Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, and with the development of medical sciences, the success rate in treating breast cancer has increased, in addition to the possibility of preventing it by natural or medicinal methods. In this article, we mention the most important information about breast cancer prevention.
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What is breast cancer and how does it occur?
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women, and it can affect men in some rare cases . Breast cancer occurs when some cells in the breast tissue begin to grow in an abnormal way and at a faster rate than the growth of the rest of the normal cells in the breast, which leads To form lumps or cancerous tumors.
There are more than 18 types of breast cancer, but the most well-known types are invasive lactic carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. The grade of breast cancer is classified from zero to four, where the cancer is grade 0 and does not spread to healthy cells, while in grade 4 the tumor has begun Actually moving to the rest of the body and here it poses a threat to the patient’s life.
Breast cancer is diagnosed through an x-ray or mammogram, which reveals the presence of a lump in the breast without specifying its type, and the doctor may resort to other forms of diagnosis such as magnetic resonance and ultrasound, and to determine the type of tumor, a sample of the affected tissue is taken and examined in The laboratory, and accordingly, the treatment is determined.
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How to prevent breast cancer with healthy habits
Most women wonder what can be done to reduce the risk of breast cancer? More than 25% of breast cancer cases can be prevented by simply making a simple lifestyle change, including the following:
- Exercising: Walking briskly and regularly for half an hour to an hour five times a week reduces the risk of cancer. Physical activity helps reduce the levels of hormones in the body such as estrogen, insulin and testosterone, which prevents breast cancer.
- Stop smoking: Smoking increases the risk of 12 types of cancer, including breast cancer. The chemicals that enter the body through smoke inhalation destroy the DNA in the body and cause changes in its genes, causing the emergence and spread of cancerous tumors in the body.
- Maintaining a healthy weight: When entering menopause, most estrogen comes from adipose tissue, and high levels of estrogen increase the risk of breast cancer, so it is recommended to maintain a healthy weight and get rid of excess weight to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
- Exposure to sunlight: The body naturally produces vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin, as this vitamin helps to enhance the efficiency of the immune system. Low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of breast cancer, so it is recommended to be exposed to the sun for twenty minutes in the morning between the hour Eight to eleven o’clock and exposure to the sun is not recommended after that, and vitamin D can also be obtained through a dietary supplement.
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- Avoid plastic tools: Plastic contains bisphenol, one of the chemicals that disrupt the endocrine glands and cause hormonal disorders, especially estrogen, which increases the risk of breast cancer, so you should avoid drinking water from plastic containers or eating food, especially hot in plates or cups. plastic and replace it with glassware.
- Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding reduces the chances of developing breast cancer , as it reduces the effect of hormones that increase the risk of developing breast tumors.
- Avoid alcohol: Consuming large amounts of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer due to the increase in estrogen in the body and the increase in the rate and spread of cancer cells. It also works to damage the DNA in the breasts, so it is advised to avoid or reduce alcoholic beverages.
- Avoid excessive use of birth control pills: Taking birth control pills does not cause breast cancer, but excessive use of them for more than two consecutive years can cause hormonal disorders in the body, which may lead to tumors, so it is recommended to take birth control pills intermittently with the use of contraindications Non-hormonal pregnancies, such as condoms and the coil, or natural, such as ejaculation outside the vagina or calculating.
- Breast self-examination: Doctors advise that women from the age of 20 start periodic self-examination at least once a year, and although home breast examination does not give accurate results, it helps in early detection and timely medical care in case you notice Ms. any abnormal condition in the shape of the breast.
- Periodic review of the breast examination: The annual periodic review and the necessary examinations help in the early detection of breast cancer , which increases the chances of treating it with medications without resorting to surgical treatment.
Breast cancer prevention foods and foods
There is a relationship between diet and breast cancer , the more healthy the diet, the greater the body’s ability to resist and prevent cancer, and foods that help reduce the risk of breast cancer are:
- Eating more fish: Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and shrimp is a good source of protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, selenium and omega-3, all of which are necessary to strengthen the immune system and prevent various types of cancer, especially breast cancer.
- Eating dairy: Dairy contains probiotics or beneficial bacteria that enhance the immune system and increase the body’s ability to resist diseases and produce antibodies that attack foreign bodies, especially cancer cells, and inhibit their ability to damage healthy body cells.
- Eating fiber: fiber is found in plant foods, and the more you consume plant foods, the lower the levels of estrogen in the body, which is the hormone that increases the chances of developing breast cancer. Fiber is found in legumes, whole grains, vegetables, nuts and fruits.
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- Eating colored vegetables: Colored vegetables contain a high percentage of carotenoids that have anti-cancer properties of all kinds and help prevent the formation, development and spread of these tumors, especially carrots, oranges, spinach, lemons, broccoli, tomatoes, mangoes and apricots.
- Avoid canned foods: The problem with canned and processed food is that it contains high calories, in addition to containing a high percentage of sugar, salt, and fats, as well as preservatives that interact with packages, increasing the risk of breast cancer, so it is advised to avoid canned food and replace it with fresh foods.
- Reducing the consumption of processed meat: One of the most factors that increases the risk of breast cancer is the excessive consumption of processed meat such as sausage, canned or processed meat such as salami, because it contains high levels of cholesterol, saturated fats and iron compounds in the blood, all of which promote the development of breast cancer.
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Preventing breast cancer with herbs
Herbs by themselves do not prevent breast cancer, but they reduce the chance of developing it if combined with a healthy diet and healthy habits. Among the most useful herbs in preventing breast cancer are:
- Green tea: Green tea is one of the most effective cancer-fighting herbs throughout the body. It contains a high concentration of powerful antioxidants, which fight free radicals that tamper with DNA and damage cells. Eating two cups of green tea daily reduces the risk of breast cancer.
- Turmeric: Turmeric contains a substance called curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant that works to fight free radicals, which prevents the formation of malignant tumors, especially in the breast area. Turmeric can be used by adding it to foods or eating a spoonful of ground turmeric daily.
- Flaxseed: Flax seed helps prevent the growth of tumors in the breast because it contains a good proportion of necessary acids, including omega-3, all of which are useful in reducing the risk of breast cancer.
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- Garlic: Garlic strengthens the health of the immune system in the body, which helps in fighting cancer cells. It is rich in antioxidants. It is used by eating two garlic tablets daily on an empty stomach or introducing raw or cooked garlic to daily foods.
- Milk thistle: Milk thistle or Saint Mary thistle is considered a herbal remedy for many diseases. It contains antioxidant properties. It also contains silymarin, which has an anti-cancer effect. It prevents cancer cells from multiplying and dividing, and reduces blood flow to tumors, which reduces the lifespan of cancer cells. It is taken daily by one cup of milk thistle herbal infusion.
- Grape seeds: The antioxidants in grape seeds help reduce the risk of breast cancer by preventing the growth of cancer cells. A tablespoon of grape seeds can be added to food daily.
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Preventing breast cancer with medication
Doctors may prescribe medications that reduce the risk of breast cancer, especially for women who have a high risk of developing it. These medications include:
- Tamoxifen: It is one of the drugs that are used exclusively for the prevention and treatment of cancer, which is mainly based on reducing the factors that increase the growth of cancer cells in the breast. This drug is usually given for 5 consecutive years under the supervision of the doctor and its effect remains for five Years after stopping it, but its risks increase the growth of the lining of the uterus and thus increase the chance of developing uterine cancer.
- Raloxifen (Raloxifen): This drug is mainly used in the treatment of osteoporosis and is also used to prevent breast cancer, as this drug fights the negative effects of estrogen without causing the growth of the endometrium, but it may cause dryness in the vagina, pain in muscles and joints and weight gain. Because it contains cortisone.
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- Anastrozole: Anastrozole is a drug intended for the prevention or treatment of breast cancer only in postmenopausal women. It works by blocking the secretion of estrogen in the body, but it may have side effects, including the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.
- Exemestane is a drug that is prescribed to treat or prevent breast cancer or to prevent it from returning after recovery, and it works by reducing estrogen levels in the body, which slows the development of breast tumors that depend on estrogen to grow. medication by the pregnant woman.
- Letrozole: Also prescribed after menopause to prevent or treat early-stage breast cancer, edema and hot flashes are common side effects.
- Preventive surgery: There are women who have certain genetic mutations that make them highly susceptible to breast cancer and the possibility of developing it is high. The specialist doctor recommends a mastectomy despite the absence of cancerous masses to reduce the chance of developing breast cancer.
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