Our friends at Keep A Breast say it over and over again: “prevention is the cure.” In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re bringing you the basics of breast cancer prevention.
Check yourself.
Many women skip self-exams because they believe they’re healthy, but that’s the point; making this a habit while you’re healthy helps make sure that you’ll notice any changes early on. Plus, thousands of young women are diagnosed every year. Cancer in women under 40 is often more aggressive, making early detection even more important. Print out “check yourself” cards for yourself and your friends here (scroll down).
Eat the good stuff!
Drink green tea and eat lots of cancer-fighting foods like broccoli, blueberries, cabbage, flax seeds, tomatoes, seaweed, grapes and kale. Learn why each of these are so beneficial in the prevention of (and fight against) breast cancer here.
Say buh-bye to bad habits.
Don’t smoke! Smoking or inhaling second-hand smoke can increase your risk of breast cancer by as much as 60%.
Work up a sweat.
Just 30 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week cuts your risk by 30-50%! Like eating right and not smoking, it helps keep your heart healthy too.
Careful of those chemicals!
Makeup and beauty products often contain chemicals linked to cancer. Avoid parabens (they disrupt hormone function), phthalates, 1,4-dioxane, nitrosamines (already banned in the UK and Canada), and metals like lead and aluminum. Don’t think that you’ll remember what to avoid? List them in a note on your cell so you can check them against ingredients next time you’re at the store.
Learn more at www.keep-a-breast.org
You can earn free donations for Keep A Breast any month of the year by supporting them on SocialVibe!
Via Keep A Breast
