It no secret that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. But while breast cancer is common, there is still so much unknown about what causes the disease and who is at risk.
You never think it would happen to you.
I am so passionate about health and wellness, and even though I exercise regularly and try my best to eat well with a balance, the disease doesn’t discriminate.
Here are 6 important breast-cancer facts that you might not know:
- Regular exercise is important for keeping breast cancer at bay. A lifestyle with little physical activity can increase your risk for the disease.
- Being overweight can also increase your risk for breast cancer. In part, that’s because fat cells make estrogen. Extra fat cells mean more estrogen in the body – and estrogen can make some types of breast cancer develop and grow. Extra fat cells can also trigger long-term, low-grade inflammation, which can play a role in the early development of cancer.
- Losing weight, on the other hand, can be protective. Studies show that breast cancer survivors that lose as little as 6 pounds and are able to keep it off for five years have higher survival rates.
- Frequent consumption of alcohol can increase your risk for breast cancer. The more alcohol you consume, the greater the risk.
- Don’t assume breast cancer isn’t something you need to worry about. An estimated 60 to 70 percent of people with breast cancer have no risk factors. You may not have the gene but doesn’t mean you can’t get it. I am a prime example of that.
- Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, thanks in part to increased awareness, better screening and early detection, and new-and-improved treatment options.
Info provided from 2unstoppable.org
Please make sure you advocate for yourself to get a yearly mammogram and do a monthly self-exam to help catch breast cancer in early stages. Trust me when I say that checking yourself can make a big impact on the future of your health.
xo
D
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