Breast cancer is a frustrating disease you don’t want to have. It is super easy to prevent breast cancer than to cure it. This is because the ways to prevent breast cancer are cheaper than the cost of curing it. So, if you’re looking to discover effective ways to prevent having breast cancer, you’re at the right place.

Summary| In this healthy article, you’ll discover the five natural ways to prevent breast cancer.

What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast Cancer is an abnormal growth in the breast of a woman. Every lady tends to have breast cancer if she does not have the right information on the things to do to prevent such development. Breast cancer always develops from the internal part of the breast. There are many types of cancer, but, in this great article, there is a focus on breast cancer and how to prevent it, for all ladies.

In a simple explanation, breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. The truth is, no matter how conflicted you are about your breasts, they are part of your identity—which may be why, in fact, having breast cancer is one of the most terrifying things to think about. Your breast can say a lot about your health: they can signal weight gain, fluctuating hormones, and pregnancy.

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. But there are things you can do that might lower your risk. This can be especially helpful for women with certain risk factors for breast cancer, such as having a strong family history or certain gene changes.

Breast lumps and bumps

Having breast lumps and bumps? You already know that it can be a sign of breast cancer. Among other types of cancer, such as skin cancer and liver cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in U.S. Researches by the American Cancer Society (ACS). The ACS reported that 1 in 8 women being affected by the disease. This entails that 1/8 of women have the tendency of being affected by this disease.

Well, not to worry too much, there is good news: fewer women are getting and dying from breast cancer than ever before. “Cancer is not an inevitable disease, as women have more control over the disease than they ever think.

Cancer Prevention

Cancer prevention is any action taken to lower the chance of getting cancer. By preventing cancer, the number of recent cases of cancer in a group or population is lowered. 

To prevent new cancers from the onset, scientists look at risk factors and protective factors. Call to mind that anything that increases your chance of developing cancer is called a cancer risk factor and anything that decreases your chance of developing cancer is called a cancer protective factor.

Unfortunately, the biggest risk for breast cancer is simply being a woman—but taking certain measures can reduce your chances of developing the disease. 

5 Preventive Measures For Breast Cancer

  1. Find out the density of your breast
  2. Do exercise regularly
  3. Discover your family cancer history
  4. Breastfeeding
  5. Eat healthy food

1. Find out the density of your breast

Having dense breasts makes you six times more likely to develop cancer. Medical experts are uncertain about the explanation, but one possibility is the fact that there is no standardization for the measurement of breast density, so doctors’ scores are subjective.

How to find out the density of your breast

Even if your breast density is low, you still need regular checkups. If it’s high, there’s nothing you can do to lower it (though breast density tends to decrease with age), but you can protect yourself by asking your doctor about adding an MRI or ultrasound to your screening regimen. 

You can also switch from traditional mammography to digital. Since it’s higher in contrast, it’s easier for doctors to see abnormalities in dense breast tissue.

2. Do exercise regularly

Exercise can protect you against breast cancer in several ways. First, it helps control weight. An ACS (American Cancer Society) study found that women who’d gained 21 to 30 pounds since age 18 were 40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than those who hadn’t gained more than 5 pounds.

Estrogen stimulates cell overgrowth, and thus breast cancer. Before menopause, most of your estrogen is produced by your ovaries. But after menopause, your ovaries stop pumping out the hormone and most of it becomes fat tissue. The more fat in a woman’s body, the more estrogen.

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How to exercise to prevent Breast Cancer

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to start training for an Ironman. In fact, the Women’s Health Initiative found that women who walked briskly for 1 hour and 25 minutes to 2.5 hours had an 18 percent less risk of breast cancer than women who were inactive. 

However, to protect yourself from breast cancer—and all cancers—the ACS recommends aiming for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, which breaks down to 30 minutes 5 days a week.

3. Discover your family cancer history

About 5 to 10 percent of all cancers, including breast cancer, are hereditary, passed from one generation to the next through a variety of mutated genes. Your father’s family counts as much as your mother’s. This entails that Cancer is also hereditary.

How to discover your family cancer history

If your family history worries you, enlist the help of a genetic expert. Do well to ask about the history of cancer in your family. Both from the father’s side and the mother’s side.

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4. Breastfeeding

Women who consistently breastfeed have a 10 percent reduced risk of death from cancer compared with those who don’t, found a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

 One reason: Because a woman doesn’t menstruate while breastfeeding, it limits the number of cycles she has over a lifetime, which lowers the amount of estrogen her body is exposed to.

Breastfeeding to prevent breast cancer

“There is significant data that suggests that breastfeeding lowers risk,” says Otis Brawley, MD, chief medical officer for the ACS. “If a mom can do it, it’s worth trying.” In other words, you’ve heard experts say that “breast is best” for babies, and now there’s extra proof that it’s best for moms, too.

5. Eat healthy food

Research continues to produce promising evidence that your diet can affect your cancer risk. Eating a balanced diet will reduce the tendency of having cancer.

Finally, limit the intake of sugary foods, drinks, and alcohol.

Bottom Line

Prevention is always better than cure. It’s take lesser time and cost to prevent breast cancer compared with curing it. So, if you want to prevent breast cancer, you would want to apply the 5 ways discussed in this article.