|
Possible risk factors
Possible risk factors have
some scientific evidence to suggest a link with breast cancer, though more
research is needed before we can really tell if they increase or decrease the
risk of developing the disease.
o
Despite a great deal of
research over the past few decades, we don’t yet know for certain if there
are any specific links between a person’s diet and their risk of breast
cancer.
o
We all eat a variety of
different foods and our diets change over time. For this reason, measuring
the effect of an individual food type on breast cancer risk is very difficult.
o
Diet is also closely related
to other lifestyle factors. Someone who eats a balanced diet rich in fruit
and vegetables, for example, may exercise more regularly than someone whose
diet is higher in fat and sugar.
o
The challenge for researchers
then, is to untangle the separate effects of closely related lifestyle
factors so they can identify which risk factors – if any – can be attributed
to diet.
o
A healthy diet – the
advantages What we do know, of course, is that there many reasons for eating
healthily. At Breakthrough we recommend a diet high in fruit, vegetables and
whole grains and low in red and processed meats, animal fat and sugary,
fatty, processed food.
o
A healthy diet will help you
control your weight, which is a risk factor in breast cancer after the
menopause. It will also lower the risk of other cancers and diseases such as
type II diabetes.
o
Although some studies have
explored stress and a possible association with breast cancer, no definite
link has yet been found.
o
We all experience and measure
stress in different ways and this makes it difficult for researchers to
establish a framework for investigating its effect on cancer risk.
o
The problem is further
complicated by the fact that stress can lead to unhealthy responses such as
drinking and putting on weight, which themselves increase the risk of breast
cancer. This, in turn, can make it difficult to separate the effects of
stress on breast cancer from other risk factors.
·
Exercise
o
Regular physical activity can
help to reduce your risk of breast cancer
o
Physical activity includes
exercise and other, everyday activities such as walking, housework, cycling
at a casual pace, actively playing with children or gardening.
o
We don’t yet know all the
reasons for this, but we do know that regular activity can help to prevent
weight gain, which is known to increase breast cancer risk. Although it is
thought that the more active you are, the more you reduce your risk of breast
cancer, it may not matter what sort of activity you do, or how intense it is –
it is the total amount that seems to count.
o
Regular exercise or physical
activity is good for your health in many other ways too. It reduces the risk
of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis.
Exercise can also help boost self-esteem, and improve energy levels and
feelings of general wellbeing. The UK Government recommends that people take
part in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on five or more days of the
week.
|
