Do you know 4 simple things that you can do to lower your risk of developing breast cancer?
In September 2019, the North American Menopause Society released simple lifestyle modifications key to preventing large percentage of breast cancer cases . Fortuneately, there are certain things that you can do to lower your risk!
- Maintain a Healthy Weight – Sure, but that’s easier said than done. I encourage women to seek motivation for a healthy weight based on how they feel, their fitness, their health, their energy levels, not by “fitting into a certain size of jeans” or looking like a “model from a magazine”. This might not mean a drastic weight loss, and it might just be maintaining your current weight and not gaining. For more information about maintaining a healthy weight you can check out Obesity Canada.
- Exercise and Live an Active Lifestyle – Move more, sit less. This doesn’t mean that you have to run every day, however, try to walk more, take the stairs, do squats while your coffee brews, or take a break from sitting every hour at the office. Sneak movement into your day. Furthermore, I recommend 20-30 minutes of continuous movement, at least 4 time a week.
- Reduce alcohol consumption – According to the lifestyle modification guidelines, any amount of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer and the more a woman drinks, the higher her risk of breast cancer. So drink responsibly.
- Eat more vegetables – Mom is right. Eating your veggies does keep you healthy, and the majority of us are not getting enough. Include fruit and vegetables in every meal – smoothies, soups, salads, side dishes. If you don’t like the taste, or are unsure of how to include more, we srongly recommend doing some research. Find new recipes and blogs, or contact a local dietician – they are a wealth of information!
These tips are not complicated. They are small changes that can add up to a big effect. And if knowing that these simple recommendations can lower your risk of breast cancer, maybe that’s the motivation you need to try and live a more healthy lifestyle.
Want to learn 10 signs of breast cancer? Click here.
And if you want to know more about how breast cancer treatments can affect your pelvic floor, check here.
Katie Kelly, Physiotherapist
