Few words produce a fear factor for women as the words
"breast cancer". The best protection against breast cancer
is knowledge of the ways you can reduce the risk of
acquiring this dreaded disease.
While it is currently true that there are some very
promising advances in breast cancer research and treatment,
it is still a prudent course of action to use prevention as
your best defense against getting this cancer in the first
place, and that is what we are ready to discuss.
Some of these promising treatments and detection tools for
breast cancer include genetic testing for certain risk
factors that can help women determine preventive courses of
action if they are at a higher risk, advanced ways of
detecting breast cancer earlier including more
sophisticated biopsy methods with minimal invasion, and new
and improved breast cancer drugs and tailored courses of
treatment.
Heck, I was even reading just the other day about one
company that is coming out with new, natural "biochemical"
remedies against cancer and other serious maladies for
which we have yet to discover excellent, non life
threatening treatments.
Perhaps the most obvious of all prevention measures is, of
course, eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables
and "live" foods instead of processed, dead foods.
Reducing alcohol or eliminating it completely helps to
protect against breast cancer. If you drink alcohol, limit
your consumption to less than one drink per day.
While there has been discussion and debate about whether
red wine may help fight cancer, it is still wise to watch
your consumption of even this, since it is, in essence,
processed and broken down as a sugar, which causes
inflammation.
Inflammation is thought to be a major contributor to all
types of cancer, and I tend to agree with this philosophy
from the information I've been privy to. Many of the
popular diets now that promote overall health, weight
maintenance and blood sugar stability are often "anti
inflammatory" in nature, they just aren't always advertised
that way.
Keep your weight at a healthy level for your age and
height. Be especially vigilant not to gain any
postmenopausal weight as this has been proven to increase
your odds of getting breast cancer. The excess fatty
tissue in your body increases your estrogen and the degree
of estrogen exposure in your lifetime is linked to breast
cancer.
Exercising can help with weight loss or maintenance of a
healthy weight, therefore lowering your risk of breast
cancer. If you do the weight bearing aerobics, you will
add the extra bonus of keeping your bones strong.
Limit the amount of fats in your dietary intake. A lower
fat diet has a moderate effect, but still decreases the
risk of breast cancer. Hormone replacement therapy taken
long term has been associated with an increase in breast
cancer. If you are taking hormone replacements, you should
probably talk to your doctor about other therapies to
minimize menopausal symptoms.
There is not clear cut evidence linking birth control pills
and a higher incidence of breast cancer. The newer oral
contraceptives have a lower dose than the older
contraceptives. Studies continue on this subject, but it
may be something to think about when considering forms of
birth control.
Excessive use of antibiotics is being scrutinized as a
possible risk factor in the development of breast cancer.
Exposure to pesticides is also being looked at in relation
to breast cancer. Use caution concerning long term use of
antibiotics and limit exposure to pesticides.
Areas of research that are promising and natural are
retinoids and flaxseed. Retinoids, a form of vitamin A,
may inhibit growth of cancer cells. Flaxseed lowers the
amount of estrogen circulating in your body.
Both flaxseed and retinoid compounds are being studied for
their role in breast cancer prevention, and are also known
to be of benefit in heart and circulatory health, and
flaxseed is known for it's digestive benefits as well.
Most foods that are beneficial for cancer prevention wear
many hats when it comes to health benefits, which is always
a good thing.
Regular screenings by mammograms and self examinations will
help to detect any early signs of breast cancer. Nothing
is guaranteed to eliminate the risk, however lifestyle
changes can reduce your risks significantly and are often
simple and easy steps to take. You just have to know what
they are...
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Danna Schneider is the founder of
http://www.breastenhancepill.com , an online magazine about
breast health, and natural and herbal breast enhancement
options, reviews and news. She also runs a weblog and
discussion group on natural breast enhancement, celebrity
breast implant talk, and breast health related news at
http://www.breastnewsmagazine.com , which is updated with
the latest news, tips, product reviews and fun facts daily.
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