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Breast cancer is an epidemic. Here’s how you can reduce your risk

Prevention is always better than cure and these 5 ways in all their capacity might help you to keep breast cancer risk at bay. So, do give it a read.
breast cancer
You should assess your breast cancer risk. Image caption: Shutterstock
Team Health Shots Updated: 31 Dec 2019, 05:43 pm IST
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Cases of breast cancer are increasing world over and that’s why it’s bothersome. 

Do you know, breast cancer is considered to be one of the most frequently diagnosed life-threatening cancers in women? Yes, that’s correct. 

Self-examination is one of the ways that can help you detect this deadly disease at the earliest. The few visible signs that you can check include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, and fluid discharge from the nipple. 

But why such a surge in the cases of breast cancer?
Our lifestyle sister is the real culprit sister. Early menarche, dietary habits, alcohol intake, and lack of physical activity — they all are to be blamed, reveals a 2007 study, published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Also, read: Here’s how you can give yourself monthly breast self-examinations

Seems like unavoidable to you? Don’t panic as we have got you five ways that might help in lowering down the risk of breast cancer.

1. Curb your alcohol intake
While a glass of alcohol may seem like the perfect way to end a stressful week — it is also classified as a breast carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

A study, published in the journal HHS Public Access, found that alcohol stimulates migration and invasion of breast cancer cells.

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Hence, it gets imperative to keep your alcohol intake in moderation.

2. Avoid smoking to avoid breast cancer
Smoking has become one of the most prevalent lifestyle choices among women. Sad news is that tobacco is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer.

breast cancer
Try to avoid smoking as much as you can to keep cancer at bay. Image courtesy: Shutterstock.

A study that was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research found that smoking significantly increased the risk of breast cancer, particularly among women who start smoking at adolescence.

3. Start exercising to keep breast cancer at bay
Stop being a lazy bum and start some physical activity if you don’t want to fall into the painful trap of breast cancer.

A study conducted by the National Public Health Institute of the University of Tampere in Finland, found a protective effect of regular physical activity in women against breast cancer. Plus, you will stay in shape too.

4. Keep a check on your weight
Being overweight also means a higher risk of breast cancer. So, it becomes mandatory to lead a healthy lifestyle by eating right and staying active. Taking a balanced diet with all the essential nutrients can really help you in lowering down the risk of breast cancer and an American Cancer Society study that was originally published in Science Daily is affirmative of that.

obesity
Lead a healthy lifestyle to lower the risk of breast cancer. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

5. Don’t overdo birth control pills
We tend to pop a BCP very casually but read this one before you pop it again. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that human birth control may increase the risk of breast cancer.

The study found that the risk of breast cancer was higher among women who were using hormonal contraceptives than those who did not. So, it’s better to stay away from those.

These may not be foolproof methods to avoid the probability of breast cancer as other factors like family history, oral contraceptive use, smoking, and breast radiation are in play too. But making these small changes can reduce the chances and we think it’s a safe bet to place.

What do you think?

Also, read: How to differentiate between benign and cancerous breast lumps? A gynaecologist explains

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