 Think pink
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast health is every woman's responsibility and you can help yourself by adopting the following habits all year long for optimum breast health: Observe, Self-examine, Screen.
Tips for lifelong breast health
Body weight: Maintain a healthy body weight (BMI less than 23). Weight gain after menopause increases your risk of breast cancer.
Regular exercise: Adopt an active lifestyle. Aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate aerobic activity at least five days per week.
Early detection: Early detection saves lives. When breast cancer is detected early, there are more treatment options, less radical surgery required and better chances of complete recovery.
Alcohol and red meat: Limit alcohol and red meat intake. Women who consume more than two glasses of alcohol a day are at higher risk. Limit your intake of red meat and avoid processed meats as well as sugar and salt.
Smoking: Don't smoke! The risk of developing breast cancer increases if you drink and smoke.
Target motherhood: Target to have your first child before 30. Mothers who breastfeed their babies for six months or longer have a significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer.
Watch out for these signs
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a lump in the breast. It is usually single, firm and often painless. Other tell-tale signs include swelling on a part of the breast or underarm; a previously protruding nipple that becomes inverted; a persistent rash at the nipple or areola; bloodstained discharge from the nipple; and a change in the size or shape of the breast. |