Breast cancer has no definitive cause, unlike something such as, say, cigarettes and lung cancer, which seem to have a direct correlation. For a while, it was believed that breast cancer was caused by genetics, but research has shown that only about 10% of individuals with breast cancer have a family history of the disease. That statistic is significant, but it doesn’t account for the cause of 90% of breast cancer diagnoses.
Breast cancer affects people of all shapes and sizes. People lead drastically different lifestyles, and breast cancer doesn’t seem to “pick out” those who are unhealthy, nor does it avoid health nuts. Someone with an extremely healthy lifestyle may develop the disease, while someone who goes against every piece of health advice may avoid it entirely.
Scientists are working on finding the cause in hopes of one day finding a cure, but until then, nobody can point to one specific thing that causes the disease. However, doctors, scientists, and researchers recommend several things to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer down the road.
1. Don’t smoke. Cigarettes have been nicknamed “cancer sticks” for a reason. Smoking is essentially blasting your body with hundreds of cancer-causing toxins. Just don’t do it.
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and avoid large amounts of alcohol. Watching what you put in your body is very important. Try to avoid chemically processed, preservative laden food as much as possible.
3. Exercise. Exercising gets your blood pumping and helps get the toxins out of your body. The American Cancer Society recommends getting at least 20 minutes of exercise every day.
4. Watch your weight. Fatty tissue leads to increased levels of estrogen in your body, which may increase your risk of getting breast cancer. This is especially true of overweight adults and postmenopausal women.
5. Perform regular breast exams. This helps with early detection. Catching a breast lump early increases your chances of survival by over 98%.
These are just a few “healthy habits” that are good to follow in general, not just for the purpose of lowering your risk of breast cancer. In general, the most important thing is to pay attention to your health, go to the doctor regularly, and if you notice something “off”, get it checked out ASAP.
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