It’s that time of the year when we celebrate breast cancer survivors and create awareness about breast cancer. Research has proven that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women after lung cancer.
That said the conversation around breast cancer is one that needs to be heightened not only among women but also men. Quite contrary to popular belief, breast cancer also affects a large percentile of men.
They say prevention is better than cure and here are some tips to reduce your chances of getting breast cancer:
1. Quit smoking
If you like to indulge in a regular cigarette once in a while or on a daily basis, you are definitely prone to getting breast cancer compared to someone who does not smoke.
2. Exercise
The more active you are as an individual, the less likely you are to be at risk of getting breast cancer. Some simple exercises include: taking a jog, swimming, going dancing, cycling and even household chor
3. Minimize alcohol intake
This applies to the light drinkers as well who will often downplay their drinking behaviors with phrases such as “It is only one drink “. Unfortunately, that one drink can develop into alcohol-associated cancers over time.
Some alcohol-associated cancers which can be caused by that occasional drink include; Liver cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer among others.
4. Diet
Watch your diet if you are trying to run away from cancer, see, most people do not realize processed foods and spices purchased over the counter in supermarkets are leading causes of cancer.
These food additives more often than not are laced with cacogenic chemicals that may accumulate in the digestive tract since they cannot be digested. So think twice next time you feel like grabbing that canned corn or canned seafood!
5. High estrogen and progesterone levels
Who would have thought that as much as estrogen and progesterone are necessary hormones in the development of both male and female organs, that it can also be a hormone which is in high levels cacogenic?
These estrogen and progesterone levels can become heightened if you predispose yourself to birth control pills which often will result in a hormonal imbalance.
6. Genetic predisposition
Whether we like it or not, we inherit our parent’s genes which in turn get mutated in our bodies, that said if there are underlying health problems in our families, we automatically become predisposed to the illnesses that are in our families.
There is the need to get tested to detect any signs of breast cancer or any other cancer that may be malignant.
7. Limit your radiation exposure
Avoid exposing yourself to machines with UV rays such as microwaves, X-ray machines which are some of the biggest culprits of cancer.
Early detection is an important factor in the success of breast cancer treatment. The earlier breast cancer is found, the more easily and successfully it can be treated.
Breast self-exam is an important way to find a breast cancer early when it’s more likely to be treated successfully. While no single test can detect all breast cancers early it is believed that performing breast self-exam in combination with other screening methods can increase the odds of early detection.
Source: Resolution Insurance Head of Care & Medical Advisory, Jemimah Mbugua