Three Simple Steps Toward Breast Cancer Prevention

By Connie Limon
Three main lifestyle habits lay the foundation for breast cancer prevention. They include:
• Staying physically active• Limiting alcohol• Eating right
The evidence so far tells us healthy eating and regular exercise really does contribute to breast cancer prevention. Plus, if you limit your exposure to substances that promote breast cancer, you will benefit even more.
There are some risks toward a higher incident of breast cancer that you cannot control. These include:
• Your age• Genetic make-up
Although these two factors may loom against you there are still steps you can take on your own to prevent breast cancer. They provide no guarantee that you still will not develop the disease. They will give you a start toward breast cancer prevention.
Some of the easiest things you can control is what you eat and drink and how much exercise you get.
There remains a strong link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. Seems that it does not matter the type of alcohol one consumes, whether it be wine, beer or mixed drinks, there does not seem to be a difference according to researchers. A step toward breast cancer prevention would be to limit your alcohol to less than one drink per day or to avoid alcohol completely.
Researchers tells us there is also a clear link between obesity or weighing more than is appropriate for your age and height and breast cancer. This is especially true if you gain the extra weight late in life or after menopause. The reason for this is that excess fatty tissue is a source of circulating estrogen in the body. Breast cancer risk is linked to how much estrogen you are exposed to during a lifetime.
If you stay active with a regular exercise regime you are better able to maintain a healthy weight. This one accomplishment alone lowers your risk of breast cancer regardless of age or genetic make-up. We are consistently told to aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week. Always try to include weight-bearing exercises like walking, jogging or aerobics, which have the added benefit of keeping your bones and joints strong and healthy.
To date studies suggest a slight decrease in risk of invasive breast cancer for women who eat a low-fat diet. The effect is modest. It is probably a good idea to eat a low-fat diet anyway because it reduces your risk of other diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. A low-fat diet also can help you maintain healthy weight, which in turns, will help you in taking steps toward breast cancer prevention.
For the greatest benefit limit fat intake to less than 35 percent of your daily calories and restrict foods high in saturated fat.
Researchers have discovered two promising agents to help us prevent breast cancer. They are:
1. Retinoids2. Flaxseed
Retinoids are natural or synthetic forms of vitamin A. Retionids may have the ability to destroy or disturb the growth of cancer cells. Retinoids may also be effective in premenopausal women and in those whose tumors are not estrogen-positive.
Flaxseed is quite high in one phytoestrogen, which is “lignan.” Phytoestrogens are compounds that occur naturally and lower circulating estrogens in the body. Lignan appears to decrease estrogen production and may help to inhibit the growth of some breast cancers.
Research continues, however, any woman at any age or genetic make-up can start today toward breast cancer prevention simply by staying active, watching what you eat and limiting intake of alcohol.