Emotional trauma and obesity can both increase the risk of you getting breast cancer 

Everything you need to know about the causes and risks this Breast Cancer Awareness Month
People who are exposed to certain carcinogens (tobacco, asbestos, UV rays, alcohol, pollution and so on) are more likely to fall prey to this disease
People who are exposed to certain carcinogens (tobacco, asbestos, UV rays, alcohol, pollution and so on) are more likely to fall prey to this disease

Last week, we saw a gist on what is breast cancer and this week, we shall talk about the causes and risk factor for the same. If you have a strong family history of breast cancer, then there are chances that you’ll likely have it too. There are a number of inherited mutated genes, which increase the likelihood of breast cancer. These genes have been identified as breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), which significantly increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.

Exposure to estrogen for a longer period of time happens to increase the risk of breast cancer. When I say exposure to estrogens, it could be due to starting one’s periods at an early age or by entering menopause later, during the reproductive stage, our body is exposed to higher levels of estrogen. And, that’s the only reason why your doctor might have mentioned that breastfeeding is really important to reduce the chances of breast cancer, because pregnancy followed by breastfeeding reduces our exposure to estrogen, and it again starts increasing once we stop the breastfeeding.
 



Obesity is another factor that increases risk of getting the disease, so it’s better to control your weight in order to stay healthy and active. This one is particularly for girls or women who pop OCPs to keep their menses in check and feel that it’s normal to have it on a regular basis. Birth control pills basically contain a high amount of estrogen and progestin, which regulates periods in a timely manner. Over-consumption of these meds put you at risk of getting cancer.

People who are exposed to certain carcinogens (tobacco, asbestos, UV rays, alcohol, pollution etc) and endocrine disruptors (chemicals that hamper the function of the endocrine system), for a longer period or at the workplace are also likely to experience breast cancer/cancer/other health hazards. Age and activity too are really important when it comes to staying away from this disease. 

As you get older, you should be doing regular screenings to keep a check on your body’s activity. Activity is important to improve blood circulation and for detoxification, if toxins get accumulated — that too leads to health issues. Emotional health too plays an important role in keeping you away from the disease. Too much stress, internalising emotions, regrets, jealousy, fear, anger, trauma and so on leads to increased cortisol levels, which stay high for a longer time and cause changes in the body, which can lead to cancer.

These are a few of the risk factors or causes of cancer that we all might be going through at some point, but we need to make sure that we keep the environment of our body and house clean, so they do not have drastic effects. See you soon with a few tips on how to manage your health well to stay away from this scourge!

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