your risk in check. It is crucial to consider quitting alcohol altogether over time to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

8. Quit Smoking
 

Smoking is one of the most severe modifiable cancer risks in human beings. Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer and other types of cancer as well. Continuous smoking over time can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and other chronic illnesses. Having these conditions can impact your breast cancer treatment journey. A smoking habit also makes it harder for doctors to create a treatment plan that effectively removes the cancer and stops its recurrence.

9. Go For Regular Screening
 

Breast cancer screening is one of the most crucial ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer. It is advisable for women to start getting annual breast cancer screening tests such as mammograms when they turn 40. Doctors may also recommend screening tests earlier to women who have a family history of breast cancer or are genetically predefined to a higher breast cancer risk. Regular screening has the potential to diagnose the condition in its nascent stages and help you get the required breast cancer treatment as soon as possible. It improves the treatment efficacy and reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

10. Know Your Family History of Breast Cancer
 

Having direct family members who have had breast cancer has the potential to increase your risk of breast cancer. Relatives like parents, grandparents, siblings, and children with breast cancer can potentially increase your risk of the condition. It is crucial to be aware of your family history of breast cancer to ensure your doctors can recommend necessary breast cancer prevention strategies to help you keep your breast cancer risk in check.

Conclusion

While the exact cause of breast cancer is not well understood, it is still possible to manage the risk of this condition with the discussed preventative measures. Breast cancer prevention can help people live a healthier life overall and age gracefully. Alongside the cancer prevention tips discussed, it is also equally important to visit your doctor for regular visits and opt for regular screening tests to ensure your breast cancer risks are kept in check. 

For more information about breast cancer prevention and treatment, check out MASSH. We specialise in highly specialised minimally invasive surgical treatments for breast cancer that have minimal risks and quick recovery for patients. Visit us today or request a callback from our website today to connect with our specialists.