Let me start off by saying that breast cancer is NOT a death
sentence anymore. If detected early it can be treated and the
patient can enjoy a full recovery and a long life afterwards.
In this particular article I am going to cover prevention, or at
least as close to prevention as you are going to get.
Unfortunately no matter what preventative measures you take
there is always a chance you will get breast cancer.
I'm going to list these preventative measures in plain English
and NOT in medical babble. I never could understand half that
stuff anyway.
1. Don't drink so much. Supposedly there is a strong link
between alcohol consumption and breast cancer and it doesn't
matter what type of alcohol it is. They're all bad. They say to
have less than 1 drink per day. My wife has a drink about once a
week so I guess she's okay there. If ,however, you do drink,
also drink lots of citrus juices. Supposedly this lowers the
risk of breast cancer.
2. Keep your weight down. Supposedly there is a link between
being overweight and getting breast cancer, especially if you
gain a lot of weight after menopause It seems that the more
fatty tissue the more oestrogen you have and high oestrogen
levels are linked to breast cancer.
3. Exercise. Sounds simple enough, but in today's fast paced
society it is sometimes very hard to find time to hit the gym or
the treadmill or even to go for a walk. Exercise is important
for maintaining a healthy weight. They say at least 30 minutes a
day. My wife and I both do an hour but believe me, it's not easy.
4. Stay away from fatty foods. I guess this goes hand in hand
with keeping your weight down. They say your fat intake should
be no more than 35% of your total calories for the day. I'm not
sure how to figure that out. You may want to consult with your
doctor on this.
5. Aspirin. Well, they said that aspirin was good for preventing
heart attacks and now they say there is definitely a link
between taking a regimen of aspirin and preventing breast
cancer. That is one thing my wife and I don't do at all. The
last time either of us had an aspirin was 20 years ago.
Hopefully, that she's skinny will be good enough.
6. Avoid hormone therapy. There is a link between women who have
hormone therapy after menopause and breast cancer. Simply
stated, don't do it. It's not worth the risks just to avoid hot
flushes.
7. Pesticides. This one surprised me but there is a definite
link between exposure to pesticides and breast cancer. So try to
use them as little as possible. There are many natural ways to
kill pests. There are books you can buy on the subject. Just do
a Google search for "Natural Pest Removal."
8. Antibiotics. Avoid taking them if possible. Excessive use of
antibiotics weakens the immune system which increases the risk
of getting breast, or for that matter, any kind of cancer.
And that's about it in plain English. Follow the above
guidelines and you have an excellent chance of avoiding breast
cancer.
About the author:
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to
Breast
Cancer
