How To Maintain A Healthy Weight

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At The Breast Place, we offer several oncoplastic surgical procedures, such as natural reconstruction, nipple-sparing mastectomy, Hidden Scar™, implant reconstruction, and breast lift with or without reduction. Oncoplastic surgery is distinct from both breast cancer surgery and plastic surgery–though you initially assume oncoplastic surgery to be a mixture of both. Rather, the aim of oncoplastic breast surgery is “to achieve good aesthetic outcomes for women with breast cancers who would have unacceptable outcomes with other BCS techniques, and in addition, enable breast-conserving surgery for larger breast cancers.” While breast cancer surgery prioritizes the eradication of cancerous tissue and plastic surgery prioritizes the cosmetic appearance of the breasts, oncoplastic surgery takes both of these aspects into account when planning for the final outcome. You can find out more information about what to look for in an Oncoplastic surgeon here. 

In our last blog, we discussed everything you need to know about mammograms. A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast used to look for early signs of breast cancer. In fact, having regular mammograms is one of the best ways to be proactive about breast cancer detection. We discussed the history of mammograms, what mammograms consist of, and when you should get a mammogram. If you are interested in learning more, we encourage you to check out our last post!

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Today, we’ll be talking about how to maintain a healthy weight. We have all heard about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and staying in shape, but did you know that weight can affect your risk of developing breast cancer? Studies have shown that overweight women have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. We’ll be taking a closer look at why weight can increase your risk of breast cancer, as well as how you can maintain a healthy weight. If you are interested in learning more, you’re in the right place. Let’s get right into it.

What considers someone to be “overweight”?

First and foremost, let’s take a look at what being overweight actually means. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a screening tool that helps detect overweight and obesity. BMI is a person’s body weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. If that sounds complicated, don’t fret– There are plenty of online BMI calculators available, including this one from the CDC. According to the screening tool, a BMI of 25 and above falls in the overweight range. A BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity. According to the CDC, more than 70% of American adults are overweight, and studies have shown that being overweight increases one’s risk of developing serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer, including breast cancer.

Why can being overweight increase the risk of breast cancer?

Fat cells produce estrogen, a hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of female characteristics of the body. Therefore, extra fat cells means extra estrogen in the body. Before menopause, a woman’s ovaries make most of her estrogen, with fat tissue making only a small amount. After menopause, however, the ovaries stop making estrogen, so most estrogen comes from fat tissue. Extra estrogen can cause hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers to develop and grow. Additionally, women who are overweight tend to have higher blood insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Higher insulin levels have been linked to some cancers, including breast cancer. 

It is important to note that while risk factors increase your chance of getting a disease, having a risk factor does not mean that you are sure to get the disease. Many breast cancer risk factors are linked to personal behaviors, such as diet or physical activity. Therefore, there are many ways that you can eliminate risk factors. 

How can I maintain a healthy weight?

If you are interested in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, there are certain steps you must take. Let’s take a look at some of them!

Eat Healthy

One of the most obvious steps you can take is to eat healthy! Losing weight becomes harder as you get older, but modifying your diet can be a helpful first step. First and foremost, assess your current diet and eating habits. A healthy diet should emphasize fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It should also include a variety of protein-packed foods, be low in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. While many people think that healthy eating means counting calories, that is not always the case. Your recommended daily calorie intake will depend on many factors, including age, height, sex, and lifestyle. If you are unsure of how many calories you need, it is best to consult a medical professional or nutritionist. Here are some quick tips to get started with healthy eating:

• Switch to fat-free or low-fat dairy products
  
• Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet
  
• Include lean meats such as poultry and fish
  
• Control portion sizes
  
• Drink water or drinks with no sugar added, rather than sodas or sweetened iced tea
  
• Keep a food journal or diary to keep track of what you eat and hold yourself accountable
  

Exercise Regularly

Healthy eating is more effective when combined with regular exercise. It is generally recommended that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. It is also recommended to add at least 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity. Moderate-intensity physical activity includes brisk walking, biking, and water aerobics. If you want to push your body a little further, you can move on to more vigorous activities, such as jogging or running, jumping rope, or swimming laps. Sometimes, it feels difficult to fit exercise into our busy schedules. If this is an issue for you, try to look for ways to increase your time spent moving, rather than sitting. Some other tips for exercising include:

• Set aside specific times for exercising each day
  
• Start small or slowly and work your way up to more challenging activities
  
• Try adding physical activity to your work day, such as going for a walk during your lunch break
  
• Consider joining a group, such as a class at the YMCA 
  
• Monitor your daily activities in a journal
  

Drink More Water

Staying hydrated is an incredibly important part of staying healthy. Some studies have shown that drinking more water can help you lose weight. One reason is because water increases the amount of calories that you burn. Water is also calorie-free, so drinking more of it instead of beverages with added sugar can help reduce your calorie intake. Hydration also boosts your metabolism, and can suppress your appetite by taking up space in the stomach, helping you feel full. It is generally recommended that you drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day, but the amount of water you should drink can differ from person to person. 

As you can see, these are just a few ways that you can maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can not only lower your risk of breast cancer, but can lower your risk of other conditions or diseases as well. We hope you found this article informative, and we encourage you to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns. Here at The Breast Place, we are dedicated to providing services and education surrounding breast health. We offer breast imaging services and provide consultations, clinical breast exams, and dedicated treatment plans. We also encourage you to check out our aesthetics and wellness clinic, Empower, which is dedicated to helping you feel more confident in your skin. Empower offers injectable treatments such as Botox, Juvéderm, and Dysport, as well as other facial rejuvenation services such as laser treatment and more! Additionally, we strongly encourage you to reach out to us for a consultation if you have any questions or concerns pertaining to our service areas– We are committed to empowering women, and we are proud to offer treatments and products to help you look and feel your best. Thank you for taking the time to read today’s article and we hope you’ll check back in for future posts about treatments, wellness, and more!