Top 7 Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer

It is shocking to note that breast cancer has been ranked as the number one cancer amongst females in India in recent years. However, the good news is that breast cancer can be prevented by some simple lifestyle modifications. Yes, that's right. The key to prevent breast cancer is adopting a healthy lifestyle and keeping smoke and alcohol at bay.

In order to reduce the risk of breast cancer, women should:

• Control their weight - Being obese or overweight can increase the chances of contracting breast cancer, so keep an eye on your weight. The chances of contracting breast cancer increase even more if you gain weight around the time of your menopause.

• Be physically active - Exercising regularly not just helps to keep a check on your weight but also helps release toxins from the body. Be it moderate exercise, aerobics or any other sports activity, you must spend at least 150 minutes on exercise per week.

• Avoid exposure to radiation - Unless absolutely necessary, always try and avoid exposure to radiation such as medical imaging tests, since these make use of extremely high doses of radiation. Although this hasn't been exactly proved, some studies show a link between excessive exposure to radiation and breast cancer in women.

• Breastfeed - Breastfeeding is the key to prevent breast cancer as it acts as a protective agent for your breasts. Breastfeeding your baby is a complete win-win situation for you and your baby. While it provides tailor-made nutrients to your baby and enhances your bond with him/her, it also helps to reduce the risk of contracting breast cancer.

• Avoid birth-control pills - Consuming birth control pills can increase your chances of contracting breast cancer, so try and avoid taking birth control pills. This is so because birth control pills make use of hormones to block an unwanted pregnancy and this overstimulates breast cells, thereby increasing the risk of breast cancer.

• Eat a healthy diet - A healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies is the best preventive measure against breast cancer as they contain various antioxidants and Vitamin C, which help to fight cancer. You may include fruits such as plums, blueberries, peaches, and strawberries in your diet since they contain anti-cancer properties.

• Steer clear of hormone replacement therapy - HRT or Hormone replacement therapy, which is used to control the symptoms of menopause, can also increase the risk of breast cancer, so it’s better to search for other options. HRT needs a combination of the hormones progestin and estrogen and this can be a cause of breast cancer.

Women must get regular health check-ups to rule out the chances of breast cancer.