Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women around the world.
There are a number of habits that put us at greater risk of breast cancer. Knowing what those habits are can help you take steps to decrease the risk.
The American Institute for Cancer Research detailed the factors that can put women at greater risk for breast cancer. While there are some things women can't control, certain lifestyle choices can have a big impact on a woman's risk.
Here's what you can do to decrease your risk.
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Exercise.
Exercising regularly and vigorously is one way to decrease your breast cancer risk. Studies have found that the risk of developing breast cancer is lower for women who are active than those who are inactive.
It's something researchers are still studying. In 2016, Fitbit teamed up with leading cancer institute Dana Farber Cancer Institute to launch a 3,200-person study that looks at how breast cancer recurrence, or instances in which the cancer returns after a first round of treatment appears to knock it out, is affected by weight loss in overweight and obese people.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity has been linked with an increased risk of breast cancer, along with pancreatic, esophageal, colorectal, and thyroid cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise can be a way to keep your risk of breast cancer low.
Breastfeed.
Breastfeeding has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer for mothers. In 2002, a massive study of nearly 150,000 women found that for those who breastfed, the longer they breastfed the more protected they were against breast cancer.
For every 12 months a mother breastfed, her risk of breast cancer went down by about 4%. The World Health Organization recommends that mothers breastfeed for their babies' first six months.
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