Regular self-exams go without saying, but
there’s plenty you can do day to day to
decrease your chances of developing breast
cancer. While causes are multi-factorial,
certain daily lifestyle practices can minimise
your risk of developing breast cancer.
For instance, alcohol increases the risk
of developing the most common kind of
oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer. According
to University of Chicago research, women
who drink one alcoholic beverage every day
have a seven per cent increased risk, rising to
32 per cent for those who drink two alcoholic
drinks every day. The carpark sausage sizzle
is also on notice as the charring of food on a
BBQ creates compounds such as heterocyclic
amines (HCAs), which have been linked to
cancer. Contraceptive pills, however, are off
the hook according to Dr Louise Farrell, from
the Australian and New Zealand College of
Gynaecologists and Obstetricians.
Although taking the Pill correlates with
a slightly increased risk of developing breast
cancer, Dr Farrell says it’s incredibly low and
more likely in women who are over 45. “For
women who have a history of breast lumps or
women in their 40s, it’s best to go and see your
GP to find out if you’d be better changing to a
low-oestrogen pill or coming off it altogether,”
she says.
Give your body the best fighting chance by
adopting these simple tactics.
DANCE
Women who exercised regularly from age 12
to 35 averaged 23 per cent less risk of breast
cancer before menopause than inactive peers
according to joint research by Washington
and Harvard universities. Dancing is a great
way to make sure you maintain your fitness
because it’s fun, so will motivate you to keep
working out. How does exercise blitz breast
cancer? It reduces the likelihood of insulin
resistance, which is linked to both weight
gain and higher breast cancer risk. This is
most likely because fat cells produce more of
the hormone oestrogen. “That’s why women
of high body weight may be at greater risk
of breast cancer, because the fat tissue leads
to greater production of oestrogen,” said
the late breast cancer expert Professor Rob
Sutherland (1947–2012). Exercise can help by
reducing the circulating levels of oestrogen
in the blood. So get up and dance and reap
the benefits!
USE IT: Sign up for dance classes. Try a
range of styles including jazz, tap, belly, salsa
and hip-hop. Bonus: it doubles as cardio.TAKE A BREAK
Why not trade your daily latte for tea? Every
time you sip on a cup of English breakfast,
green or oolong tea, your body enjoys
an immediate increase in health-giving
antioxidants called flavanoids. “Tea has more
health benefits than coffee and around 50
to 60 per cent less caffeine per cup,” says tea
expert Catherine Saxelby. “Within 20 minutes
of drinking a cup of tea, there is a measurable
increase in the level of antioxidants in your
blood, but it is drinking tea over a lifetime that
reaps the most benefits.” Studies also suggest
the polyphenols in tea may help reduce cancer
and help increase your risk of survival if you
develop cancer.
USE IT: Aim to drink two to three cups of
tea a day – but they have to be caffeinated,
not herbal. Mix up different types of tea such
as green (e.g. sencha), black (e.g. orange
pekoe) and white (e.g. Baihao Yinzhen)
to enjoy different antioxidant benefits.
To maximise your cuppa break, choose a
loose-leaf variety and steep it for three to
five minutes to extract up to 85 per cent of
the flavanoids. “Big leaves need to steep for
longer while tiny pieces of tea infuse faster,”
says Saxelby.HIT THE HAY
Women who get less than six hours of
sleep or less a night have an increased risk
of developing breast cancer according to
Japanese research. This is most likely due to
hormonal changes – so make sure you get
more zzzs.
USE IT: Take a long, luxurious candlelit
bath after dinner then get yourself tucked
into bed early. Pat a little lavender oil on your
temples (studies show it can help you nod
off faster), then slip into a long night of sleep,
which will leave you feeling refreshed and
rejuvenated in the morning.