Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in Germany. On average, about one in eight women develops breast cancer during her lifetime. According to studies, a not inconsiderable percentage of these cases could be prevented by factors such as a healthy lifestyle and not taking hormone replacement therapy during menopause. Of course, there is no guarantee that the disease will not occur. However, by following these tips, you can lower your personal risk of developing breast cancer.
1) Avoid being overweight.
Being overweight is considered one of the biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer. This is because the higher a woman’s body fat percentage, the more female sex hormones are produced in the body. These stimulate the mammary glands to divide cells, and any cell division can result in a defect and thus degeneration of the cell. If you are overweight, you should therefore try to reduce your excess weight at least somewhat. In doing so, refrain from radical fasting, but rather exercise regularly. This will reduce the dangerous body fat and build muscle.
2) Do sports regularly.
Regular exercise is an important factor to reduce the risk of breast cancer. This is because physical activity can lower estrogen levels in the body. According to studies, exercise has a particularly positive effect on older women. Women over 50 who exercise are said to have a one-third lower risk of breast cancer than women of the same age who do not exercise. In general, it is recommended to be physically active three times a week for at least 30 minutes. Precise information – for example, whether certain types of sports have a particularly positive effect – is still pending.
3) Healthy diet with antioxidants.
As part of your daily diet, make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. This is because they not only contain valuable nutrients, but are also rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants act as radical scavengers in the body: they break down so-called free radicals, which can damage the genetic material of healthy cells. Thus, they prevent the development of malignant changes in healthy cells. The best-known antioxidants include vitamin C and vitamin E, carotenoids, as well as zinc and selenium.
4) Abstain from alcohol and smoking.
To prevent breast cancer, you should avoid alcohol as much as possible. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a glass of wine now and then. However, don’t overdo it, because alcohol increases estrogen levels, which can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Generally, the more alcohol consumed, the greater the risk. Thus, the daily consumption of 0.3 liters of wine increases the risk by a factor of 1.32, and the daily consumption of 0.5 liters of wine increases the risk by a factor of 1.46. It is generally known that smoking promotes the development of many cancers. Whether also cancer of the breast belongs to it, could not be clarified however yet conclusive. It is assumed that the consumption of tobacco before puberty is a risk factor. In addition, studies suggest that smokers who have developed breast cancer have a higher risk of relapse.
5) Breastfeed babies
If you have a baby, you should breastfeed it for six months if possible. In fact, according to studies, breastfeeding can lower the risk of breast cancer. The risk decreases depending on how long the baby is breastfed and how many children a woman has breastfed in total. In addition, the age at the first birth also has an influence: the younger the woman is, the lower her risk of developing breast cancer later.
6) Refrain from hormone preparations.
Taking artificial hormone preparations can increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Therefore, if you have menopausal symptoms, you should first resort to herbal preparations and use hormone replacement therapy only if it is absolutely necessary. In fact, a large proportion of breast cancers that occur after menopause are due to increased hormone levels. According to studies, the risk of breast cancer increases two- to threefold due to too much estrogen and testosterone in the blood. Taking the “pill” for contraception is also said to slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer.When the drugs are discontinued, the risk decreases again over a period of several years.
7) Eat fish
Studies suggest that women can prevent breast cancer by eating fatty fish regularly. For example, one or two servings of fish per week is said to be able to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 14 percent. The effect is said to be due to the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish. Fish varieties such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or tuna, among others, are particularly rich in the fatty acids.
8) Consume enough iodine.
In Southeast Asia, breast cancer cases occur much less frequently than in Europe or North America. The assumption that this is related to the higher iodine intake in these countries is supported by initial studies. In one study, patients with breast carcinoma were given four milligrams of iodine daily. After four weeks, the growth rate of the tumors had been reduced by half. In addition to certain types of fish, iodine is also present in larger amounts in kelp and algae.
Not all factors can be influenced
Breast cancer has many different risk factors. You can influence some of them, but not others. That is why the disease can occur even if you take the above advice into account. Risk factors that cannot be influenced include genes, for example. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you also have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. According to studies, between four and nine percent of all breast cancer cases are hereditary. In addition to hereditary predisposition, however, there are other risk factors that you cannot influence:
- Fertility span: the longer a woman is fertile, the higher her risk of breast cancer. Women who start their periods early and go through menopause late have a higher risk of developing the disease.
- Age: The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age.
Regularly go to preventive care
The chances of recovery from breast cancer are better, the earlier the disease is detected. Therefore, go regularly to preventive care – even at a young age. This is especially important if close relatives have already developed breast cancer and you are therefore hereditarily predisposed. In this case, you can also take advantage of other preventive care services. Between the ages of 50 and 69, all women can have a free mammography screening every two years. Also, feel your breast on your own once a month. Learn how to properly proceed with breast palpation here.
