According to the National Cancer Institute, if the current incidence rate of breast cancer remains the same, a woman born today has a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer at some time in her life. While the survival rate is improving, preventing breast cancer and eliminating reoccurrence is essential.

Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center states “We can prevent 50-70% of cancers by increasing exercise and improving diet.” However, greater than 50% of American’s do not exercise and greater than 45% of American’s eat at fast food restaurants on a regular basis. Diet and exercise are major contributing factors in maintaining overall health. Focusing on these key factors can go a long way to staying cancer free. Eat like your life depends on it and exercise like you’re training to fight. Extra body fat isn’t just unhealthy, but it increases your risk of developing breast cancer as well as your risk of breast cancer returning if you’re a survivor. Fat cells store estrogen. More fat means more estrogen storage in the body, which significantly increases the risk of breast cancer. Exercise helps lose the fat, prevents additional fat gain, and increases lean body mass which in turn burns more fat.

Exercise also helps to restore energy and strength while a patient is going through chemotherapy. Chemotherapy has a systemic effect on the body’s immune system leaving the patient feeling lethargic and the core joints (hip and shoulders) feeling sore and achy. It is recommended that patients currently going through chemotherapy walk 2-3 times per day, 5-10 minutes each and complete a light exercise routine 2-3 times per week.

Eating a healthy diet low in animal fat and processed foods and high in fruits and vegetables will assist in maintaining a healthy body weight and therefore a lower body fat. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables will keep the immune system high, systemic inflammation low, and increase cellular repair.

Sherri M. Lorraine, DPT, PhD. of Intracoastal Physical Therapy and Women’s Health & Breast Clinic and husband Coach Rick Lorraine of HIT FIT Boxing & Personal Training started Florida Fit Camps to change people’s lives and teach them how to live healthier, more active lifestyles. Next Camp starts September 29th at the Breast Cancer Survivors & their Supporters Retreat. Call 321-652-2637 for more information or visit FloridaFitCamps.us.