As I drove back to Provo from Salt Lake this weekend, I noticed many health billboards along the side of the freeway. The most memorable one said, “Breast cancer is 99% curable if detected early.” This gave me hope. We can beat breast cancer if we are consistent with our self breast exams and mammograms.
Compared with other cancers, breast cancer is the most prevalent among women and affects approximately one million women worldwide. There are many factors that make women susceptible to breast cancer and being aware of these risks can help women make healthy lifestyle changes that will decrease their risk of getting breast cancer. Some of these risk factors include: being obese or overweight, lack of physical activity, a diet high in saturated fat, early menstruation, late menopause, and having a family history of breast cancer.
Up to 10 percent of breast cancer is due to genetics. If a woman has a grandmother, mother, sister, or daughter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, she is put in the higher risk group. I have not experienced breast cancer personally, but I know several women whose lives have been changed because of breast cancer.
In visits with my doctor and talking with other women, I have learned some key ideas in detecting breast cancer early. They include doing a self-breast exam every month, a yearly mammogram, a check up with a medical professional once a year, losing weight through diet and exercise and taking vitamin D.
It can be difficult to keep up with these preventative behaviors because life gets busy, but doing them can save our lives.
What are your experiences? What are the best ways for you to be healthy and watch for signs of breast cancer? Do you have creative and cleaver ways to remind yourself to do your exams? I’d love to hear your input!
Healthy Girls and Women 