News Taffy

You can hardly miss the fact that October is breast cancer awareness month what with the football teams decked out in pink and pink runners swarming all over town. We all want to get involved to some degree, sporting pink pins or attending dinners in support of those who have survived breast cancer. But ladies, what have you truly done about breast cancer? Maybe you wrote a check or wore pink to work Friday but do you take breast cancer seriously?

Do you perform a self breast exam monthly or at least several times a year? If you are 40 or older, do you get regular mammograms? Do you see your gynecologist regularly and know your risk of breast cancer? Do you know your family’s medical history? If not, then it’s time to educate yourself and do more than wear pink.

You should know the risk factors that make you more prone to developing breast cancer so you can make healthier choices. Controlling many of these risk factors will protect you from other cancers, and diseases like heart disease, as well. The risk factors include: a family history of breast cancer, race - white women are more likely to have breast cancer but black women may die more often, having dense breast tissue, age - risk increases as you get older, having more menstrual cycles because you started before age 12 or continued past age 55, using oral contraceptives, using hormone therapy after menopause, drinking alcohol to excess - 2 to 5 drinks daily, being overweight or obese and being physically inactive.

Exercising and eating a diet filled with fruits, vegetables and lean proteins protects your body from so many terrible diseases that I wonder why more people don’t seem to care. I say it over and over: Your good health is largely in your own hands. Many of our worst health problems start with our own bad habits.

You should know what to look for when performing a breast self exam so let’s review the warning signs of breast cancer: a lump, hard knot or thickened area in the breast or underarm area, changes in the size or shape of your breast, swelling, redness or a darkened area of the breast, a dimpled or puckered area of the skin, an itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple, pulling in of the nipple, nipple discharge that starts suddenly, and pain in one spot that doesn’t go away.

Though much more rare, men do get breast cancer as well so men should pay attention to any changes in their body and see a doctor as soon as possible if something feels different.

This October, don’t just join the office team and wear pink, DO something about breast cancer. Don’t assume the grim reaper won’t come for you, do what you can to keep him away. Be aware of the warning signs, eliminate any risk factors you can and know your body so you can spot changes.