Ways Teen Girls Can Decrease Their Breast Cancer Risk

There are 10 easy ways that teen girls can decrease their breast cancer risk factors. Many of these easy ideas are the basics of a common sense regimen for overall good health. Teen girls should start taking care of their bodies and their health early, to help decrease their breast cancer risk factors. These easy ways to decrease breast cancer risk factors can be used by women of all ages.

10 Easy Ways Teen Girls Can Decrease Their Breast Cancer Risk

1. Know the History of Breast Cancer in Your Family

While the sheer knowledge of breast cancer history in your family cannot help prevent or reduce a teen girl's chances of developing breast cancer, knowledge is power.

Knowing which of your aunts, great aunts cousins, or other female relatives have suffered from breast cancer is important information that your parents need to share with teen girls, who can later share that with their ob/gyn and primary care physicians.

Teen girls should have a conversation with their parents about the history of breast cancer, other diseases that have affected their family members.

2. Limit or Eliminate Alcohol from Your Diet

Teens need to eliminate alcohol from their diets. According to the NIAAA, "Chronic alcohol consumption increases the risk for cancer of the organs and tissues of the respiratory tract and the upper digestive tract, liver, colon, rectum, and breast."

3. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Teen girls and women who are overweight carry more fat on their bodies. Fat has been linked to an increase of estrogen in the body. "One recent study showed that women who developed breast cancer tended to have higher levels of estrogen circulating in their bodies than women without breast cancer," according to Cornell University.

4. Eat More Fiber

Eating more fiber may be one way teen girls can decrease breast cancer risk. Researchers from the University of Leeds found that women who consumed 30 grams of fiber a day had "half the risk" of the women who were eating only 20 grams a day. The recommended 30 grams is equivalent to two ounces of fiber.

The study also revealed that this reduced risk benefit applied only to pre-menospausal women. These findings support the idea that women, including teen girls, should incorporate fiber into their diets now in order to reduce breast cancer risks later in life.

5. Give Up Smoking

Teen girls who smoke need to quit smoking if they want to reduce their risk of breast cancer. In fact, studies have shown that there is a link between teen girls who started smoking during their teen years, and later "developed breast cancer before menopause" (American Cancer Society).

But when the researchers looked at women who started smoking in their teens and developed breast cancer before menopause, they found a link.

6. Eat more Fruits

There have been recent studies that suggest eating more fruits will not help reduce the risk of breast cancer in all women, only those with certain genes. Teen girls can still benefit from eating more fruit, which are rich in vitamins. Fruits do contain phytochemicals that affect cancer risk (Cornell).

Also, it is easier to add a banana and an apple to your day than to go get a genetic test.

7. Exercise Regularly

It has been shown in various studies that a regular routine of daily exercise is linked to lowering breast cancer risk. Teen girls should find an hour to engage in moderate activity five times a week. (University of Connecticut Health Center)

8. Eat More Vegetables

Eating more vegetables is another way teen girls can reduce their risk of breast cancer. Vegetables, like fruits have naturally occurring phytochemicals that affect the risk of breast cancer.

9. Learn How to do a Breast Self-Exam

Early detection is critical when it comes to breast cancer diagnosis. Teen girls should learn how to do a breast self-exam. Ask your mom, a sister, an older cousin, or someone who you are not embarrassed to ask. Or ask your doctor. You can also find instructions here

10. Eat more Whole Grain Foods

According to various medical sources, including Cornell, eating more whole grain foods may help decrease the risk of breast cancer. They're good for you anyway, and your overall health will benefit. Eating whole grains can also help minimize your chances of developing other cancers or heart disease.

Sources

American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org
BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6287915.stm
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors, Cornell University, http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/FactSheet/General/fs9.estrogen.cfm
University of Connecticut Health Center, http://www.celebrate.uchc.edu/girls/body/breasthealth.html