Bazooms. Ta Ta’s. Chi-chis. Sweater Puppies. And the ever so classic—boobs. No matter what you call them, your breasts are a significant part of your life. Assuming they’re higher up in the alphabet they smack you in the face when you do any physical activity, and tend to cause unnecessary staring when it’s cold outside. Whether for good or bad, breasts are an important part of your life—so it’s best to keep them healthy. A major part of this is breast awareness. It is important to know what is normal for your body.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Although it is almost over, it is never too late to know a little something about “man’s best friends.”
1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Doctors and clinicians agree that a healthy lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to prevent breast cancer. According to Harold Freeman, M.D., president and founder of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer and Prevention in New York City, maintaining a proper diet and exercising regularly can not only drastically reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, but it can also increase your risk of surviving the disease if you get it. Consistent exercise boosts your immune system and lowers the level of estrogen and insulin in the body. Try to aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week—that is just a little over 20 minutes per day. Through less than thirty minutes each day you can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, other cancers, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Increasing physical activity is great! However, it’ll all be for nothing if you are filling your body with junk.
Veggies, veggies and more veggies. The same green things that you were forced to eat as a kid will be the things potentially saving your life. Some vegetables contain sulforaphane, which is believed to help prevent cancer cells from multiplying. Doctors suggest that people should eat about 2.5 cups of fruits and veggies a day. Fruits and vegetables also contain fiber, which aids in digestive health. Fiber also helps to move potentially dangerous toxins out of the body. Another great way to increase your fiber is by eating whole-grain foods.
It is imperative that you drastically decrease the amount of processed foods you eat. Processed foods also tend to be high in fat, sodium and sugar. The less processed the food is, the better it is for you. This includes foods such as popular brand chips and cookies, hotdogs, lunchmeat, bacon and sausage. Non-processed/organic/vegan/gluten free foods are less likely to be mixed with other ingredients, stripped of their nutrients, and barely have added preservatives.
2. Get checked out. The idea of sitting in a cold room wearing a paper dress that scratches your nipples may seem incredibly awkward, but it does so much good in the long run. According to Cancer.org, all women should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) every year to three years, and annual mammograms after turning 40. This is a simple examination in which a health professional will look at your breasts for abnormalities in size and shape, or changes in the skin of the breasts or nipples. Then the examiner will gently feel your breasts for texture, and to see if there are any lumps. During this examination, it would be helpful to ask the doctor or nurse to teach you how to examine yourself.
3. Know your family history. Women are at a higher risk to develop breast cancer if a first-degree family member (mother, sister, etc.) has it. According to breastcancer.org, if two first-degree relatives have been diagnosed with cancer, you have 5 times more of a risk to develop the disease. If someone in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is best to get tested yourself. The earlier you catch the disease, the more treatable it is. Older individuals are more likely to develop cancer, but it is more serious when younger individuals develop it.
4. Alcohol intake. As much as it pains me to say this, drinking alcohol also puts you at a higher risk for developing certain types of cancers. In fact, the risk of developing breast cancer increases by 21% with two drinks a day. Now, before you go and pour out the rest of your favorite wine, you should know this: researchers suggest that you limit yourself to one glass a day. Problem solved.
5. Smoking habits. As we repeatedly hear everywhere we go, smoking causes a number of diseases. It is also linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. Smoking can also increase complications with breast cancer treatments. Some research has also shown links between second-hand smoke and breast cancer.
6. Get to know your boobs.
Step 1: Lie flat on your back and place your right arm behind your head. This is done lying down because it allows the breast tissue to spread thinly and evenly over the chest wall.
Step 2: Using your three middle fingers on your left hand, feel for lumps in the right breast via circular motions. Try to incorporate light, medium and firm pressure to check the tissue closest to the skin and the tissue closest to the chest and ribs. It is normal to feel a firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast, so don’t panic. If something feels out of the ordinary, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.
Step 3: Still using three finger pads, move around the breast in an up and down pattern (see photo). Start at your underarms and slowly work your way across to the middle of your chest. Check everything in between your collarbone and your ribs.
Step 4: Repeat on the left side by putting your left arm behind your head.
Step 5: While standing in front of a mirror, place your hands on your hips and press firmly. As you press into your hips, look at your breasts for any changes in size, shape, contour, or dimpling, or redness of the nipple or breast skin.
Step 6: Examine each underarm while sitting up or standing and with your arm only slightly raised so you can easily feel in this area. Raising your arm straight up tightens the tissue in this area and makes it harder to examine.
This year, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. Of those 200,000+ women, about 39,620 women will succumb to this disease. Believe it or not, female breast cancer rates have actually been decreasing over the past two decades. No longer is breast cancer an automatic death sentence. Regular examinations are one of the best ways to prevent cancer. 90% of cancers that are caught in stage one are curable.
Remember that knowledge is power with anything in life. So, big or small, save them all!