breast cancer

The best way to keep off terminal illnesses like breast cancer and diabetes is to maintain a Healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) throughout a person's life. The BMI should be maintained at a range of 18-25 point. Research shows a significant increase in this cancer in weight gain especially in middle-aged individuals. Elevated BMI also has been known to increase risk of such cancer development, during post-menopause. Excessive alcohol consumption and abuse, has been established as the most dietary factor, which increases the risk of cancer development. It has been proven that, consumption of more than a drink a day increases breast cancer development for up to 20%-25%.

A person is advised to consume as many vegetables and fruits as possible daily. Almost all cruciferous vegetables like: cabbage, broccoli, Brussels, cauliflower and sprouts provide a good protection against breast cancers when consumed. Dark leafy vegetables have also been attributed to breast cancer reduction and they include: kales, collards and spinach. Protection fruits include berries, cherries and citrus while vegetables like tomatoes and carrots have shown a significant reduction of breast cancer risk. The vegetables should be slightly cooked or eaten raw since some essential phytochemicals responsible for reducing the risk, are highly destroyed by heat.

A regular exercise daily is a must as it provides a very powerful protection in breast cancer prevention. The exercise should include a 30-minute of aerobic exercise like walking or jogging for five days a week. Duration and consistency of the exercise is the key as opposed to intensity. People should be cautions on the types of fats they ingest into their system. Some types of fats have been linked to a cancer risk increase. They include trans fats, saturated fat and omega-6 fats (safflower, cottonseed oil, corn and sunflower). The types of fats which helps in cancer prevention include:

monounsaturated fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts and canola and omega-3 fats like tuna, sardines, herring, lake trout and salmon as they have potential anticancer effects. A person should stick to a diet low in glycemic index at all times. White rice, sugar, white potatoes and white flour contain high levels of glycemic index of carbohydrates and their intake should be minimized. These foodstuffs trigger changes in hormonal balance, promoting growth of cells in the breasts tissues. These carbohydrate sources should be replaced with beans or legumes and other whole grains. Consumption of whole food such as tempeh, soymilk, edamame, miso, roasted soy nuts and tofu should be encouraged.

Exposure to xeno-estrogens and pharmacologic estrogens should be minimized as its exposure triggers breast cancer development. These included environmental pollutants like industrial chemicals and pesticides. Also the residual hormones in meat, poultry and non-organic dairy products increase the risk of breast cancer development. Some daily supplements are also known to reduce the risk of breast cancer like multivitamin and they should be taken daily.

Maintaining a positive outlook mentally plays a role in relaxing the body. It is very important to get adequate sleep daily and to engage in mutual and warm relationships with friends and family. Keep of stress and depression as they facilitate breast cancer development.

Brian Morse invites you to find out more information about this subject at http://www.bcfaf.org/. Thank you for your interest. Next, read about breast cancer financial assistance and how to find it. I like to find answers by way of information.

View the original article here

A lot of women do not like to talk about their breasts and they certainly do not like to stare at them, or to palpate them to search for lumps. These self exams and observations can save the lives of more women than all of the mammograms that will be done this year. The self exam and observation that you do will allow you to notice changes quicker and be able to detect problems sooner. The sooner you discover a lump or change the better your chances of surviving if it is malignant.

You need to exam your breasts once every month for lumps. This means you will need to feel the breast to find any places that seem different than the last time that you checked them. It is recommended that you do these examinations on the same day of the month each time so that the tissue you are palpating will be the same. Your mammary glands swell and change at different times of the month in unison with your monthly cycle. SO make sure that you schedule a day and keep that day every month as your-self check day.

You want to get in the shower and slowly feel every portion of the breast matter. You do this by starting at the nipple and using two fingers to feel the tissue you slowly make small circles until you have covered the entire area. Doing this in the shower while you are soapy makes it easier to do.

You also want to check them again while you are lying on the bed. Lie flat of your back and hold one arm above your head, with the other hand exam the tissue on the side of the body that the arm is lifted on. Then repeat on the other side of your body. Now touch them with your arms lying flat against your sides. You are trying to sense changes or places that seem to be hard like a small pea.

You need to stand in front of the mirror naked and look at your reflection. Make sure that your nipples line up. Is one higher than the other? Do the left and the right sides look the same? When you look at your reflection the left side of your chest and the right side of your chest should look the same. If you have a dimple on the left you should have a dimple on the right as well. If you notice discrepancies you need to see your doctor.

You also want to look at the skin around the nipple and on the surface of the bosom. If the skin appears to be smooth then you are fine but when the skin appears to be textured like an orange peeling is then you have cause for concern. You will need to see your doctor and have this checked out.

Breast cancer is survivable if you catch it early. So take the time to do the examination and always get further advice if you notice any discrepancies.

View the original article here