October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Women and men are both at risk of developing breast cancer.
Women who are at risk began their menstrual cycles before age 12 or entered menopause after age 55, are currently using or have recently used birth control pills, have never had children or had their first child after age 30, have used hormone replacement therapy for more than 10 years, have mutations of the BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2 genes, and/or have family histories of breast, colorectal or ovarian cancer.
Men and woman who are at risk are overweight or obese, are not physically active, are over 40, have had high doses of radiation on the chest, have family histories of breast or ovarian cancer, and/or have already had cancer in one breast.
Reduce Your Risk Now!
- Never smoke. If you do, quit
- Exercise at least 30 minutes, at least 5 days a week
- Drinking alcohol is linked to breast cancer and several other cancers. If you drink, limit your drinking to one drink a day if you are a woman or two a day if you are a man. Even drinking small amounts may increase your risk of cancer.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Breastfeeding may lower a woman’s risk.
Please contact Althea Moser at amoser@highlands.edu for further information. This wellness initiative is courtesy of the Dept. of Kinesiology and Wellness, the Faculty Grant Scholarship, & the Prevent Cancer Foundation©
Althea Moser M.A., C.H.E.S.
Assistant Professor of Kinesiology & Wellness
Georgia Highlands College