How to Prevent More than a Third of Breast Cancer

Seeing pink? Breast cancer pink (not Halloween orange) is now the can't-miss color for October. It's splashed on everything from pizza boxes to the White House. Despite a small stink about pink among some breast cancer research advocates (pink ribbons have adorned several not-so-healthful products, such as fat-packed fried chicken, which actually promotes breast cancer), no one argues with pink's take-charge message: You can do plenty to detect, survive and prevent breast cancer (including avoiding fried foods), despite occasional mistakes and muddled messages.

Case in point: NBC journalist Andrea Mitchell's inspiring announcement about her breast cancer, caught early by a mammogram: "I'm already back at work with a terrific prognosis," Mitchell told her huge TV audience. "I'm looking at this as a life lesson. For you women out there, and for the men who love you, getting a mammogram matters. Do it." Bravo! But Mitchell also caught some flack for muddling a few facts. She said she was among the "one in eight" women with breast cancer. That's the average lifetime risk of getting breast cancer -- not, thankfully, the number of women who have it right now. She also said it's "completely curable if you find it at the right time." No, that depends on the type, though in her case, the 5-year survival rate (not "curable" rate) is 98%.

Mitchell's basic "get a mammogram" message was right on. When headlines shout that mammograms aren't worth getting or that lifestyle changes don't matter, don't feel confused. Just remember these vital "pink" facts:

1. Regular breast-cancer screenings (starting at age 40, or sooner if you have a family history) slash your risk for fatal breast cancer by 30%.
2. Survival rates with great quality of life are increasing yearly, thanks to earlier detection and better treatments.
3. Watching your weight, eating your eating your broccoli and cauliflower (and other cruciferous vegetables), being active every day, having at most one drink daily, and -- if you're a new mom -- breastfeeding prevents more than a third of breast cancers.

Here are a couple pink-spirited ways to one-up breast cancer:

• Personalize your prevention. Not sure where you stand risk-wise? Take the RealAge breast cancer risk assessment. If you're at above-average risk, plenty of factors can lower it. In addition to staying slim and active, not smoking, and eating smart (lots of veggies, no fried foods), talk to your doc about taking two baby aspirins a day and 1,000 IU of vitamin D3. Earlier and more frequent screenings, getting super-serious about lifestyle changes -- even considering a cancer-prevention drug, such as tamoxifen -- could also be powerful moves for you. ( Watch this breast cancer news video to see how much your lifestyle matters.)
• Go for a triple play. Many women worry far more about breast cancer than heart disease, even though cardiac trouble is the number one threat for women. But get this: The same steps lower your risk for both -- and smack down type II diabetes, too! We're talking about managing your weight and waist size, exercising, and choosing foods that cool inflammation and are blood-sugar-friendly. You know the eats: fruits, vegetables, and 100% whole grains. The connections don't stop there. After menopause, nearly one in six cases of breast cancer is linked to excess body fat, as is diabetes. Women with diabetes are at far higher risk of heart disease and (this is new) at higher risk for breast cancer.

If you and your doc decide breast cancer is a significantly bigger threat for you than heart disease, sharply limit or eliminate beer, wine, and cocktails. Even though a drink a day is heart-protective, not drinking definitely reduces breast cancer risk. Both the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research now endorse this step regardless. They believe the extra cancer risk of one daily drink outweighs its heart benefits. So, toast to the fall season with a rosy, flavonoid-rich glass of Concord grape or pomegranate juice fortified with DHA. You'll be in the pink.

Take our newly updated breast cancer risk assessment today!