Stay A Breast

Know your risks and prevent yourself from being plagued by breast cancer, this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast cancer. Just reading those words can make many women worry. And that’s natural.

Nearly everyone knows someone touched by the disease.

But there is a lot of good news about breast cancer these days. Treatments keep getting better, and we know more than ever about ways to prevent the disease. These 10 simple steps can help lower the risk of breast cancer. Not everyone applies to every woman, but together they can have a big impact.

1 Keep Your Weight In Check

It’s easy to tune out because it gets said so often, but maintaining a healthy weight is an important goal for everyone. Being overweight can increase the risk of many different cancers, including breast cancer, especially after menopause.

2 Be Physically Active

Exercise is as close to a silver bullet for good health as there is, and women who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer. Regular exercise is also one of the best ways to help keep weight in check.

3 Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables

A healthy diet can help lower the risk of breast cancer. Try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and keep alcohol at moderate levels or lower (a drink a day or under).

4 Avoid Too Much Alcohol

While moderate drinking can be good for the heart in older adults, even low levels of intake can increase the risk of breast cancer. If you don’t drink, don’t feel you need to start. If you drink moderately, there’s likely no reason to stop. But, if you drink more, you should cut down or quit.

5 Don’t Smoke