Breast cancer can be prevented – You may take some actions do to reduce the risk, but there is nothing you or your doctor can do to prevent breast cancer, or any type of cancer actually.
Cancer Research UK says that lifestyle changes can prevent more than 10 percent of the cases or at least cut the risk of developing breast cancer. These actions include:
Maintaining a healthy weight – The risk in overweight postmenopausal women is 30 to 60 percent higher than in women with healthy weight.
Limiting alcohol intake and quitting smoking – Women who consume two to three alcoholic drinks daily have a 20 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer. And cigarettes are considered a risk factor for all types of cancer.
More physical activity – Postmenopausal women who get regular exercise are at 20 percent lower risk.
Breastfeed for as long as you can – Scientists say that mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, although the reasons for this are still unclear.
The huge number of deaths caused by breast cancer is due to the fact that many women are diagnosed when the disease is too advanced to treat. Early detection is the best chance to survive breast cancer. And one of the most terrifying facts about the disease – a large number of women diagnosed with potentially curable breast cancer get no treatment. They are either afraid, or just cannot afford care.
This October, let’s remind ourselves that no woman is entirely safe. And breast cancer is not only a female problem – it’s mostly a family and a community problem that affects us more than we can imagine.
