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Article Series: Breast Cancer
Help Me Understand Breast Cancer
Breast
Cancer, Your Environment & Other Risk Factors
Although there is extensive ongoing research
it still remains difficult to pinpoint what may be an exact
cause for any one individual developing breast cancer. And
even when the medical community allows that a number of factors
may contribute to this disease it still remains the case that
many women who develop it do not fall into risky categories
- other than being a woman and perhaps getting older.
So when it comes to considering the effect of our environment
or other issues on our developing breast cancer, it is important
to bear in mind that this information is provided to allow
us to get an over all view of what may be contributing factors
and how we can respond to do all within our ability to remain
healthy and cancer free.
It is well known that our modern age has seen the ever
growing accumulation of toxins in our environment. A large number of
these toxins are regarded as carcinogens. It would seem a logical
conclusion that these toxins would be affecting our health.
Very often though, there lacks the clinical proof that equates
one with the other. This is partly due to the fact that as
unique individuals we are all affected in different manners
- that, coupled with varying lifestyles and genetics and it
can be hard to pinpoint the causal effect.
Nonetheless, common sense tells us that we should be watchful
and try to limit our exposure to items that are carcinogenic.
This would include such things as cigarette smoke and strong
chemicals such as pesticides. It would also entail examining
our diet to avoid overly processed foods that contain a number
of additives and to watching that our food is not burnt.
Other risk factors include:
Radiation. According to the Mayo Clinic - if someone has had
radiation treatments to the chest while a child - this makes
them more susceptible to breast cancer.
Being
overweight is thought to play a role - especially if
the weight is gained after menopause.
If a woman starts her period at a young age, or if she doesn't
start menopause till after she is fifty-five this has been
shown to put her into a higher risk category.
Having menopause treated with hormone therapy - which is receiving
estrogen and progesterone for four years or more is also considered
a high risk factor.
Smoking and being constantly exposed to second hand smoke
can play a role.
Too much alcohol has been cited as a risk and it is recommended
to keep a limit of having only one drink per day at the most.
And just plain getting older seems to increase your chances
as statistics show that most of the breast cancers seem to
occur in women over fifty and the probability increases even
more dramatically from then on.
In today's complex world it can truly be said that just being
a woman places one at risk for breast cancer. However, the
goal in researching and trying to gain a better understanding
of causes and risks is to find ways to be proactive in keeping
ourselves and others healthy and cancer free. The more knowledge
we gain - the more we will be able to make the necessary decisions
and changes in our life that will be for the positive.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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