The National Cancer Institute estimates that about 12% of women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. The vast majority of these cancers will result at least in part from environmental factors. This is actually good news, as it means that there are choices that women can make that will help to prevent their chance of developing this serious and life-threatening condition.

General breast cancer prevention tips

The application of the basic principles of maintaining good health can help all women to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. These principles include exercising daily and maintaining a healthy body weight. It’s also best to avoid smoking entirely and to limit alcohol intake.

All women should also strive to get adequate levels of vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin” because the human body can synthesize it from sunlight. Recent research has suggested that 75% of all new breast cancer cases could be prevented if women simply maintained their vitamin D levels in the optimal range.

Minimizing the risk of getting breast cancer

Some important preventative measures against breast cancer can only be taken by a woman at certain points in her life. For example, younger women should be sure to breastfeed their babies for as long as circumstances permit. Ideally, during a woman’s lifetime she should include at least twelve months of the activity in order to help reduce breast cancer risks.

Women long past their childbearing years can also make choices that limit their chances of developing breast cancer. One of the most important is to avoid the hormone replacement therapy that is commonly prescribed for women after the start of the menopause. The hormone progesterone should be particularly avoided. If hormone therapy is necessary, it should be limited to a period of three years.

Another way to minimize risk is to buy Evista, a prescription drug that is used in post-menopausal women to reduce their chance of developing invasive forms of breast cancer.

Breast cancer prevention foods

Eating a wholesome diet rich in breast cancer prevention foods is another sensible lifestyle choice. Many kinds of fruits and vegetables offer a bountiful supply of the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants that can help prevent cancer. In fact, studies have shown that women who consume vegetables in abundance can reduce their breast cancer risk by more than 35%.

In general, the fruits and vegetables that offer the most anti-cancer nutrients are those that are deeply or brilliantly colored. Romaine is a better lettuce choice than iceberg, for example, because it is more densely packed with nutrition. This kind of diet can be thought of as “eating the rainbow.” Women should strive to include in their diet as many brightly colored foods as possible, from the dark blues and reds of fresh berries to the deep greens of kale, chard, and spinach.

Another useful cancer prevention food is the herb turmeric, which is commonly used in Indian cuisine and is usually sold in powdered foods. Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin, which is able to block certain molecules associated with the aggressive spread of breast cancer cells. Other excellent anti-cancer foods include cabbage, garlic, mushrooms, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower.

While nothing in life is guaranteed, hopefully these breast cancer prevention tips can help some women to avoid developing this very unpleasant and potentially dangerous condition.

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