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Health & Fitness

10 Things You Can Do To Lower Your Risk Of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

Angelina Jolie made headlines when she announced the drastic and courageous measures she took to reduce her risk of being diagnosed with cancer after genetic testing revealed she had an 87% chance of getting breast cancer.  
Fortunately, genetic mutations of this sort are rare accounting for only 5 – 8% of breast cancers. But, the World Health Organization estimates that 200,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer next year and it is estimated that 450,000 people around the world will die of breast cancer.   The good news is that survival rates are at an all-time high. Early detection, proper screening and a healthy lifestyle will help you beats the odds:  

  •  Exercise. Just 30 minutes of exercise each day reduces your chance of getting breast cancer and exercise boosts t-cells that help your immune system work at full capacity 
  • Keep your body fat percentage in check. Too much fat on our bodies creates hormones, particularly estrogen, which has been found to stimulate cancer
  • Garlic, turmeric and cruciferous vegetables including brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and bok choy are good breast cancer fighters because they bind estrogen in your GI tract
  • A recent study showed that drinking 3 cups of green tea a day can reduce risk of breast cancer by 50%
  • Steer clear of Bisphenol A. It imitates estrogen so it disrupts our endocrine system and messes with hormones. It’s been associated with many cancers including breast cancer
  • Avoid parabens. Use cosmetics and sunscreen that are formulated without them because parabens mimic the body’s natural hormones increasing the risk of breast and other cancers
  • Pesticides can also affect the way your hormones react so buy organic when possible and use green cleaning products
  • Ask your doctor about taking the active form of vitamin D3, 1000iu’s a day may slash your risk of breast cancer up to 50%
  • HER-2 is a rare but aggressive form of the disease. Another study found that eating lots of raw salad veggies dropped the risk of developing it by close to 35% 
  • Curb your alcohol intake to no more than one drink a day. Studies show that over imbibing on a regular basis increases the risk factor *Forward this to the women and men in your life, yes, men can get breast cancer too*
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