October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s an excellent time to remember that some risk factors, like age, race, and family history, are beyond our control.

But, as the National Breast Cancer Foundation points out, we can adjust some behaviors to lower other risk factors.
Those include:

• Lack of Physical Activity:  A sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity can increase your risk for breast cancer.
• Poor Diet: A diet high in saturated fat and lacking fruits and vegetables can, too.
• Being Overweight or Obese: So can being overweight or obese. Your risk increases if you have already gone through menopause.
• Drinking Alcohol. Frequent consumption can increase risk; the more you drink, the greater the risk.

The foundation says about two-thirds of people with breast cancer have no connection to these risk factors, and other people with risk factors will never develop cancer.

One in eight women will get the disease at some point. Two out of three women with invasive cancer are diagnosed after age 55. Men can get it, too, but it occurs 100 times more often in women.

The group also lists ways that individuals can help and can raise awareness. For example, donating $150 pays for a mammogram for a woman in need. You can learn ways to help your company get involved. And you can support early detection and get tested regularly yourself. Try our 21-day Strength and Longevity to fight against these risk factors.