Adopting healthy habits can help reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. You can:
- Maintain a healthy weight: Obesity is a risk factor for developing cancer in both men and women. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce your risk of obesity and of developing cancer.
- Eat fruits and vegetables: Eating 3.5 to 5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
- Stay physically active: Studies have shown that women who are physically active have a lower risk of breast cancer than inactive women. Try to move your body at least 20 minutes every day to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.
- Do not smoke: Smoking and even breathing second-hand smoke is a risk factor for developing many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Eliminate smoking and second-hand smoke from your lifestyle to reduce this risk.
- Limit alcohol consumption: Frequent consumption of alcohol can increase your risk for breast cancer. The more alcohol you consume, the greater your risk.
- Schedule your screenings: Staying proactive about your health through receiving regular health screenings, such as mammograms, well-woman exams, and other screenings as recommended by your doctor, can help identify health problems in their early stages when they are easier to treat.
