It’s important that women and men consider what factors can increase their respective risks of developing breast cancer. Unfortunately, there are certain breast cancer risk factors that are beyond your control. That being said, there are plenty of preventable measures you can take to lower your risk of developing breast cancer. Considering that, here are four preventable breast cancer risk factors.
- Not Exercising Regularly
If you’re wanting to become healthier, it’s a great idea to begin exercising. Many people falsely assume that exercising takes too much time. Fortunately, you can exercise for 30 minutes daily to obtain many health benefits. One of the benefits is lowering your risk of developing breast cancer. Exercise helps you to more easily manage your weight, obesity is a major breast cancer risk factor. In addition, those who exercise tend to have lower resting insulin levels. Certain studies have found that higher insulin levels increase your risk of developing cancer. - Using Certain Types of Birth Control
Someone might need to seek out breast cancer treatment after taking certain types of birth control. Fortunately, there have been steps taken to lower the risk of taking new types of these medications. However, older types of birth control were known to contain higher amounts of hormones. Certain studies have linked the presence of these hormones in those suffering from breast cancer. - Drinking Excess Amounts of Alcohol
Another reason you might need to receive cancer treatment therapy is if you regularly consume excess amounts of alcohol. Fortunately for many, having one drink each day minimally increases your cancer risk. On the other hand, drinking in excess drastically increases your risk of developing breast cancer. - Smoking Cigarettes
You’ve likely heard how bad smoking is for your lungs. However, you’ll also want to know that cigarette smoking is a risk factor for developing breast cancer. Many cancer treatment centers treat patients who have smoked cigarettes in the past. If you’re currently smoking, it’s wise to do everything possible in order to stop. Research has shown that the body can heal itself from the negative side effects of smoking after someone successfully quits this habit.
In closing, there are several breast cancer risk factors that are preventable. It’s important to choose the right type of cancer treatment therapy. Many people looking for breast cancer care choose to utilize proton treatments. Proton treatment specifically targets cancerous tissue, lessening radiation doses by 59% when compared to x rays. In turn, this leads to 50% less radiation to the lungs when compared to breast cancer patients receiving conventional radiation. This form of cancer treatment therapy is also beneficial because the average session only lasts between 15 to 45 minutes.