For Your Better Health - October 2023

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Think Pink with these six helpful tips for breast cancer prevention.

-      Follow a healthy lifestyle! Be physically active, minimize alcohol intake, eat more fruits and vegetables and don’t smoke. Increased physical         activity, reduces overall breast-cancer risk by at least 10 percent. Moderate exercise is a 30-minute walk five days a week.

-     Choose a diet high in vegetables and fruit and low in sugared drinks, refined carbohydrates and fatty foods. Eat lean protein such as fish or         chicken breast and eat red meat in moderation. Eat more whole grains.

-     For young women: Breast-feed your babies for as long as possible. Women who breast-feed their babies for at least a year in total have a        reduced risk of developing breast cancer.

-     If you are over 40, get a mammogram! Early detection offers the best chance for a cure and a higher success rate.

-     If you are post-menopausal, avoid hormone replacement therapy. Menopausal hormone therapy increases risk for breast  cancer. In addition,        keep track of your  weight, after menopause obesity raises a higher risk. Try to maintain a body-mass index of 25 or less.‍

-    Know your risk. Tell your doctor if you have family members who have had breast cancer, especially a mother or sister, and if they had breast       cancer before reaching menopause because your own risk of cancer may be higher than average.

‍