How to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer: Follow These Simple Tips to Help You Keep Well

Closer shares simple tips to reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: “Being overweight, particularly after menopause, increases your risk of developing breast cancer,” say experts at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. “Once the ovaries stop making estrogen, fat cells step in. The more fat tissue you have, the more estrogen you produce, which can create a more welcoming environment for breast cancer.”

Get Active: “Studies show that even if you don’t lose weight, exercise helps lower your breast cancer risk by helping regulate your estrogen levels,” explains Dr. Therese Bevers, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center at MD Anderson in Texas. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week — whether it’s biking, swimming or another activity.

Eat Right: Eating less red and processed meats (such as beef and bacon) and following a Mediterranean diet is important, say the folks at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. “Vegetables, fruit and whole grains are unparalleled sources of fiber, which may play a role in breast cancer risk reduction.”

Don’t Drink: “Drinking alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer,” says the American Cancer Society. “The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Women who have one drink a day have a small (about 7 percent to 10 percent) increase compared with those who don’t drink, while women who have two to three drinks a day have a 20 percent higher risk.”

Relieve Stress: Per the Keep a Breast Foundation: “Long-term stress can open the door for breast cancer by increasing blood flow to tumors, feeding hormones that encourage tumor growth, and keeping your body in a constant state of inflammation. A few great ways to de-stress are to make sure you get enough sleep, meditate and hang out with your friends.”