Limiting the risk of breast cancer

Many breast cancer risk factors are linked to lifestyle and environment. Healthy habits can help limit your risk of developing breast cancer.  

Here are some general recommendations to incorporate into your daily life as much as possible:

Limit your alcohol consumption

No amount of alcohol is safe to consume. The risk increases proportionally to the amount consumed, which means you should limit your alcohol consumption. The less you drink, the more you limit the risk. You can refer to Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health

Adopt a healthy and balanced diet

A healthy, balanced diet can help to maintain good overall health and manage body composition. Although our My Active Health Nutrition Program was designed and developed primarily for people diagnosed with breast cancer, the tips are based on some of the main principles of a healthy, balanced diet, which are just as applicable to preventing cancer as they are to managing it. 

Active lifestyle

Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to high-intensity physical activity a week can reduce your risk of breast cancer. Limiting sedentary activities such as sitting or lying down is also recommended. To integrate physical activity into your daily life, consider walking or cycling to get around or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Avoid tobacco

Quitting smoking or avoiding exposure to second-hand smoke helps to limit your risk of breast cancer. Giving up smoking isn’t easy; ask for help to quit smoking if you need it.  

Breastfeed

Breastfeeding, where possible and desired, reduces the risk of breast cancer. 

Reduce your exposure to hormones

Discuss the pros and cons of hormone treatment with your doctor so you can weigh the risks and benefits together.  

Have a doctor assess your risk

Ask a doctor to assess your personal level of risk to determine if particular prevention strategies are required and if you should be referred to a genetic counsellor.  

Learn more about genetics and breast cancer in our educational videos

If your cancer risk is high

If your cancer risk is high, you can talk to your doctor about the different strategies for reducing the likelihood of developing the disease. Some treatments (chemoprevention) or preventive (prophylactic) surgeries can considerably reduce the risk of breast cancer (e.g., preventive mastectomy, ovarian removal). 

Based on your level of risk, your doctor can also recommend personalized screening strategies.  

Learn more about prophylactic surgeries in our educational videos.