🍷🍺 Limit Alcohol Consumption: Drinking alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Women who have 1 alcoholic drink a day have a small (about 7% to 10%) increase in risk compared with non-drinkers, while women who have 2 to 3 drinks a day have about a 20% higher risk than non-drinkers. If you are going to drink alcohol, limit to 1 serving per day.
🎀 Maintain A Healthy Weight: Being overweight or obese after menopause increases breast cancer risk. Before menopause your ovaries make most of your estrogen and fat tissue makes only a small part of the total amount. After menopause (when the ovaries stop making estrogen), most of a woman’s estrogen comes from fat tissue. Having more fat tissue after menopause can raise estrogen levels and increase your chance of getting breast cancer. Also, women who are overweight tend to have higher blood insulin levels. Higher insulin levels have been linked to some cancers, including breast cancer.
🎀🏃♀️ Stay Physically Active: Evidence is growing that regular physical activity reduces breast cancer risk, especially in women past menopause. The main question is how much activity is needed. Some studies have found that even as little as a couple of hours a week might be helpful, although more seems to be better. The American Cancer Society recommends that adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week (or a combination of these). Getting to or going over the upper limit of 300 minutes is ideal.
🎀 Do Not Smoke: Smoking causes a number of diseases and is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. Research also has shown that there may be link between very heavy second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Smoking also can increase complications from breast cancer treatment, including:
• damage to the lungs from radiation therapy
• difficulty healing after surgery and breast reconstruction
• higher risk of blood clots when taking hormonal therapy medicines
Still struggling with preventative health? Come visit Farah Myers, FNP at Cool Creek Family Health where we can optimize your health while making your healthcare very simple and affordable.
