There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. Some healthy lifestyle choices, though, may help lower your risk of breast cancer as well as your risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and osteoporosis. Everyone should try to:
- Be physically active.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Cut down on "bad" fats (saturated and trans fats) and eat more "good" fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, like olive and canola oil).
- Take a daily multivitamin with folic acid (often called "folate" on nutrition labels).
- If you drink, limit alcohol (to less than one drink a day for women and fewer than two drinks a day for men). Those who drink alcohol should try to get enough folic acid, either through a multivitamin or foods like oranges, orange juice, green leafy vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.
- If possible, choose to breastfeed children.
It's never too late to have a healthy lifestyle
Making healthy lifestyle choices has benefits at any age. Being more active, eating a balanced diet or becoming more aware of your health can be physically and mentally rewarding at any point in life.
Updated 11/06/09
