We know that a diet that is high in fat and processed foods and low in wholefoods, fruits and vegetables has been linked to certain types of cancer. If little or no exercise is taken that adds another risk factor and perhaps one of the biggest, and least paid attention to, is the effect that prolonged or long-term stress can have.

Stress is a factor in many illnesses and if you know your life has a stress load such as caring for a sick relative, or struggling to pay the bills, or just having taken on too many tasks to cope easily with then that is something to tackle first.

Signs To Look Out For

If you regularly perform a self examination every month, and have a yearly check up with your doctor if you have a family or genetic risk, then simply keeping an eye out for these changes in your breasts will increase your chances of spotting any signs of cancer early. Make a note if you have any of these indicators:

1. Feel, or see any thickening, or a lump, around your underarm or breast

2. Any change in either the shape or size of your breast

3. Any tenderness or discharge from your nipple

4. If your nipple becomes inverted

5. Changes to the appearance such as pitting (like cellulite) or any ridges appearing on your breast

6. If any part of the breast area (breast, areola or nipple) looks or feels different to you

7. Any signs of estrogen dominance which can indicate excess oestrogen over progesterone in the body which is a known risk factor for breast cancer.

These are signs that you need to pay attention and see your doctor. They do not necessarily indicate that you have breast cancer, they could have a number of other causes.

However, they are important signals that something in your body is not right and it is time to talk to your doctor and get it checked.

Helpful information:

Being vigilant is important to spot the signs early, and one of the ways to help prevent cancer is to manage your diet and exercise and any other risk factors such as stress. Plastics containing Bisphenol-A have also now been linked to an increased breast cancer risk so use glass containers wherever possible.

Oestrogen dominance is also an important element: if your oestrogen levels are high and progesterone low then you are not getting the natural protection that maintaining hormone balance can give you.

Bioidentical natural progesterone can help rebalance the body when it has been exposed to increased risk factors such as excess oestrogen from synthetic hormones, the food chain and environmental factors.

The pioneer of bioidentical hormone usage, the late John Lee, MD, advocated the use of bio-identical natural progesterone to help women rebalance their bodies and reduce their risk of cancer and other conditions.