Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Breast Cancer: 6 Habits that Reduce Your Risks

Breast cancer risk is affected by several uncontrollable factors like the age you started menstruating and family medical history. Here are six habits that can reduce breast cancer risks:

1. Work out regularly. A study by the British Medical Journal found out that 30 minutes of regular exercise daily significantly reduces breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.

2. Drop pounds. Obese women double their risk of breast cancer compared to women of healthy weight. Excessive fatty tissues contribute to breast cancer, so it's best to keep fit and maintain a healthy weight.

3. Take Vitamin D. A recent study states that women who are Vitamin D-deficient have 94% increased risk of cancer.

4. Limit alcohol. Women who drink at least one to two servings of alcohol daily are more likely to develop breast cancer than women who don't drink.

5. Skip long-term hormone therapy. Long-term use of HT can increase breast cancer risk according to the Women's Health Initiative. New research shows the heightened risk persists several years after you stop.

6. Do self-exams. Be aware of your body so you can spot changes in breast size, presence of lumps, or discoloration.

-Tin Gonzaga

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