Breast Cancer Awareness month may be coming to an end, but that doesn't mean we should stop fighting. Breast cancer--second to non-melanoma skin cancer--is the most common cancer found among women in the United States. In fact, the chance of a women having invasive breast cancer during her lifetime is 1 in 8, reports the American Cancer Society. And unfortunately, you can't just slather on the SPF to prevent the occurrence of this awful disease.
Battling cancer starts from the inside out. It doesn't mean just popping a few extra vitamins or buying a gym membership--although, that may help. Being equipped to battle cancer means a lifestyle fortified with regular exercise and a nutritious diet. Changing daily habits may seem like a daunting task, but when your life's on the line, why give it a second thought? Here are a few tips on breast cancer prevention from Health.com:
- Limit yourself to two or three alcoholic drinks a week. Alcohol, consumed even in small amounts, may increase the risk of breast cancer. Most doctors recommend cutting back on wine, beer, and hard liquor.
- Exercise at lease three times a week (more often is even better). And, the more intense, the better. Vigorous exercise helps your heart and cuts your cancer risk.
- Maintain your body weight, or lose weight if you're overweight. Research shows that being overweight or obese increases your risk, especially if you put on weight as an adult. A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston showed that obese and overweight women also had lower breast cancer survival rates and a greater chance of more aggressive disease than average-weight or underweight women.
- Do a monthly breast self-exam. You might catch a lump before a mammogram does, and it's a good idea to follow the changes in your body.
- Have a mammogram once a year after 40. Catching a tumor early boosts the chance of survival significantly.
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