Can lifestyle make a differenCe?

WHILE YOU CAN’T ALTER YOUR GENES OR AGE, THERE ARE SOME LIFESTYLE FACTORS THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

GET YOUR WEIGHT DOWN TO A HEALTHY LEVEL. BEING OVERWEIGHT IS THOUGHT TO INCREASE LEVELS OF OESTROGEN, WHICH IN TURN INCREASES RISK OF BREAST CANCER.

REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL YOU DRINK.

THE MORE YOU DRINK, THE GREATER THE RISK. WOMEN WHO HAVE THREE ALCOHOLIC DRINKS A WEEK HAVE A 15% HIGHER RISK OF BREAST CANCER THAN WOMEN WHO DON’T DRINK AT ALL – AND EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT THE RISK GOES UP ANOTHER 10% FOR EACH ADDITIONAL DRINK WOMEN REGULARLY HAVE EACH DAY.

EXPOSURE TO EXTRA OESTROGEN, EITHER IN

THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL, OR IN HRT, CAN ALSO INCREASE THE RISK, BUT THE EFFECT IS SMALL, AND FOR WOMEN WHO TAKE

THE PILL, THE RISK IS BACK TO NORMAL TEN YEARS AFTER YOU STOP TAKING IT.