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BE PROACTIVE WITH YOUR BREAST AND OVARIAN HEALTH
courtesy of Bright Pink
You pounded the pavement until you found the perfect job,
got that guy’s number without waiting for him to talk
to you and plan every “girls night out.”
You’re proactive with everything in your life, now take
control of your health, too.
Deborah Lindner, MD, OB/GYN with the Women's Group of Northwestern
and women’s health expert, offers the following tips
to be proactive with your breast and ovarian health:
1. Date Around Before You Commit
You did your homework on PrettyCity.com to find
a hairdresser and a bikini waxer, so do the same legwork
to find a doctor that you know, trust and are comfortable
visiting on a regular basis. Your doctor can not only
help you assess your risk for disease, but can also discuss
with you those lifestyle-related factors, such as oral contraceptives
and fertility drugs, that may impact your risk for breast
and ovarian cancer. Also, speak up when it comes to
your health – you know your body best so it’s
okay to find someone more helpful if your doctor isn’t
giving you the answers you need.
2. BSE (Breast Self-Exam): A Life-Saving
Acronym
Don't wait for a man to get to second base! Conduct
BSEs once a month, in between your yearly mammogram or clinical
breast exams, to screen for tumors and abnormalities.
By doing BSEs regularly, you will become familiar with how
your breasts look and feel normally and be better equipped
to recognize any changes. The best time to perform a
BSE is at the end of your period, when breasts are least tender.
Remember, early detection improves the chances that breast
cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and treated successfully.
Go ahead – feel yourself up! It could save your life.
3. Make Your Time on the Web Count
In between browsing PrettyCity's Love
it or Leave it lists and updating your Facebook
status, take the time to visit the "Talk to a Genetic
Counselor" portion of Bright Pink's Web site, www.bebrightpink.org.
Here you can answer a fast and simple personalized questionnaire
(don’t worry … there are no wrong answers) to
learn if your family history puts you at risk for cancer and,
if so, whether genetic counseling is right for you.
Additionally, you can anonymously submit questions and get
answers from a board-certified genetic counselor.
4. Reap the Benefits of Birth Control
Looking for an excuse to go back on the pill? Studies
show that women who have been taking birth control pills for
five years decrease their risk of developing ovarian cancer
by 50 percent. Studies have also suggested, however,
that women now using oral contraceptives have a slightly greater
risk of breast cancer than women who have never used them.
Discuss any other risk factors with your doctor so you can
choose a method of contraception that's best for you.
5. Breast is Best
Women who wait to have their first child until after the after
age of 30 have a slightly higher risk for developing breast
cancer. If now is the time for baby, moms-to-be should
also consider breast-feeding. Some studies suggest that
breast-feeding slightly lowers women’s risk of breast
and ovarian cancer (especially if breast-feeding is continued
for one and a half to two years). God gave you boobs
for a reason – so use them.
6. Walking is the New "Vegging Out"
Studies conducted by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)
show that women who walked briskly for 1.25 - 2.5 hours per
week had an 18 percent lower risk of breast cancer than inactive
women. Luckily you can catch “Gossip Girl”
later online, so you can make time for both your health and
favorite TV guilty pleasure.
7. Stop at Seconds
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese
may raise the body's level of estrogen. These higher
estrogen levels can increase your likelihood of developing
breast cancer. Put down your fork after your first plate
and select "light" dessert options so you can still
have your cake and eat it too.
8. Drink to Your Health at "Happy Hour"
Limit your alcohol intake. Women who have two to five
drinks daily have about 1.5 times the risk of developing breast
cancer as women who drink no alcohol. Passing on extra
drinks will also reduce your risk of developing cancers of
the throat, mouth and esophagus (not to mention cut calories!).
If you’re feeling the social pressure while out with
your friends, sip a seltzer with lime; they won’t know
the difference.
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