10 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the biggest killers of women each year and is believed to be a disease largely beyond our control. Worldwide, breast cancer comprises more than 10 percent of all cancer incidence among women, making it the second most common type of non-skin cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. The fact that one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer is scary enough.

What is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast, usually in the inner lining of the milk ducts or lobules. Breast cancer does not mean a specific category of disease rather it is the different types of cancer generally found in breast. The different types of breast cancer includes ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), inflammatory breast cancer, male breast cancer, recurrent breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer. Breast cancer is about 100 times more common in women than in men, although males tend to have poorer outcomes due to delays in diagnosis.

What are the causes of Breast Cancer?

Research has taught us that many widely understood risk factors play a role. These include:

• Age is a crucial risk factor. As the person gets older, the chances increase.
• Two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 greatly increase the risk. If a close relative of yours like mother, sister and daughter has been diagnosed with breast cancer; it would increase your chances too.
• If you've had breast cancer in one breast, your rish of developing a new cancer in the other breast increases by 3- to 4-fold.
• Beginning periods before age 12 or menopause at a later age (after age 55) is also associated with breast cancer. This may be related to a higher lifetime exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
• Exposure to radiation increases the chances of breast cancer.
• Exposure to harmful chemicals.
• Women who have had no children or who had their first child after age 30 have a slightly higher breast cancer risk.

What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Symptoms of breast cancer may include:

• Change in the size, shape, or feel of the breast or nipple.
• Breast lump that is hard, has uneven edges, and feels different from the surrounding tissue.
• Scaly or pitted skin on nipple.
• Persistent tenderness of the breast.
• Unusual breast pain or discomfort.
• Bloody discharge from the nipple.
• Skin ulcers.
• Swelling of one arm (next to breast with cancer).

How do I prevent it?

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. But there are changes you can make in your diet and exercise habits to reduce the risk: These include:

1. Avoid Obesity: Maintain a healthy body weight (BMI less than 25) throughout your life. Obesity increases the chances of Breast Cancer. Fat cells can produce and store estrogen, and an estrogen surplus can stimulate the growth of breast cells. Due to this link between excess body fat and cancer, people should aim to be as lean as possible without being underweight.

2. Exercise: Studies have shown that women who exercise for at least 30 to 45 minutes a day have a 20-40% lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who are inactive. Aim for moderate aerobic activity like brisk walking five or more days a week.

3. Avoid Alcohol: At least 50 studies show that excessive alcohol is a crucial risk factor for breast cancer. Consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase breast cancer risk by as much as 20-25 percent. So, eliminate alcohol altogether or restrict yourself to an occasional glass.

4. Have Cruciferous Vegetables: These vegetables have indole-3-carbinol, which lowers women's levels of a type of estrogen that is suspected to promote breast cancer. Also, they contain a photochemical called sulforaphane that increases the phase 2 enzymes which fight cancer forming chemicals in the body. Radish (mooli), broccoli, cauliflower (gobhi), cabbage (patta gobhi) are the best choices. It is best to eat these vegetables raw or lightly cooked to prevent the phytochemicals from being destroyed by heat.

5. Have Green Tea: Drink 4 glasses, or more, of green tea each day. Green tea is rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), a compound that inhibits breast cancer cells.

6. Avoid processed food: Avoid processed food and choose whole grains instead. Whole grain food contains a lot of fiber. Fiber interrupts the body's metabolism of estrogen and decreases the blood levels of estrogen. High-fiber diets can decrease breast cancer risk by up to 54 percent. You should have whole grains, beans, nuts, edible seeds, fruits and vegetables with their seeds.

7. Have good fats: Omega-3 fats to be precise. Studies suggest Omega-3 fatty acids helps prevent breast cancer. At the same time avoid Omega 6 fats. Omega-3 fats are found in flaxseed, walnuts, and fish oil.  Omega 6 fats are found in corn oil, sunflower, safflower oil, in margarine. Also, minimize consumption of saturated fats and trans fats.

8. Have Soy: Isoflavones (a type of plant estrogen) present in soy binds to tissues in the body, blocking the more potent human estrogen from stimulating breast cancer cells.

9. A Multivitamin Supplement: Supplement your diet with a good multivitamin. Adequate levels of vitamins A, D, E are very important to prevent breast cancer.

10. Go Vegan: Harvard Medical School study of more than 90,000 women revealed that a meat diet increases breast cancer risk by 50 percent. Following a vegan diet certainly helps.

The above tips will help you decrease the risk of breast cancer and will help you stay healthy and enhance the quality of your life.