One of the causes of worry for most women in today’s world is breast cancer— invasive cancer is rated as a leading cause of death among females.

Although every woman is at risk of developing cancer of the breast, certain routines have been proven by experts over the years to lower a woman’s risk.

In commemoration of the annual breast cancer awareness month observed every October the world over, find here six easy routines that could help lower your risk of developing breast cancer and lead a healthy life.

Exercise

Experts say women who are physically active are 25% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who are not.

Regular exercise can help prevent breast cancer by boosting immune function, warding off obesity, and lowering levels of estrogen and insulin.

Along with helping you maintain your weight, exercise can also improve bone mass, which is a critical issue for breast cancer survivors who have undergone chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

Even walking daily will help a great deal.

Whether you’re trying to prevent breast cancer, are fighting breast cancer, or have survived breast cancer, exercise can help.

Eat healthily

Aim to fill your plate with at least five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Cancer-fighting foods such as broccoli, watermelon, cabbage, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids should be your regular. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in walnuts, fish, soybeans, and pumpkin seeds.

Avoid refined sugars because with weight gain comes a higher risk of breast cancer.

Stay hydrated

Keep a water bottle on hand and aim for about 2 to 3 liters of water a day.

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it takes in. Our bodies are nearly 60% water; so, water is our lifeblood. Staying hydrated is important for both preventing cancer and treating cancer because fluids carry nutrients to cells, flush bacteria from the bladder, and prevent constipation.

Avoid alcohol

Alcohol is considered one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer. In fact, women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage per day, or even just two, are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

There is obviously no safe level of alcohol consumption. So, the risk of breast cancer increases with each unit of alcohol consumed per day. Just always bear in mind that alcohol increases estrogen levels in your body, which may contribute to hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Increase vitamin D intake

Women with low levels of vitamin D may run a greater risk of developing breast cancer, and breast cancer survivors with low vitamin D levels may have a greater risk of disease recurrence.

You can get vitamin D through sun exposure, but because that can cause skin cancer, experts suggest absorbing your dose through foods and supplements. Vitamin-D-rich foods include fatty fish such as salmon, egg yolks, cheese, and milk.

Do a regular breast self-examination

This list will be incomplete without a regular breast self-examination reminder. The breasts are lumpy and sore before periods, which can lead to misdiagnosis. So, do this monthly after your periods and not during or before your periods, using a flat hand or your palm.