VIDEO Link: Healthy lifestyle may help prevent breast cancer
(NECN/CNN: Susan Hendricks) - Adopting a healthy lifestyle today may help prevent breast cancer in the future.
Studies have shown that women who exercise 30 minutes at least three times a week are less likely to develop the disease, partly because exercise helps boost the immune system.
Studies have not shown that a specific diet lowers risk of breast cancer.
"But a healthy diet does obviously play a role in maintaining a healthy weight. And I think that's where women who eat well have a healthier weight are at lower risk of breast cancer."
And if you're going to consume alcohol, keep it to one drink or less a day.
"Women who consume two or more alcoholic beverages per day have been found to have an increase risk of breast cancer."
A risk that is 20 to 30 percent higher, partly because alcohol uses up folic acid, an important B vitamin.
Because of their genetics, some women will develop breast cancer no matter their lifestyle. But experts say cancer survivors may help prevent a recurrence by adopting these healthy habits.
