Are You At Risk for Breast Cancer?

If you’re a woman over 25, the thought of breast cancer has probably crossed your mind. This is one of the most common cancers that women face and while there’s a lot of information about it, there’s also a lot of misinformation.

There are several factors that can make you more likely to develop breast cancer in your lifetime. The first of those risk factors is age.

Women over the age of 50 are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women. Men can develop breast cancer, but women are 100 times more likely to do so.

People who have a family history of breast cancer are also more likely to develop the disease. If you have a history of colorectal, uterine, or ovarian cancer you may also have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Research has also shown a correlation between breast cancer risk and the menstrual cycle. Women who develop early and get their period before age 12 also have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

This is also true for women who enter menopause after age 55.

Modern genetics has also discovered a link between the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These genes normally produce proteins that are protective.

However, if you have a defect in one of these genes, you’ll be more likely to develop breast cancer.

Childbirth can also affect your risk of developing the disease. Women who never have children or who have children later in life – after age 30 – are more likely to develop breast cancer.

If you have children early in life and if you have more than one child you can actually reduce your risk of cancer.

There are also some lifestyle factors that can increase your risk of breast cancer. These include excessive alcohol use.

For the purposes of cancer risk, this is defined as drinking more than 1-2 glasses a day.

If you take hormone replacement therapy after menopause, you’ll also have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

This is because the hormone estrogen is thought to fuel breast cancer growth.

A link has also been found between obesity and breast cancer risk, although the exact reason is not known.

It may be that women who are obese produce higher amounts of estrogen (similar to the theory of hormone replacement therapy).

You may also be at higher breast cancer risk if you’ve ever been treated with radiation therapy for another type of cancer in the chest area.

This is even more likely if you were treated during puberty and breast development.

There are some things that do not put you more at risk including antiperspirant, breast implants, and underwire bras – though these are common myths.

Knowing your risk factors for breast cancer will help you to seek screening early and prevent late stage cancers.

Learn more about your health online when you read the rest of our information here about: Breast Cancer and breast health issues

** Further reading through our articles on health issues will give you a body of information that will help you decide what options you have to deal with the underlying causes of your problem through giving your body the nutrition products that will assist you body to heal from the inside out.

You can visit our health food products page here: Herbalife Health Nutrition Supplements and learn more about our core nutrition program, the Cellular Nutrition Advanced Program and also check out these targeted products, Florafiber to replace your healthy flora and Aloe Vera Juice to help cleanse your system.

We wish you well in your search for solutions to this problem and your movement towards better health in all areas.

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