You Can Prevent Breast Cancer

Sometimes, one suffers from breast cancer even if you've taken all the necessary precautions and preventive measures. Call it fate or whatever, but if you do take care, the chances of suffering from it suddenly get that much smaller! Anyway, today, breast cancer is not the terrible disease it was a few years ago. Many women survive even after a bad case. Here, too, if it is detected early, there's that much more of a chance to get absolutely back to normal as quickly as possible. What are the ways that you can prevent breast cancer? Take a look at the measures that you could adopt to prevent this condition. While it is not foolproof, it will definitely help in keeping the disease at bay.

First of all, watch your weight. High estrogen levels mean you could be more prone to breast cancer. The levels of estrogen go up when there is more fatty tissue in the body. This usually happens during menopause when hormonal changes mean that women tend to put on weight. Unfortunately, this is the time when not too many women bother about how they look so they just themselves go. What you need to do is to practice self-control and say a stern No to all fatty foods. This is one way to keep your weight down. Don't eat because you're bored or feeling low or you're lonely. Think slim and get there. It might be worth it talking to your doctor about the quantities that you need every day and the kind of foods to eat and what to avoid. The other way to do this is to exercise. No, you do not have to spend hours at the gym. Just walk or swim if you can't manage an exercise regime. Make sure you exercise regularly, not in fits and starts. You need at least half an hour of exercise everyday. If you're overweight, maybe a bit more initially till you lose a bit of weight. Make this time sacrosanct.

It's best if women cut down on the drinking. Never mind what kind of alcohol, anything is bad news as far as breast cancer goes. Why this is so is anyone's guess but the link between the two is strong so it is best avoided. Maybe the occasional drink when you are celebrating something is fine, otherwise stick to non-alcoholic beverages. What is very good as a preventive is a citrus juice. All citrus fruits are supposed to lower the risks of breast cancer.

Antibiotics and pesticides are also bad for breast cancer. Try and use natural alternatives to get rid of pests and as far as antibiotics are concerned do not use them unless it is absolutely necessary. What is good not only for the heart but to prevent breast cancer as well seems to be aspirin. A regular intake is supposed to be beneficial.

The temptation to go in for hormone therapy is great especially when you are in the throes of hot flashes and irritability. But it is known to aggravate breast cancer. Ideally, one should just grin and try and bear the menopausal years instead of looking for quick-fix remedies.

Just a few dos and don'ts and suddenly you could find the road ahead of you clear and breast cancer-free!!

Breastfeed and Reduce Breast Cancer Risk - For You and Your Baby

Are you concerned about breast cancer? Most women are. It doesn't help that women seem to be getting breast cancer at younger ages. The recent news of Christina Applegate's cancer has many younger women scared.

If you're breastfeeding, then you can be assured that you're doing something positive to cut your risk for developing one of the most common forms of cancer among women. And you're protecting your baby as well.

The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) found convincing evidence that breastfeeding protects mothers from developing breast cancer, both before and after menopause. Breastfeeding also protects the breastfed child from developing cancers that are linked with being overweight and obesity. These include post-menopausal breast cancer and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colorectum, and kidney.

One reason breastfeeding reduces the mother's risk for developing breast cancer because it causes her to stop menstruating for many months. Some women do not resume menstruating (and therefore ovulating) until after they stop breastfeeding altogether - even for several months or two years or more. This period of amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation, is a signal that the woman's hormones have shifted to a state that reduces her chances of developing breast cancer. And the longer a woman breastfeeds, the greater her protection against breast cancer.

Apparently, the natural hormonal changes that women experience during menstruation increase breast cancer risk. This explains why women who have never been pregnant (another period of amenorrhea) have increased risk for breast cancer.

Another way that breastfeeding may protect mothers from breast cancer is by getting rid of breast cells during lactation. These include cells that could develop or already have damaged DNA.

Don't worry, the damaged cells aren't harming your baby through your breastmilk. In fact, breastfed babies have reduced risk for developing breast cancer and other forms of cancer. And again, the longer the baby is breastfed, the greater the protective effect.

Breastfeeding is only one of the many ways that you can protect your baby and yourself against cancer. WCRF/AICR gives the following 10 recommendations to help you avoid cancer:

1. Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight for your body type.
2. Be physically active as part of everyday life. Exercising three times a week halves your cancer risk.
3. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods. Avoid sugary drinks.
4. Eat mostly foods of plant origin: whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes.
5. Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meats that contain nitrites and nitrates.
6. Limit alcoholic drinks - more than one a day is associated with increased cancer risk.
7. Limit consumption of salt. Avoid moldy cereals (grains) or pulses (legumes).
8. Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, not supplements.
9. Mothers to breastfeed; children to be breastfed.
10. Cancer survivors: Follow the recommendations for cancer.

Remember: The World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Afterwards, breastfeeding should continue, along with complementary foods, for two years or longer.

How to Support Breast Cancer Research at Home, School and the Office

We've all known someone in our lifetime that has fought breast cancer - a family member, a friend, a co-worker. This article will help you see how you can support breast cancer research at home, school and the office. Learn more about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and how they work toward preventing breast cancer and finding a cure.

The best way to support breast cancer research is to donate. It doesn't matter if you donate money, time or supplies - you're supporting charity for a cause. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is a good place to start. They are dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure by funding clinical and genetic research worldwide.

Did you know...

- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer.

- It is estimated by the American Cancer Society that in 2008 about 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States.

- In 2008, ACS estimates that about 40,480 women will die from breast cancer in the United States.

- In men, 1,990 new cases are projected in 2008, with 450 deaths

- At this time there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

- A minimum of 85 cents of every dollar donated goes to research and awareness programs.

- Since its inception, the Breast Cancer Research Hospital has raised over $220 million - $39.5 million in fiscal year 2007/08.

-In October, 2008, BCRF will award over $34 million in new research grants to 165 scientists from top universities and academic medical centers across the globe.

So, how can you support breast cancer research in your office? The answer is two simple words: office supplies. Every office needs office supplies to survive. You rely on them for communication, comfort, storage and organization, just to name a few. And well, if you're already buying office supplies, why not buy them from an organization that supports breast cancer research?!

There are many office supply companies that donate all or a portion of their proceeds toward breast cancer research. Some do it all year, others during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is in October. It's easy to find companies who sell office supplies online or in stores. All you have to do is ask or do a simple search online.

And it isn't just about the pink ribbons! You can find everything from file folders to hanging folders, to desktop organizer trays, portfolios and more. Some of the office supplies will be available in pink so that you can show your support around the office.
It's always a great time to get involved in the fight against breast cancer. But now, and especially during the Back-to-School season, it's as good a time as any. When you're out buying school supplies with your children, teach them about the importance of supporting charitable organizations and show them that supporting breast cancer research is a great way to do just that.

Breast Cancer Treatments - How is Breast Cancer Treated?

Becoming diagnosed with cancer is one of the worst things you can find out. It is becoming incredibly more common today with people infected with all types of cancer. Among these, one of the more common type is breast cancer and it is rapidly becoming more prevalent. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, the next thing you should think about is to consult your doctors on what are the breast cancer treatments options that are available to you. This article will talk about some of the ways breast cancer is currently being treated.

Depending on what stage the cancer is in, surgery or a lumpectomy (removal of just the lump) might be necessary. Lumpectomy is used for a breast conservation surgery where they want to keep the breast. However, removal of the entire affected breast might even be necessary. Surgical removal of the entire breast is known as a mastectomy.

After surgery, radiation therapy is commonly prescribed. The radiation therapy is used to reduce the chances that the cancer relapse. The radiation therapy consists of gamma rays that target the tumor or where the tumor once was before the surgery. The radiation removes the traces of cancer cells left behind around the area where the surgery was performed. Unfortunately, the radiation also attacks the other normal cell in the body as well and can cause damages to the tissue around the tumor.

There are other ways, as an alternative and an addition in the breast cancer treatment mentioned above. Chemotherapy can be used before, after and even as an alternative to surgery - it all depends on the type of breast cancer and the stage that it is in. Hormonal treatment is often used after chemotherapy. Targeted therapy is also another way to treat breast cancer. With this type of treatment, monoclonal antibodies are used to battle an over abundance of HER2 protein in cancer cells slowing the growth of the cancer cells in the process. When used with chemotherapy, this can reduce the chances of cancer cells returning as well as improving the patient's survival rate.

These are just a few of the many ways breast cancer is being treated. Incidentally, these are the most commonly used and sometimes the most reliable treatments of breast cancer. A lot of research is presently being conducted worldwide in the hope of discovering the cure for breast cancer and cancer in general. It's only a matter of time before a new and better treatment or cure is discovered. In the meantime, it's very important for you to be kept informed about breast cancer and the type of breast cancer treatments that are available to you.