Did you know you could decrease your personal risk of developing breast cancer? We have all heard the statistics: 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Healthy behaviors are associated with lowering breast cancer risk. Here are five healthy behaviors that will help keep you healthy! The first is one of the most difficult- achieve a BMI under 25. This means you are at a lower risk of developing medical conditions down the line. The second is easier-try to have one alcoholic beverage per day, or less. The third is even easier -exercise! Exercise is linked to lowering your risk of breast cancer for years to come, so keep moving! Your 30 minutes a day is good for your waistline and your beast health. Fourth, eat your fruits and veggies! You should have at least 3 servings of fruit per day and at least 5 servings of vegetables per day. Eating a healthy diet low in red meat, high in omega-3 fatty acids, including lots of fruits and veggies will have a protective, positive effect while lowering your risk of developing breast cancer. For example, incorporate healthy fats such as almond butter, peanut butter, avocados, olive oil, salmon, and nuts into your diet on a daily basis. Finally, if you are a smoker, kick that smoking habit to the curb! Not easy, I know, but potentially lifesaving. If you are not a smoker, you're already doing great! For your fifth healthy habit, swap out processed grains for whole grains. If you want fewer grains in your diet add more vegetables and protein at your meals. Have a big salad with protein at least once a day and for another easy way to add more veggies into your diet, have a green smoothie once a day. Think Pink and Go Green!
Sources:
1. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2015, 2018 [552] 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3873844/ 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2562507/
4. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/197257 and https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/200955
5. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/200149
General. https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/15691489.
6. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.20140
