A middle aged caucasian woman shows a look of determination as she does an ab workout with a group of people in a gym.
Have you embraced healthy habits to help prevent breast cancer? Those same behaviors also keep hearts strong, blood pressures in check, glucose levels in the healthy range, and more.
“You’re a whole person, which means your body’s systems work together,” says LaNette Smith, MD, Breast Surgeon, Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG) Breast Surgery. “For example, the same things that lower your risk for cardiovascular disease – exercise, not smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating a nutritious diet – also decrease your risk of breast cancer.”
In January – when you’re committing to New Year’s resolutions – Dr. Smith and the team at YRMG Breast Surgery remind you of the collective benefits of a healthy lifestyle and also offer these breast health tips:
- Start yearly screening mammography at age 40 and continue yearly screening long as you are healthy.
- Screening mammography is our best tool for detecting breast cancer earlier. Alternative screening methods should not replace screening mammography. Certain tests, like breast ultrasound and breast MRI, are supplements to mammography.
- Discuss your personal risk for breast cancer with your physician. Risk assessment is important to creating individualized breast screening plans.
- Help prevent breast cancer or decrease your risk for recurrence with regular exercise, not smoking, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight and limiting alcohol.
- Do not let lack of health insurance or financial concerns stand in the way of your annual mammography. The YRMG, Breast Surgery team can connect you to resources.
Check out DignityHealth.org/YRMC for more information about breast health and YRMG Breast Surgery or call (928) 442-8740. To schedule an annual breast screening, contact your physician or the Breast Care Center at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center at (928) 442-8900.
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Submitted by Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Group