1. Perform a Monthly Breast Self-Examination
Breast cancer is second only to skin melanoma among the cancers that affect women. It is also the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 93 percent women who were found to have breast cancer can survive for more than five years after diagnosis, if their cancer is detected at an early stage. A monthly breast self-exam (BSE) is recommended for every woman above the age of 20 as it is believed to be a low cost cancer screening technique. While doing BSE, a woman should look out for changes on the skin of the breast, dimpling of the breast tissue, rash on the nipple, its retraction or presence of any abnormal discharge.
2. Report Breast Changes to Your Doctor Immediately
Did you notice any unusual changes while doing your breast self-exam, or did your partner maybe say something? Don't dismiss it as nothing. You've seen something. Now do something. Breast self-exams only help if you follow up with your doctor, rather than worrying.
3. Do not Shy Away from Breastfeeding
Breast feeding has always been a controversial topic and most women shy away from it as they believe that it can lead to sagging of breast tissue. However, going by the results of several researches, including the one published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, breast feeding does not have any adverse effect on the elasticity of the breast tissue. Furthermore, research has found, breastfeeding for at least 12 months in fact reduces your risk of developing breast cancer.A woman breastfeeding her child has breast elasticity comparable to a woman who has not breast fed her child. So, considering the importance of breast feeding on the child’s health and the fact that it does not cause sagging of the breast tissue, there is no reason why women should shy away from it. It is only multiple pregnancies that can lead to loss of elasticity of the breast tissue.
4. Avoid Breast Implants, if Possible
There are two main reasons why experts advise women against breast implants. First and foremost, breast implants are associated with a number of side effects which include leakage from the implants and encapsulation. The woman’s immune system may rebel against the implant leading to many problems. These complications can affect the breast health and cause psychological problems for women undergoing implants.Another important reason behind avoiding breast implants is that while the skin around the implant loses its elasticity as a part of normal aging process, the implant doesn’t age. Therefore, the surrounding skin tends to hang on to the implant and it can look very odd. So you have to resort to a subsequent breast lift surgery or go for bigger implants to fill in this loose skin.
5. Avoid Smoking
Smoking is known to accelerate the breakdown of the protein elastin, present in the skin. Loss of elastin from the skin supporting the breast tissue can lead to its sagging. Smoking is bad news all around, but you can now expand the list of reasons to stop smoking to your breast health, too.
6. Drink in Moderation
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to an increase in the levels of circulating estrogen which increases the risk of breast cancer either directly or through its action on the estrogen receptors.
7. Have an Annual Breast Examination by a Qualified Doctor
Apart from self-examination, every woman should subject herself to annual examination of breasts by a doctor, nurse or a certified nurse midwife. They can check the breast tissue and the surrounding areas including the axillary lymph nodes for any sign of breast disease or tumor.8. Annual Mammography After the Age of 40
Mammography is a low dose radiation technique meant to detect the presence of any abnormal growth of the breast tissue. It is a very sensitive method and can catch cancers at a very early stage, even before they can be palpated manually. This technique is especially important in women with dense breast tissue where detecting a tumor by palpation is not very easy.
9. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Although it's not clear why, obese and overweight women are more likely to suffer from breast cancer — and when they do, it is harder for them to notice lumps and bumps, too.
10. Exercise Regularly
You'll want to invest in a quality sports bra, of course, but exercise helps reduce your risk of breast cancer due to improved immune system function. Who'd have thought that that workout was good for your breasts, right?
- “The Effect of Breastfeeding on Breast Aesthetics”, by Brian Rinker, et al, published in the September 2008 issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, accessed on August 1, 2012.
- “Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Alcohol and Breast Cancer: Update 2012”, by Helmut K. Seitz, et al, published on March 29, 2012 in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, accessed on August 1, 2012.
- “Bouncing breasts: a credible area of scientific research”, by Dr. Joanna Scurr, published in the September 2007 issue of The Sport and Exercise Scientist, accessed on August 1, 2012.
- Photo courtesy of aslanmedia_official on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/aslanmedia_official/6332434956
- Photo courtesy of mimitalks on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mimitalks/6200616481
- “Lifetime Recreational Exercise Activity and Breast Cancer Risk Among Black Women and White Women”, by Leslie Bernstein, et al, published on 16 November, 2005 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, accessed on August 1, 2012.