Here are some tips to help women in maintaining the health of their breasts and lowering the risk of breast cancer.
1.Exercise, exercise, exercise! Here's why it may help: Fat cells produce estrogen, and high levels of that hormone have been linked to certain cancers. Exercising can minimize the size of fat cells, so your body pumps out less estrogen.
2. Eat some chocolate! As if you needed another excuse! Researchers have discovered a compound in dark chocolate that may fight fast-growing cancers.
3. Don't freak out over a lump. It is easy to lose it if you find something during a self-exam. Here's some perspective: Four out of five lumps felt in the breast are benign, says Alonzo P. Walker, M.D., director of the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Breast Care Center in Milwaukee.
4.Eat fruit and veggies. Several recent studies have suggested that eating a lot of fruit and vegetables may be linked with a lowered risk for developing estrogen-receptor-negative breast tumors.
5.Drink less alcohol. A meta-analysis of 53 studies revealed that women who drank more than three drinks a day had 1.5 times the risk of developing breast cancer as did nondrinkers.
6.Get a good night's sleep. Staying up late can result in greater exposure to light at night, which suppresses melatonin levels. That can be a problem because research suggests melatonin may help regulate estrogen.
7.Don't forget folic acid. Not eating enough folate, is linked with impaired ability to repair DNA and damaged DNA has, in turn, been linked to cancer. Folate can be found in foods such as spinach and black-eyed peas, as well as in folic-fortified cereals and grains.
8.Practice peace. Some research showed that psychological factors may be linked to increased risk for cancer, possibly because people under stress tend to turn to alcohol or overeating to cope with the pressure. Learn how minimize tension with these three easy everyday techniques from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Healthy Lifestyle Program:
A. Take deep belly breaths. This slows and elongates brain waves, bringing on calm.
B. Watch your favorite comedy. Enjoying a good laugh activates the areas of the brain that govern humor, in turn suppressing the brain's stress regions.
C. Adopt an uplifting mantra. Try "I love my life" and repeat it when you're happy. That will train your mind to associate the phrase with being content. Then, when you're on edge, chant your mantra and you'll immediately feel more at ease.
9. Eat some dark grapes. The skin of grapes may have anticancer properties. Although the research isn't definitive yet, the antioxidant resveratrol, which is found in grapes, may protect your cells from damage that could lead to cancer.
10. Know your body. While self-exams haven't been shown to decrease the number of breast cancer fatalities, the National Cancer Institute says that it's important to be familiar with how your breasts usually look and feel. That way, you'll be better able to spot any changes so you can report them to your doctor.
11. Maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds equals an increase in estrogen production. To protect yourself, stay within the healthy range for your height.
12. Get the screenings you need—on time. Every woman is different, so we've included both the basic rules by age for protecting your breast and some special circumstances that may require a closer watch.
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