Knowledge and subsequent action are the most important parts of breast health. Keeping your breasts healthy can reduce your risk of breast cancer and breast related diseases. It is critical to be aware of the things you put in your body and how you treat your body. This alone can help your girls significantly! This article isn’t just about breast cancer prevention – it’s about prevention of all kinds of breast disorders from breast cancer to nipple discharge to breast pain, rashes, cysts, lumps and bumps, mammary duct problems, and so much more.

There are so many natural ways to protect our cells from damage. This includes the food we eat, reducing chemical exposure and maintaining a healthy weight.

Here are 9 Tips You Need To Know for Keeping Your Breasts Healthy

1. Foods for breast health

The foods we eat are critical for breast health as well as overall health. Start with getting rid of those harmful foods that are GMO and filled with toxins. Fruits and vegetables should be organic. Pesticides, herbicides and “frankenfoods” effect our health in every single way. Make sure you wash and scrub all fruits and veggies organic or not.

Also look for organic pasture-raised meat. Be extremely careful with the packaged foods you consume. Make sure they are organic and chemical-free with as few ingredients as possible.

Next, avoid sugar. Cancer and disease love sugar. Avoiding sugar is perhaps the most important tip for good health and breast health. Lastly, avoid foods that are inflammatory. For most people this usually includes conventional dairy and gluten.

2. Reduce chemical exposure

Studies link indoor and outdoor chemical exposure to an increase in the risk of breast cancer and other breast diseases. This includes things such as plastic food containers, BPA-lined cans, fluoride and chlorine in your drinking water, toxic cleaners, dryer sheets and the list goes on. Begin by educating yourself as to what is harmful and then systematically eliminate these items from your environment to the best extent possible.

3. Sleep

People who work the night shift do not get enough sunlight and tend to have disruption in circadian rhythms. Sleep is critical for cancer prevention as well as disease prevention. Make sure you are getting adequate and quality sleep.

4. Alcohol Consummation

As hard is this may be for many people to accept, alcohol consumption is directly related to an increase in cancer. It does not matter what type of alcohol you drink, but rather how much you drink. The standard is that just one drink per day every day increases your risk overall for breast disease and breast cancer is on the top of that list.

5. Be a Quitter Today

It is hard to believe that there are still people who smoke considering all the knowledge we have today about how harmful it is to your health. If you are still smoking, consider quitting. Tobacco smoke and breast cancer risk go hand and hand. Nicotine and thousands of other harmful toxins are in cigarettes. It might not be easy but it will be worth it.

6. Healthy Body Weight

Women are different in many ways, including size. Maintaining a health body weight is not about your overall size, but whether you are at a health weight for your height. Know your BMI and stay within the healthy range. You can use an online calculator to determine your BMI. Women with higher BMI many have a higher risk of breast cancer.

7. Be Active

Physical activity can reduce breast-related diseases. Exercise regulates many hormones in the body and helps keep them at a neutral level. Try to get at least some form of exercise per day. Walking alone has been shown to help prevent breast cancer. Get a fitbit and wear it to monitor your steps. Note: It can also monitor other important aspects of your health including your sleep. Generally, people shoot for 10,000 steps a day, but any physical activity will help. You can also take ten-minute breaks for moving throughout your day. It does not have to be walking. Simply moving more can work wonders for your health and disease prevention.

8. Feel Them and See a Doctor

Learn how to do a self-exam and be sure to do it regularly. See: How to Do a Self Breast Exam.

9. Signs and symptoms

Always be on the lookout for any change in your breasts. Breast lumps are not uncommon and most are not cancerous, however they should be examined immediately. Also seek an evaluation if you notice any skin changes, redness or nipple discharge.