Breasts play important roles in a woman’s life, from sexual pressure to providing milk to the baby.
Regular self-examination and also getting them checked by a doctor is important to maintain breast health. Breast cancer affects almost one in eight females, and breast health awareness is important to prevent it.
Besides taking certain precautions and improving lifestyle also aids in enhancing breast health. Here are six such tips that will help you to take care of your breasts.
Tips to Improve Breast Health
1. Exercise Regularly
Exercise improves the levels of female hormones and the immune system. It also helps in preventing and managing obesity.
Research shows that physically active women have 12%-21% lower risk of developing breast cancer as compared to those who have a sedentary lifestyle.
Further, exercise improves bone mass, which is an important factor for breast cancer survivors as they have undergone endocrine therapy and chemotherapy. Medications used in these therapies lower bone density, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
Physical activity for 30 minutes a day for five days a week can help you maintain breast and overall health.
2. Take Your Supplements
Vitamins boost your overall health. The deficiency of vitamins, especially vitamin D, is associated with breast cancer.
It is seen that women with vitamin D deficiency have a higher risk of developing breast disorders, especially cancer. It also increases the risk of recurrence in cancer survivors. Besides, research has shown that higher vitamin D levels improve breast cancer survival rates.
Exposure to the sun is the best way of getting vitamin D. In case your vitamin D levels are low, consult a doctor and take your supplements regularly.
3. Limit Alcohol Intake
Alcohol intake increases the risk of breast cancer.
It is seen that women who drink more than one alcoholic drink in a day are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer. One drink is 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, and 1 1/2 ounces of hard liquor.
According to the Indian Cancer Society, the risk is greater with a greater amount of alcohol consumption.
4. Make Healthy Food Choices
Healthy food habits will improve your overall health, including breast health.
Refined fats and sugar increase the risk of breast cancer, and it is thus a great idea to stay away from them. They also result in weight gain, which further increases the risk of breast cancer.
Include fruits and vegetables such a pumpkin, cabbage, broccoli, watermelon, whole grain, and kale in your diet.
Further, including foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, walnuts, and soybeans, also protect you from breast disorders.
5. Screen Yourself Regularly
Checking yourself for lumps or getting a mammogram done is extremely essential for your health. They help in detecting cancer at initial stages and thus improves the chance of faster and better recovery.
Three main ways of getting it done are clinical breast examination, self-breast examination, and mammogram.
Your doctor can also recommend additional tests based on your age and other factors, such as family history.
6. Avoid Tight and Underwire Bras
It is seen that women who wear tight bra or bra with underwire for a longer period are at a higher risk of breast cancer.
Get details about finding the right bra and ill-effects of wearing an ill-fitting bra here.
Final Thought
Ladies, your breast’s health is in your hands. Following these six tips will help you to boost your breast as well as general health. Try them and see the difference yourself.
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
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