Though it is still an active research area, many lifestyle and environmental factors for breast cancer have been identified and are being studied. Luckily, most of them can be controlled if an individual wishes to optimize his or her health. Even men can get breast cancer, but it is at a lower rate than women, occurring in only 1 out of 133.



Women who have not had any children before the age of thirty are at a lightly higher risk of contracting breast caner. The cause of the increase is probably twofold: the number of menstrual periods an individual has had and the related factor- the amount of estrogen which is contained within the body. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone aid in cell growth. Cancer is a condition in which cells grow in abnormal shapes and multiply in numbers.

Having multiple pregnancies prior to age 30 reduces the risk of breast cancer. However, pregnancy itself can also carry some risk, even in the modern medical settings of today. Using this method to prevent breast cancer should therefore be at the bottom of anyone's list. But for individuals who already intend to have children, it is comforting to know about this benefit.

Incidentally, the jury is still out on the relative cancer risk of taking oral contraceptives. Women who have ceased using birth control for more than ten years show no increased risk. Since most women who contract the condition don't get breast cancer until their 50s or later, it's difficult to isolate the contribution.

Diet has been determined to be a more direct contributor. But since research is still ongoing no conclusive evidence exists to prove anything. What is known is that maintaining a healthy diet in general is a factor. Because of the ability of fat cells to store estrogen obesity definitely raises the risk of breast cancer. Fat cells are also responsible for producing a small amount of estrogen on their own even though most estrogen in the body is generated by the ovaries.

But the exact contribution of diet isn't known. It was popular for a while to assert that a high fiber diet was almost a preventative. The research doesn't support that notion, but a high fiber diet is undoubtedly healthy for a number of reasons. Even if diet doesn't prevent the onset of breast cancer, general good health is extremely helpful when it comes to any kind of treatment and diet is a major part of that effort.

In addition to diet, utilizing age and body type appropriate exercise methods will contribute to an individuals overall health. Simply spending an hour a day doing moderate activity is a major benefit. It keeps the muscles tone and the body in overall good shape. The amount of exercise needed to reduce the risk of breast cancer is unknown. One study was able to correlate a 1-2 hour brisk walk per week with an 18% lower risk.

Surprisingly, there are several factors commonly suspected to increase breast cancer risk that are not supported by contemporary research findings, according to the American Cancer society. Smoking is one of them. No link has been found between cigarette smoking and breast cancer. Lung cancer, of course, is another story. Environmental pollutants in general have not been correlated with breast cancer.

Because these are obviously not healthy lifestyle choices, the goal of optimizing one's overall health and well being would heavily weigh against them.

Alcohol that is consumed in moderation is considered healthy. But the use of alcohol heavily has definitely been correlated to increase the risk of breast cancer. An individual's risk is increased by 10% with every daily drink of hard alcohol an individual consumes. And because it also causes damage to the liver and contributes to an individual's poor health overall, it is not considered a wise choice.

Individuals are urged to maintain a positive attitude and a good health program to reduce their risk of breast cancer personally.