How can you decrease breast cancer risk? Here are some answers

What's worse that in the west, while most breast cancers are diagnosed over the age of 50, in India, more than 50 per cent of breast cancers are diagnosed between the ages of 25-50 years.

If you have high risk of getting breast cancer, you cannot change that factor but here are some lifestyle changes a young woman can make to significantly decrease breast cancer risk. The Federal gives you a breakdown:

Avoid drinking too much alcohol

One of the first things breast cancer doctors will advice against it not to drink too much alcohol. Drink alcohol in moderation if you wish but the more alcohol you have, the greater your risk of getting breast cancer

Control your weight

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause. If you need to lose weight, simple steps may help. Watch your portion sizes, eat fewer calories and gradually build up the amount of exercise you do.

Get active

Physical activity can help you stay at a healthy weight, which helps prevent breast cancer. Sit less, move more. Most healthy adults should aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise. Or, try to get at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week.

Aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping. Some examples are walking, biking, running and swimming. Also aim to do strength training at least twice a week.

• Lower your exposure to estrogen levels
• Women who breastfed have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who have had children but did not breastfeed. Evidence is accumulating to suggest that breast feeding helps to reduce risk of developing uterine and ovarian cancer as well. The longer you breastfeed, the greater the protective effect.

Healthy diet

Maintaining a healthy diet helps to combat breast cancer. Eat a variety of different foods and eat the right amount to have a healthy weight.

Eat plenty of foods rich in fibre and at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Limit foods that contain a lot of fat, especially animal (saturated) fat.

Limit sugary food and drinks and lower salt intake 

Drink around two litres of fluids a day (such as water, herbal tea, tea, coffee or low calorie drinks)

Breast awareness

Watch out for any changes in your breast.

If you feel a painless lump or thickening in the breast that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue, or change in the size of one breast, for example if it has either become larger or smaller. Or if a nipple is pulled in or changed its position or shape; puckering or dimpling of the skin and swelling under the armpit are all signals.

Genetic counselling

Some people have a higher risk of breast cancer. This can be because of a family history of the disease or certain gene changes. Doctors then advise the person to go in for genetic counseling and testing, do more frequent breast exams, breast cancer screening tests at an earlier age, medicines or surgery to prevent breast cancer.

Some factors that have little or no effect on the risk of breast cancer

Having an abortion

Taking vitamins, including fenretinide (a type of vitamin A).

Using underarm deodorant or antiperspirant.

Taking statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs).

Taking drugs used to treat osteoporosis and hypercalcemia by mouth or by intravenous infusion.

Changes in your circadian rhythm (physical, mental, and behavioral changes that are mainly affected by darkness and light in 24 hour cycles), which may be affected by working night shifts

Here's a tip for young women:

Conserving eggs

if a woman is single at 30 plus, and may want to marry in the future, it may be a good idea to conserve their eggs. So, even if by a stroke of bad luck, they get cancer, they have some hope of having a family in the future.