Story at a Glance
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. There are factors you can’t control, such as heredity links or breast density. However, today’s article provides 12 different ways you can minimize your risk of breast cancer. All of them are things you can control and incorporate into your lifestyle.
Twenty years ago, three friends of mine, Jean, Penny, and Cindy. went in for their annual mammogram. All of them were in their mid-forties, had no history of breast cancer in their families and expected normal screenings. But instead of the pink envelope in the mail they usually got announcing clean bills of breast health, they got phone calls instead. Each needed a second screening and then a biopsy. All three met with their respective physicians and were given the news all women dread. “You have breast cancer.”
All of their stories have a happy ending, although it wasn’t easy getting there. They underwent chemo and radiation therapies, and Penny opted for a full mastectomy as an extra precaution. When asked why, she said, “It’s more important that I’m here to witness my children’s milestones and their children’s milestones than anything else in the world. It wasn’t that much of a sacrifice. An adjustment, yes. But not a sacrifice.”
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 1 in 8 women is affected by the disease. As high as those numbers appear, it’s not all bad news. Fewer women are getting and dying from breast cancer than ever before. “Cancer is not an inevitability. Women have more control over the disease than they think,” says Margaret I. Cuomo, MD, author of A World Without Cancer. “Everything we do from the moment we wake—from what we eat and drink to whether or not we exercise and avoid BPA, parabens, and other carcinogenic chemicals—is a factor that can turn on or off the genetic switches in our bodies, including ones that could lead to cancer. The risk of many cancers, including breast cancer, can be significantly reduced by living a healthy lifestyle.” (You can watch an interview with Dr. Cuomo here.)
Unfortunately, the most significant risk for breast cancer is being a woman—but taking specific measures can reduce your chances of developing the disease. While some factors, such as age, aren’t within your control, other factors are well within your reach to manage. What follows are 12 ways you can reduce your risk of breast cancer.
1. Manage your weight
If you are overweight or considered obese, your risk for breast cancer increases. An American Cancer Society (ACS) study found that women who gain 21 to 30 pounds after the age of 18 were 40% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who gain five pounds or less. While the 10,000 steps a day recommended by nearly all fitness devices sounds like a lot, studies have shown that walking 10,000 steps a day (about 5 miles) is a reasonable and consistent way to approach weight loss.
2. Step it up
Physical activity is tied to managing weight. Exercise is particularly important as you grow older and your metabolism slows. The Department of Health and Human Services and The American Cancer Society recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. In the alternative, you can opt for 75 minutes of intense activity a week, or engage in a combination of both. But you don’t have to do it all at once. You can spread it out over a week. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) reports that walking briskly for about 90 minutes to 2.5 hours can reduce your risk of breast cancer by as much as 18%. Strength training can also help reduce your risk and can also improve your bone health.
3. Bend and stretch
More and more studies show that extended sitting increases the likelihood of developing cancer, especially for women. If you spend 6 or more hours each day sitting, you have a 10% greater risk for breast cancer. Women who sit less than three hours a day have lower risk. Many health apps and wearable health devices remind you to get up and take 250 steps each hour. 250 steps only takes a few minutes, but can increase your energy and focus – and get you moving in short bursts.


- First-degree relatives – mother, sister or daughter, or male relatives who have had breast cancer.
- Multiple family members on your mother’s or father’s side who have had breast cancer.
- Numerous diagnoses on either side of your family, including second- and third-degree relatives – aunts, uncles, and cousins.

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