Lower Your Risk
There are actions you can take to promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, such as:
- Eat a healthy diet, including five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
- Limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day and don’t smoke.
- Being physically active - as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can begin to reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
Be sure to get a mammogram. A mammogram, an X-ray image of the breast, is a safe and effective way to detect cancerous tumors. The procedure is non-invasive, takes only a few minutes, and saves lives. Beginning at age 40, women should get a mammogram every one or two years. No matter your age, if any of the following factors apply to you, discuss with your doctor whether a mammogram is appropriate:
- Personal or family history of breast cancer
- Menstrual periods occurring before age 12 or after age 55
- You have never given birth or had your first child after age 30
- Dense breast tissue
- Radiation therapy to the chest before age 30
