Breast Cancer Awareness: Risk Factors

Today I thought I would share the risk factors for breast cancer.  Some of the risk factors are things you can do absolutely nothing about, like your age and the whether you are a woman or not.  But many of the others are things that can be changed if need be.

I am going to list them without comment, but if you would like to read in detail about these risk factors, visit this link at Breastcancer.org.

• being a woman
• age
• family history
• genetics
• personal history of breast cancer
• radiation to chest or face before age 30
• certain breast changes
• race/ethnicity
• being overweight
• pregnancy history
• breastfeeding history
• menstrual history
• using hormone replacement therapy
• drinking alcohol
• having dense breasts
• lack of exercise
• smoking

There is also a list of emerging risk factors, and you can click on the same link and scroll down to read the complete listing.  The emerging risk factor that interests me the most is eating unhealthy food.  I encourage each of you to read the article about eating unhealthy food.  

Since my diagnosis of breast cancer, I have made changes in the eating habits of both myself and and my family.  Especially since my daughters now have the unavoidable risk factor of family history, I want to do all I can to lower their risks in every other area.  What I feed my family in my home is one thing that I can control.  We have shifted to a mostly plant-based diet.  That means that with very few exceptions (like at other people's homes, sometimes in restaurants, and accidentally), we are eating almost no animal products.  Very little meat, no dairy, no eggs.  Like I said, we do make some exceptions, but for the most part we are plant strong.  Also, I am working hard to eliminate almost all processed foods from our diets.  

Please spend a few minutes to review the risk factors of breast cancer, and then see if there are any changes you need to make to protect yourself.

This is the shirt for the WOD for the Cure, the CrossFit fundraiser that will be held here in Tupelo at Ballard Park on October 20.  If you live in my area and want more information about this fun fundraiser that benefits the Women First Resource Center, please leave your questions in a comment.