Healthy Tips To Prevent Breast Cancer

Healthy habits and lifestyle is the start of breast cancer prevention such as limiting alcohol intake and staying physically active. If you are worried about breast cancer, you might be wondering if there are steps you can take to prevent breast cancer. Although some risk factors, such as family history, can’t be changed. However, there are lifestyle changes that you can make to lower your risk.

What to do to reduce the risk of breast cancer?

•Limit alcohol intake. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer.
•Don’t smoke. Evidence suggests a link between smoking and breast cancer, particularly in premenopausal women. Not smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.
•Control your weight. One of the risk factors of having breast cancer is being overweight or obese; Especially if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.
•Be physically active. By engaging in physical activity you maintain a healthy weight, which helps in preventing breast cancer. Healthy adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, in addition, strength training at least twice a week.
•Breastfeeding. Breast-feeding may play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.

Can a healthy diet prevent breast cancer?

Healthy diet can decrease your risk of some types of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. For example, women who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil and mixed nuts might have a reduced risk of breast cancer because this diet focuses mostly on plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.

Simple Plan

•Limit your red meat intake
•Avoid fatty foods.
•Use herbs and spices instead of salt as seasoning.
•Men should limit alcoholic drinks to 2 per day; women, to 1 per day.
•Avoid being overweight. Limit weight gain during adulthood.
•Take an hour walk daily.
•Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
•Add a handful of blueberries to your cereal in the morning.
•If you’re having a sandwich at lunch, throw in tomato slices as well as lettuce.
•Add Broccoli to soups or sprinkle it over pizza with olives, onions, and mushrooms.
•Instead of having a packaged snack in the afternoon, have an apple or banana.
•Plant foods such as legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are protective against cancer. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and helpful phytochemicals.
•Flaxseed may help block substances that promote cancer.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish and certain plant foods have been shown in studies to slow or prevent the growth of certain cancers

Christelle Bedrossian
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Beirut, Lebanon