breast cancer awareness Archives - Amala virgin hair

October month is the international campaign for breast cancer awareness. Did you know that breast cancer is the second more common cancer that touches women after skin cancer? Far too many of us have lost a mother, a sister, a daughter, a family member, a friend or a colleague because of this disease. As some of you may know I also lost my mother from breast cancer. Let’s have a talk!

Smoking has been linked to an increased risk for almost every type of cancer and women who smoke are nearly four times more likely to develop breast cancer than non-smokers.

Excess fat can increase the body’s estrogen levels.  Estrogen can cause the growth of breast cancer cells. Women who are obese after menopause are 30 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

Staying active is key to staying healthy. Exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, can make a big impact on your health

Alcohol INTAKE can increase levels of estrogen and an increased lifetime estrogen exposure is associated with breast cancer.

Also when we metabolize alcohol, it’s converted into acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product that can damage DNA and interfere with our ability to repair it. If you can’t avoid alcool, reduce it as much as you can.

Some studies suggest that a woman who breastfeed the first 6 months drop breast cancer risk by 40%. This seems to be because women don’t menstruate while breastfeeding, which lowers their exposure to estrogen.