Why Sharing Your Family’s Health History With Doctor is Important
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Everyone’s personal risk for cancer will be different, based on their genetics, family history and environmental exposures. While you can’t change your genes, lifestyle factors are ones that you do generally have more control over.
And practicing certain healthy lifestyle habits can reduce your risk for breast cancer (and cancer in general), regardless of your genes.
Expert Tip of the Day: Focus on These Lifestyle Habits to Reduce Your Risk for Cancer
Here are the top three lifestyle habits to focus on for cancer prevention professor of breast medical oncology and chief clinical research officer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center:
- Eat a healthy diet that’s low in ultraprocessed foods
- Get regular physical activity
- Reduce or cut out tobacco and alcohol
Why It Matters
Simple lifestyle habits like these can have a big impact on your risk for cancer.
And, for people who’ve had cancer in the past, habits like these can also make it less likely the cancer will come back, Dr. Julia Brockway-Marchello, a breast oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, told TODAY.com previously.
Healthy eating is the first big one to prioritize, which Litton describes to TODAY.com as “eating a well-balanced diet that is low in super-processed foods.”
There’s no single specific diet that’s perfect for everyone, but experts generally recommend aiming to incorporate more whole, plant-based foods while limiting processed foods, especially processed meat and sugary packaged products. And oncologists told TODAY.com previously that they typically gravitate towards a Mediterranean style of eating.
When it comes to exercise, don’t feel like you need to go all-in immediately, Litton says. “Don’t wait for perfect. If you can do five minutes here, do that,” she says. “That’s better than doing nothing. Fit it in where you can.” Regular physical activity helps heart health, mental wellness and more.
