While there isn’t much research connecting healthy relationships to a reduced risk of cancer, we instinctively know that we thrive when surrounded by those who love, support, and walk with us through life. We are hard-wired for community and connection. There IS a profound amount of research showing that strong social support is tied to better breast cancer outcomes. Being a part of various groups or communities (or “village,” if you will) helps create a positive growth mindset.

It isn’t just the air we breathe or the amount of sun exposure we have daily that affects our bodies. It’s also the harmful chemicals contained in personal care products that might act as endocrine disruptors and thus increase the risk of breast cancer. The amount and diverse combination of ingredients in products makes it nearly impossible to show definite cause and effect for any specific ingredient. In an effort to screen what we use in our self care routines, look at the company offering the products. How often is the company needing to remove a particular ingredient due to increased research findings showing its side effects? Does the company have separate product lines, with one promoting “regular” and another “natural?” Does the company have a transparent, extensive ingredient policy with YOU in mind, rather than profit? Check out the Environmental Working Group for additional information.

As you can imagine, there are various stressors – physical, mental, and/or emotional – within the workplace that are not always conducive to healthy living. Because of this, we have to dedicate more energy to being mindful and taking care of our body! Third shift positions have been found, in some research, to correlate with the development of breast cancer. Consider the contributing factors associated with working these types of hours… assistance with staying awake (aka caffeine and/or sugar), physical stress, inconsistent dietary habits, etc. Regardless of your occupation, prioritize healthy behaviors that may combat the side effects of working long hours, working outside, or working under significant stress loads.

Various mental health challenges, especially mood disorders, have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Thirty-two percent of men and 43% of women with mood disorders developed cancer less than two years after their diagnosis. There are two schools of thought behind the connection:

1) Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression suppress the body’s natural immune response, creating more opportunities for cancer cells to develop;

2) Many choose, knowingly or unknowingly, to self-medicate or treat with habits that in and of themselves increase the risk for cancer, especially breast cancer.

The strongest link showing the correlation between chronic stress and cancer is, in fact, with regards to breast cancer. The key here is to become aware of our emotional well-being, accept the potential need for help or guidance, and to actively pursue stress management techniques!

The steps to improve physical health are quite often the most well-known, yet the most ignored or underestimated. By avoiding tobacco products and limiting alcohol consumption, you are directly reducing your risk of inflammation, as well as cellular damage to various organs – thus, improving the health and efficacy of your body’s organ systems! We all want everything to work as best as they can, right? Continue to support your body by consuming a whole foods diet and moving regularly. Inflammation, while helpful to fight potential bacteria or viral invaders, has a healthy limit. Anything beyond that limit creates chaos, and that chaos prohibits your body from working and growing efficiently.

(See “Cancer…It Isn’t Something You Should Ignore”)