Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risks

Studies have confirmed that alcohol is known to increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Women who drink an average of two drinks of alcohol per day may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer over a woman that is only drinking one alcoholic drink per day. This risk can increase even more by drinking an additional alcoholic drink each day.

By drinking lower levels of alcohol each day this risk of breast cancer can be reduced. Breast cancer can be a dangerous type of cancer for women. And drinking high levels of alcohol could double your chance of getting breast cancer. Women who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day could possibly increase their chances for breast cancer up to thirty percent.

Heart disease causes more deaths in women then breast cancer each year. A smaller percentage of women die from breast cancer each year as compared to heart disease. Breast cancer in men is known to be rare because of less tissue in the breast, but there has been no proven evidence saying that alcohol effects vary between men and women. In men alcohol could also increase the risk of breast cancer but the chance of men getting breast cancer is much lower. Young to middle aged women have a lower risk of breast cancer even with drinking alcohol. The risk of breast cancer does increase as you get older and if you are a regular drinker. At an older age breast cancer can affect about nine of every one hundred women. Drinking one alcoholic drink each day can raise your chances of breast cancer about one percentage point. Drinking more then one drink each day can raise it even higher.

Folic acid has been said to reduce your risk of breast cancer. Foods that contain this are dark green vegetables, dried beans, peas, orange juice and other citrus juices and citrus fruits. So if these foods are not in your diet it is a wise choice if you include them each day in your diet. If you have a high folic intake and drink alcohol your breast cancer risk is lower. About the only way that you can ensure that you will not have a breast cancer risk from drinking alcohol is to abstain from drinking any kind of alcohol.

Lowering your Risk of Breast Cancer

There are things that we can do in our lives to lower our risk of getting breast cancer. These things may not only help to lower your risk of breast cancer but can also improve your overall health at the same time. The first thing to do would be to stop smoking if you are a smoker. Smoking is a nasty habit that is hard to break. There are many resources out there to help you to quit smoking. Try anything you can that you think may help you to quit for good. Smoking has been known to increase the risk of getting breast cancer along with the other diseases that smoking is associated with. So if you smoke do everything you can to quit.

Exercising more often can also lower the risk of getting breast cancer. A few extra hours of exercising each week can lower your risk of developing breast cancer. Women that have a weight problem or are overweight can have an increased risk of developing this disease, so you should try and maintain a healthy weight at all times if possible. Being on a low fat diet and exercising regularly can help you to stay at a healthy weight lowering your risk of getting breast cancer. Limiting alcohol use is also a way to lower your risk of breast cancer. The more alcohol that you drink each day will make your risk higher for developing breast cancer. Trying to abstain from drinking alcohol is your best bet to lower your risk of breast cancer.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Adding fruits and vegetables to your diet can help you to maintain a healthy weight and is also good for your health. When your body is healthier and your weight is good this can also lower your risk of getting breast cancer. Reduce the stress in your life by relaxing as much as possible. This can strengthen your immune system making it easier to fight certain diseases including breast cancer. So make some time each day for yourself to relax and relieve some of the stress from your life.

Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

There are certain risk factors of breast cancer that is important to know. Your age can play a part in developing breast cancer. If you are over fifty years of age or older you are more likely to develop breast cancer then if you are a younger woman. Other risks factors that make you a higher risk are if you had your first period before you were twelve years of age or have began menopause in your fifties. If you had children at a later age or if you never had any children at all. These are all risk factors of breast cancer. If your sister, daughter or mother has had breast cancer in their lifetime your risk of breast cancer will be higher. Your family history is an important factor to look at when it comes to knowing how great your risk factor may be for breast cancer.

If you have had previous breast biopsies that have come back abnormal you may be a higher risk. If you have had any type of breast diseases you could also be at risk for breast cancer. Weight is a big factor especially after menopause so it is important to gain control of your weight and live a healthier lifestyle. If you have inherited certain genes this can be a risk factor for developing breast cancer. All of these things should be taken into consideration for your risk factors. Some other risk factors may be a diet that is high in saturated fat. You should make it a point to cut back on saturated fats in your diet and eat healthier foods such as more fruits and vegetables. Your diet should be healthy in order to lower your risk factor of developing breast cancer.

Another risk factor may be the use of oral contraceptives. This is something you should discuss with your doctor to find out what is best for you. The lack of exercise is another risk factor. It is important to make sure that you have enough physical activity in your life to stay physically fit and have a healthy body. If you drink alcohol more then one drink per day can also be a risk factor for you in developing breast cancer.