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Sunny. High 86F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Clear skies. Low near 65F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

When it comes to a foolproof secret for preventing breast cancer, there isn’t one.

Some factors can’t be controlled, like being a woman, getting older or inheriting cancer-causing genes.

Other factors are being tall, having dense breast tissue, starting menstrual cycles before age 12, going through menopause after age 55 or having radiation treatment to the chest.

There are, however, risk factors you can control to reduce the chances of getting breast cancer.

Weight: Being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk, especially after menopause.

According to the American Cancer Society, after menopause, most of a woman’s estrogen comes from fat tissue, and more fat tissue means more estrogen is produced, raising the risk of breast cancer.

Also, women who are overweight tend to have higher levels of insulin, which has also been linked to breast cancer.

So, if you’re at a healthy weight, stay there. If not, try losing those extra pounds. Besides reducing your cancer risk, losing even a small amount of weight has other health benefits.

Diet: The American Cancer Society recommends eating mostly vegetables, fruits, fiber-rich legumes (beans and peas) and whole grains; avoiding or limiting red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) and processed meat (bacon, sausage, luncheon meats, and hot dogs), foods high in saturated fats (butter, lard, cheese, ice cream) and sugar-sweetened beverages, and eating fewer sweets.

In addition to lowering your risk of cancer, a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other cancer types.

Exercise and avoid long periods of time sitting: Get up and get moving – the American Cancer Society recommends getting regular physical activity, 45-60 minutes five or more days a week, to help reduce breast cancer risk.

Also, limit sedentary behaviors like sitting, lying down, watching TV, especially if you spend most of your working day sitting.

Alcohol consumption: Research has shown that drinking any alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer and the more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer.

Women who choose to drink alcohol are recommended to limit themselves to only one alcoholic drink on any given day (12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor).

Smoking: Smoking is associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk, but is a higher risk factor in other cancers, cardiac and respiratory illnesses. If you smoke, quit.

Breast-feed: Breast-feeding might play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.

Limit postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Combination hormone therapy (estrogen plus progesterone) may increase the risk of breast cancer.

Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of HRT and the options of managing menopausal symptoms with non-hormonal therapies and medications.

If you choose HRT, ask your health care provider about using the lowest dose that works for the shortest amount of time, and continue to have regular checkups in the duration.

The exception is women who have had a hysterectomy, since their HRT is estrogen-only and estrogen alone does not increase breast cancer risk.

However, women who still have a uterus are at increased risk of endometrial cancer from estrogen-only HRT.

Note: Some women are concerned about whether there’s a link between birth control pills and breast cancer.

According to information from the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation, studies show that while women are taking birth control pills or are using an IUD that releases hormones, their breast cancer risk is 20-30 percent higher than for women who’ve never taken the pill.

However, since the overall risk of breast cancer for most young women is low, once they stop taking birth control pills, the risk of breast cancer begins to decrease until, over time, the level of risk returns to that of those who have never taken the pill.

Be vigilant about breast cancer detection. If you notice any changes in your breasts, such as a new lump or skin changes, consult your doctor. Also, ask your doctor when to begin mammograms and other screenings based on your personal history.

Nancy Kennedy can be reached at 352-564-2927 or by email at nkennedy@chronicleonline.com.

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