Things to do This Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Even though October is coming to an end, the time to take action is not over. Here is what you can do to join the fight: 

Improve your lifestyle

The single most proactive step we can take is to be in charge of our own health. To help prevent breast cancer:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Both increased body weight and weight gain as an adult are linked with a higher risk of breast cancer after menopause. 
• Increase your physical activity. Exercising at a moderate or intense level every week can lower the risk of breast cancer. 
• Do not smoke. Smoking is linked to a number of diseases, including breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. 
• Watch your diet. According to the American Cancer Society, studies suggest that a diet that is high in vegetables, fruit, and calcium-rich dairy products, but low in red and processed meats can help lower the risk of breast cancer.
• Cut back on alcohol. Women who have any alcohol at all have a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who don’t drink at all.

Check in with a friend

After hearing about a loved one’s breast cancer diagnosis, it can take time to process emotions and settle into the new reality. It can be hard to reach out regularly when it feels like our words should be powerful and compassionate enough to ease the burden, to lift the sadness. However, what is really needed most of the time is far more simple: a friend who listens and stays near, beyond the initial consolation - someone who is not deterred by the fear the diagnosis instills. Reach out to a friend affected, if only to lend a listening ear. 

Raise awareness

Awareness encourages women to protect themselves by taking steps to both prevent breast cancer and to detect it early. If you find yourself reading this, chances are you know a thing or two about breast cancer already, perhaps through your own personal experience, family member’s experience, or a friend’s. Don’t be afraid to share your story with the people you love and on social media, any audience size can make a difference. This October, you might also consider donating to trusted charities, and most importantly, make sure you know when you are due for a breast exam.

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