Every October, pink ribbons appear, signaling the start of breast cancer awareness month. 

Since the 1980’s, breast cancer rates have risen by 44%.

A study in the medical journal Nature shows that 50-70% of breast cancer cases can be prevented through primary prevention and risk-reduction behaviors. You can read more here.

Rather than just being aware, let’s talk about some of the lifestyle choices that drive cancer and the steps you can take to prevent it.

Here are some of the causes:

• Low vitamin D levels and lack of sunlight
• Stress
• Alcohol - causes oxidative stress and impaired liver function
• Liver health - impacts estrogen metabolism
• Poor sleep
• Trauma
• Poor nutrition
• Toxic skincare and home care products

Here are some ways you can support your health:

• Get out in sunlight every day within 90 minutes of waking - it will help set your sleep/wake cycle and support your body's vitamin D production.
  
• Find small ways to manage your stress daily - deep breaths, walking in nature, journaling, taking a bath, sitting quietly - find what works best for you. You can read more here.
  
• Minimize your alcohol consumption - it disrupts your REM sleep, makes menopause symptoms worse, and it’s not good for your liver - find a delicious mocktail you enjoy and put in it a beautiful wine glass.
  
• Prioritize sleep - put your phone and screens away an hour before bedtime - create a routine or ritual for winding down - read, listen to music, or take a bath.
  
• Emotional stressors and trauma can catch up to us in midlife.  Find a therapist to help you navigate through them - the body keeps the score, and traumatic events can leave us sick and in chronic pain.
  
• Prioritize your nutrition.  What you eat profoundly impacts your health, especially as you age.  Work with me to understand how food can change your health.
  
• We’re living in a toxic soup - remove as much plastic from your life as you can, and use non-toxic products to clean your home and personal care products.  You can read more here.
  

Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy has written The Cancer Revolution.  She is an MD who incorporates nutrition and lifestyle changes to support her patients.

I recommend these two articles that she’s written about breast cancer.  You can see them here and here.

You can see my best recommendations of what to buy at Trader Joe’s here.

I have a new article about menopause in Authority Magazine here.