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Four Ways To Outsmart Breast Cancer

By Fejiro Onohwosa
20 July 2018   |   8:00 am
  It is easier for women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer.  However, by making certain lifestyle changes, staying up to dates with tests and taking immediate action if you feel a lump in your breast, you can improve your odds against the disease. Stop smoking Cigarette smoke…

 

It is easier for women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer.  However, by making certain lifestyle changes, staying up to dates with tests and taking immediate action if you feel a lump in your breast, you can improve your odds against the disease.

Stop smoking

Cigarette smoke is a threat to breast health, the earlier you pick up the habit, the greater the damage. If a girl starts smoking in her teenage years, her breast-cancer risk is 50 percent higher for the rest of her life. Second-hand smoke also contributes to breast cancer.

Be physically active

Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, health and wellness enthusiasts recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, or walking for a distance at least twice a week.

Limit alcohol

The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends limiting yourself to less than one drink per day as even small amounts increase the risk. Red wine has been said to be a cancer fighter because it contains antioxidants. However, when it comes to avoiding breast cancer, the risks of drinking red wine and all other alcoholic beverages may outweigh the benefits.

Consider breastfeeding

PHOTO: google.com

There is significant data that women who consistently breastfeed for the first 6 months have a 10% reduced risk of death from cancer. This is because a woman does not menstruate while breastfeeding. This limits the number of cycles she has over a lifetime and lowers the amount of estrogen to which her body is exposed.

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