6 Lifestyle Factors That Can Impact Your Breast Cancer Risk
In my early twenties, I started hearing more and more about breast health. I paid attention enough to know that I needed to conduct self-exams and get annual mammograms when I was older (maybe 50-years-old, I thought). But really, I just acknowledged that breast health was a thing.
My thoughts on it all consisted of: I have breasts, and I need to pay attention. Like so many women in their early twenties, I felt invincible. No one in my family had ever had breast cancer, so it wasn’t something of concern. I had an “I’ll take care of it later” type of mentality. Until someone in my family has breast cancer and it became an alarming concern.
My Mother’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago. She was 56 years old and went in for her annual exam. They discovered a tumor. Though very small, it was a difficult time for our family. The statistics and unknowns can be very hard to wrap your brain around when you do not have enough understanding of what you’re facing. Being uneducated can increase those fears.
Thankfully, my mother recovered and has now been cancer-free for nearly 10 years. Because the tumor was small, it was treated quickly. Nonetheless, this very scary time forced me to seek information and become aware that something like breast cancer can strike without warning, whether there’s family history or not. We are not invincible. And because of that, I see breast health in a new light. It’s not something that other women need to do; it’s something every woman needs to do. In fact, “One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.”1
Though there are breast cancer risk factors that are completely out of our control, such as age and family history, there are risk factors that we do have some control over. Is it guaranteed that these things will help us avoid this terrible disease altogether? Of course not, but according to experts, there are things we can do to decrease our chances. According to the Siteman Cancer Center, there are six “common lifestyle risk factors.”2
6 Common Lifestyle Factors That Can Impact Your Breast Cancer Risk—For Better or Worse
1. Weight
Keeping a healthy weight can reduce the risk of many cancers, including breast cancer. A “healthy” weight can be different for different people. Speak to your doctor about what that means for you.
2. Diet
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation recommends a diet high in antioxidants—fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods—which neutralize the molecules that can damage cells and lead to the development of cancer.
3. Physical Activity
“Doing moderate-intensity exercise—just 150 minutes a week or more of aerobic exercise and strength training—can play a role in preventing breast cancer and improving prognosis after a breast cancer diagnosis,” according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Finding an activity you enjoy, like dancing, makes it much easier to maintain long-term.
4. Alcohol
It’s best to cut back on drinking alcohol as much as you can. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, “up to 6% of cancer diagnoses… are linked to alcohol use.” Studies show that “women who have one drink a day (defined as moderate consumption) have a 7–10 percent increase in risk compared to non-drinkers, while those who consume 2 to 3 drinks a day have about a 20 percent higher risk.”
5. Breastfeeding
This one surprised me quite honestly: Breastfeeding can decrease your risk. A study published in the National Library of Medicine titled “Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer: A call for action in high‐income countries with low rates of breastfeeding,” reported that “the risk of breast cancer is reduced by 4.3% for every 12 months of breastfeeding.”
6. Menopausal or Post-Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy
Estrogen-progestin and estrogen-only hormone replacements can lead to improved quality of life for many, but if you’ve been previously diagnosed with breast cancer, it can increase the risk of the cancer returning, according to BreastCancer.org.
As I stated, I didn’t start intentionally paying attention to my breast health until I needed to pay attention. However, this research also tells us that forming these positive health behaviors early in life will also decrease our risks, which is the reason we need to start being aware and informed when we’re young. It will benefit us all in the long run.
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Don’t miss this podcast episode from This Grit and Grace Life: How to Face the Impossible with Grit and Grace – 035!
