Every woman has a responsibility to maintain good breast health. Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and can occur even if there are no risk factors. Adopting certain healthy lifestyle habits can however reduce your risk of developing the disease. Here are 5 tips that can keep your breasts healthy:
- A Healthy Diet: A healthy diet can help maintain breast health and also boost your overall health. Chemicals found in packaged foods can cause cancer. Following a healthy diet that contains whole, fresh foods such as fruit and vegetables (especially cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli) can reduce the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals from food. Avoid estrogen like compounds that are commonly seen in packaged foods, plastics, food additives, canned foods and drinks. Consuming foods rich in antioxidants is reported to lower the risk of breast problems.
- Avoid Alcohol and Smoking: Smoking is one of the unhealthiest habits. It increases the risk of many cancers, including breast cancer and other health problems. Quit smoking and limit your intake of alcohol immediately.
- Observe and Self-examine: Always keep a track of your health. Do a self-check on your breasts for lumps or any discomfort. Self-exams make you familiar with how your breasts look and feel. You will be better able to spot any changes and can report them to your doctor immediately.
- Maintain a Healthy BMI: Keep your BMI within the healthy range for your height because extra pounds can increase in estrogen production.
- Regular Workouts: To maintain healthy weight and avoid obesity, exercise regularly. This can lessen the risk of all cancers, including breast cancer. Fat cells produce more estrogen. High levels of this hormone have been linked to certain cancers. Working out can minimize the size of fat cells, so that your body pumps out less estrogen.
It’s not just only these methods you have to follow but some things that are dedicated to breast health alone can keep track of the wellbeing of your breasts. These are the necessary measures to take to make sure that you remain healthy. Other than this tips some changes in your daily habits such as drinking plenty of filtered water, an undisturbed sleep, eating an antioxidant and Omega-3 rich diet, eating dark chocolate, taking folic acid, getting enough Vitamin D and breastfeeding each child for at least six months (exclusively) and preferably for a year can boost your breast health.