Why women should love their breasts!

A  friend of mine found out that she had a 1.5 cm dense “mass” in her right breast.  She would have to have a biopsy done to investigate if it was cancerous or not. While we were waiting for her test results, we were all afraid still.  And the conversation began about how common this situation is for women and how we don’t really think about it until it happens to someone we love.

A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative; mother, sister or daughter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 15 per cent of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.  And on a positive note, at this time there are more than 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

Preventative self – care is critical in reducing women’s risk of developing breast cancer.  There are many things we can do on a daily basis to love up our breast and keep them healthy.

Eat a healthy diet 

Eating a well balanced diet of vegetable, good quality meats and proteins, healthy fats, and nurient-dense foods is essential to being vital and healthy. Make sure to get plenty of essential fatty acids and anti-oxidant rich foods.  Buy as much organic foods as you can to avoid genetically modified foods and harmful chemicals.  And reduce the amount of processed sugars and simple carbohydrates in your diet, both things that create inflammation and acidity in the body.

Move your body

Research suggests that increased physical activity, even when begun later in life, reduces overall breast-cancer risk by about 10 per cent to 30 per cent. All it takes is moderate exercise like a 30-minute walk five days a week to get this protective effect.

Do not smoke

Smoking cigarettes is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in women and is terrible for your body in so many ways.

 Breastfeed your babies for as long as you can

Not only is breastfeeding good for your baby, it is  good for you as well.  One study estimates that you reduce your risk 4.1 per cent for every 12 months of breastfeeding.  So the longer that you breast feed, the better it is for your breast health and your baby.  It is assumed that the lower levels of oestrogen in the body during lactation is responsible for the reduction in risk.  The hormone oestrogen fuels 80 per cent of all breast cancers.

Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.   It is recommended to have no more than one drink per day.

Maintain a healthy weight

We all have a different ideal weight for our body.  Try to stay in a healthy range for you. Obesity raises the risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause when breast cancer most often occurs.

Avoid harmful chemicals in your beauty products

There are many dangerous and toxic substances used in beauty products these days.  And many are now being linked to increased risks of health issues and cancers.  I read just the other day that 99 per cent of aggressive breast cancer tumours had parabens in them. Parabens are one of the most common preservatives we see in products like deodourants, shampoos, and body lotions.

Additional report by Women’s Health