Practice these simple things to keep breast cancer at bay
| Updated: Mar 28, 2019, 12:05 IST
Women already have a lot of worries to deal with, breast cancer shouldn't be one. And with the rate at which women are dealing with this horrific illness, it almost feels like there's no end to it. Even though there are various kinds of treatments for this disease, the fear of it doesn't go away. But on a brighter side, women can take care of themselves by doing a few things in order to keep themselves away from the risk of breast cancer.
- Working out is one of the best solutions for a lot of health related issues. And exercising on a daily basis can also help women stay away from this disease. Exercising keeps you physically active and this is what puts a great impact on women's health.
- Eating healthy isn't only meant for people who are ill but even for people who are fit and fine. Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and cutting down on alcohol helps lowering the risk of breast cancer. A drink a day or less works just fine as moderate drinking, but anything more than that is counted as excess alcohol which isn't all that safe.
- Always keep your weight in check, even generally. Maintaining healthy weight is very important to stay away from health issues. If you're overweight, the risk of many different cancers especially after menopause might increase, including breast cancer.
- If possible, breastfeed. Breastfeeding for a year or more lowers the risk of breast cancer. To top it, it also has good health benefits for the child.
- If you're above 35 and smoke, avoid the use of birth control pills. Even though birth control pills have both benefits and risks, it lowers the risk of breast cancer for women who are younger and who consume birth control pills. But, you still have a slight risk of breast cancer if you're on birth control pill and the risk also goes away after you stop taking the pills. The pill even increases the risk of heart attack and stroke especially for women who smoke.
It is very important for women to find out about their family history. Women who have a family history of cancer should take extra care to protect themselves. You might be at high risk of breast cancer if your mother or sister has developed breast or ovarian cancer or if you have many family members who have had this disease. Consult a doctor or a genetic counselor to understand your family history of diseases better.
- Working out is one of the best solutions for a lot of health related issues. And exercising on a daily basis can also help women stay away from this disease. Exercising keeps you physically active and this is what puts a great impact on women's health.
- Eating healthy isn't only meant for people who are ill but even for people who are fit and fine. Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and cutting down on alcohol helps lowering the risk of breast cancer. A drink a day or less works just fine as moderate drinking, but anything more than that is counted as excess alcohol which isn't all that safe.
- Always keep your weight in check, even generally. Maintaining healthy weight is very important to stay away from health issues. If you're overweight, the risk of many different cancers especially after menopause might increase, including breast cancer.
- If possible, breastfeed. Breastfeeding for a year or more lowers the risk of breast cancer. To top it, it also has good health benefits for the child.
- If you're above 35 and smoke, avoid the use of birth control pills. Even though birth control pills have both benefits and risks, it lowers the risk of breast cancer for women who are younger and who consume birth control pills. But, you still have a slight risk of breast cancer if you're on birth control pill and the risk also goes away after you stop taking the pills. The pill even increases the risk of heart attack and stroke especially for women who smoke.
It is very important for women to find out about their family history. Women who have a family history of cancer should take extra care to protect themselves. You might be at high risk of breast cancer if your mother or sister has developed breast or ovarian cancer or if you have many family members who have had this disease. Consult a doctor or a genetic counselor to understand your family history of diseases better.