Breast Cancer Lifestyle and Environmental risks

Lifestyle and environmental risk factors for breast cancer are still an area of active research and many have been identified. Lucky for most people, all of these risks are controlled simply by making proper changes to optimize one’s health. Even men can get breast caner, though it occurs at 1/133 the rate of women.

Women who have not had any children before the age of thirty are at an increased risk of contracting breast cancer. The cause of such risk has been determined to be twofold: the number of menstrual periods the individual has experienced an the related factor of how much estrogen is contained within the body. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone play a role in cell growth. Cancer is a condition in which cells grow into abnormal shapes and numbers.

Having multiple pregnancies prior to age 30 reduces the risk of breast cancer. However, pregnancy itself can also carry some risk, even in the modern medical settings of today. Using this method to prevent breast cancer should therefore be at the bottom of anyone’s list. But for individuals who already intend to have children, it is comforting to know about this benefit.

Incidentally, the jury is still out on the relative cancer risk of taking oral contraceptives. Women who have ceased using birth control for more than ten years show no increased risk. Since most women who contract the condition don’t get breast cancer until their 50s or later, it’s difficult to isolate the contribution.

Diet is a more direct contributor, but here again research is ongoing and the final answer is far from clear. What is known, however, is that a healthy diet in general is a factor. Obesity almost certainly raises the risk of breast cancer since fat cells store estrogen. They also produce a small amount on their own, though most is generated by the ovaries.

But the exact contribution of diet isn’t known. It was popular for a while to assert that a high fiber diet was almost a preventative. The research doesn’t support that notion, but a high fiber diet is undoubtedly healthy for a number of reasons. Even if diet doesn’t prevent the onset of breast cancer, general good health is extremely helpful when it comes to any kind of treatment and diet is a major part of that effort.

Included with diet, age and body type appropriate exercise is a major factor in contributing to one’s overall health. Moderate activity for an hour a day can help in keeping the muscles toned and leaving the body in overall good shape. The exact amount that this aids in the reduction of breast cancer is unknown. One study was able to correlate 1-2 hours of brisk walking per week with an 18% lower risk of breast cancer.

Surprisingly, there are many more factors that are commonly believed to increase the risk of breast cancer that are not supported by contemporary research findings according to the American Cancer Society. Smoking is among them. A link between cigarette smoking and breast cancer has yet to be found. Lung cancer, of course is a completely different story. No environmental pollutants have been found to be correlated with breast cancer at this time.

Because these are obviously not healthy lifestyle choices, the goal of optimizing one’s overall health and well being would heavily weigh against them.

Alcohol in moderation is healthy. But heavy use of alcohol is definitely correlated with increased risk of breast cancer. The risk increases by about 10% for every daily drink of hard alcohol consumed. And since it also damages the liver and contributes to overall poor health, heavy drinking is an unwise choice.

Individuals are urged to maintain a positive attitude and a good health program to reduce their risk of breast cancer personally.