Lesson 2:

REDUCE YOUR RISK

Manitoba Breast & Women’s Cancer Network, Adolescent Breast Health Resource Package, September 2007

Breast cancer is like a puzzle…

◦ with one or more “pieces” that may be working to enhance or reduce one’s risk

Modified from: Zero Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer and Environment Peer Education Tool Kit (see Appendix C).

◦ there are a lot of things we do know about factors that might increase one’s risk for breast cancer

◦ there are also a lot of things we do not know about breast cancer and what may cause it

◦ although we may live a healthy lifestyle and do everything “right,” there is no guarantee we won’t ever get breast cancer

Health related information is always evolving and changing…

It can be difficult to:

• keep up-to-date • access accurate information, and • interpret what the statistics mean

◦ there is much that we do know about some of the things that may increase our risk for breast cancer and there is much that we do not know.

◦ the body of evidence surrounding breast cancer continues to grow

◦ something does not become a risk factor until a large body of research shows a consistent, evidence-based relationship between that factor and breast cancer

The World Wide Web

◦ thanks to the World Wide Web, information has become increasingly easy to get.

◦ sometimes, however, information posted on the internet is:

◦ inconclusive due to lack of research

◦ misleading

◦ inconsistent

◦ false

◦ outdated

◦ it is YOUR responsibility to determine whether the information being presented is correct and presents all sides of the topic

◦ in Canada, including Manitoba, several institutions can be relied upon to provide and interpret the most up-to-date information about breast cancer.

In Canada

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) www.cancer.ca

National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) www.ncic.cancer.ca

In Manitoba

CancerCare Manitoba www.cancercare.mb.ca

Breast Cancer Centre of HOPE www.cancercare.mb.ca/Hope/

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Breast Health Centre

http://www.wrha.mb.ca

Manitoba Breast Screening Programhttp://www.cancercare.mb.ca/MBSP/index.html

◦ we do know about some things that you can do now and throughout your lifetime to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer

What you can do today and throughout your lifetime…

…ACT ON WHAT YOU KNOW!!!

Be Active!

◦ being physically active now and throughout your life can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer

◦ try to get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity everyday

◦ you can build this amount up throughout the day

◦ participate in a variety of activities

◦ choose activities that fit your lifestyle

◦ choose activities that you enjoy

For information about how to incorporate physical activity into your life and community, check out:

http://www.manitobainmotion.ca.htm

Eat Healthy!◦ eat well now and throughout your life for many health benefits and to reduce your risk of breast cancer

◦ balance healthy eating with physical activity

◦ follow Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating

◦ include a variety of foods

◦ choose whole grains and lower fat foods more often

◦ include pulses/legumes (hummus, chili, refried beans, dahl, curried chickpeas)

◦ eat 7-8 servings of fruit and vegetables every day

Don’t Smoke Cigarettes!

◦ cigarette smoking can increase your risk of developing breast cancer among many other health conditions

◦ if you smoke, quit ◦ do not start smoking

◦ avoid second hand smoke

◦ excess alcohol consumption can increase your risk of developing many health conditions including breast cancer

◦ the more you drink the greater your risk for developing breast cancer

Avoid Alcohol

◦ abstain from alcohol consumption

◦ if you choose to drink…

◦ for females: drink no more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day

◦ for males: drink no more than 2 alcoholic beverages per day

be “P.I.N.K.” to reduce your risk

P ractice what you know• eat healthy• be active• don’t smoke• one drink per day or less

I nvestigate the information• know fact from fiction

N know what’s normal• for your body and breasts

K nowledge is power

BREAST CANCER