Breast cancer represents the first cause of cancer death among women in our environment and unfortunately, its incidence is slowly increasing. Undoubtedly, early diagnosis is one of the best weapons to fight this serious disease, but its prevention is also paramount.
Although there are risk factors for breast cancer that we can not control (such as age or there is a history of this type of cancer in the family), there are others that do and that therefore should be taken into account. It has been scientifically proven that each woman could reduce her risk individually by making small changes in her lifestyle such as controlling her weight (to avoid obesity), carrying out an adequate diet or practicing exercise on a regular basis. In this sense we want to emphasize the importance of some factors that have been shown to reduce the risk of this type of cancer occurring, such as breastfeeding your children.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer, according to the European Code Against Cancer. This reduction is of 4% for every 12 cumulative months, that is, the sum of periods in which a woman has breast-fed a baby, a practice that the EU recommends doing until six months of age and, from then on, combining it with appropriate foods for the little one.
There are several reasons why breastfeeding protects the health of the breasts:
• Produce milk constantly limits the ability of mammary cells to act abnormally.
• Most women have fewer menstrual cycles when breastfeeding (added to 9 months without menstruation during pregnancy), which results in lower levels of estrogen.
• Most women tend to eat more nutritious foods and to adopt a healthier lifestyle (for example, limit the consumption of alcohol and tobacco) while breastfeeding.
In addition, beyond protecting the health of the breast, breastfeeding provides important benefits to the baby and helps the bonding process.
If breastfeeding is an option for you, it is advisable that you consider it. In addition to possibly decreasing your risk of breast cancer, breastfeeding provides antibodies to your baby through breast milk, which can protect you from viral and bacterial infections. Even so, these are very personal decisions that are influenced by many factors besides the risk of breast cancer and if you can breastfeed.
After a double mastectomy, unfortunately it is impossible to breastfeed. After a lumpectomy or quadrantectomy (“breast conservation” surgery) and radiation, the treated breast usually produces little or no milk, but, usually, the other breast can produce it normally. The milk of one breast may be enough or you may have to supplement it with infant formula. Some women may choose to use a breast milk donor. An experienced specialist can help you determine the best possible solution for your particular case.
Regardless of whether you breastfeed, there are choices about the lifestyle you can adopt to minimize the risk of breast cancer:
– keep a healthy weight.
– exercise regularly.
– limit alcohol consumption.
– eat a healthy diet with high fruit and vegetable contents.
– never smoke (or quit smoking if you smoke).
Consult with us your case or that of the person of your affected environment. Our consultant oncologists specialized in HC Marbella are leaders in Spain and recognized throughout Europe. They work together in multidisciplinary committee groups, to offer you a coordinated team, all of them dedicated to obtaining the best results.
October 4, 2018
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