Healthy Breast This is the Key

Maintaining breast health is an important thing that must be done by all women. Check out the signs and how to care for healthy breasts below. Doing Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is something that every woman needs to do. It aims to find out early what changes can occur in the breast. In general, every woman has the same risk for breast cancer, but the risk will be higher for women who are aged 30 years, have a family history of breast cancer, women who suffer from obesity, hormonal disorders, and have the habit of smoking and consuming alcohol. By doing breast self-examination, you can detect the disease more quickly.

The Characteristics of Healthy Breasts

Many women who do not understand the intricacies of her breasts, especially the signs that indicate certain health conditions. Here are the characteristics of healthy breasts:

• There are no lumps

Healthy breasts are those that have no lumps. The reason is, a lump that appears around the breast or armpit can be a sign of a cyst or benign tumor. If the lump does not disappear within six weeks, then do not hesitate to see a doctor immediately to find out the exact cause of the condition.

• Does not discharge

In addition to the absence of a lump, another characteristic of healthy breasts is not releasing fluids, except breastfeeding during breastfeeding or breast fluids that appear before menopause due to hormonal changes. One sign to look out for is if the breast secretes a green, clear, or red (bleeding) liquid on one of its nipples.

• Does not hurt

Pain in the breast that appears before the menstrual cycle is normal and usually goes away by itself. However, if the pain does not go away, it helps you immediately consult a doctor to find out the cause.

• There is no change in the skin of the breast

The next feature that can show healthy breasts is the condition of the skin around the breast. Healthy breasts can generally be seen from the condition of the skin that is not dry, cracked, wrinkled, scaly, reddish, and itchy.

If you find any abnormal signs in your breasts, consult a doctor immediately to make sure they are not dangerous. If it turns out to be dangerous, treatment can be given as early as possible.

How to Maintain Healthy Breasts

Take care of your breast health by paying attention to the following things.

• Quit smoking

The content in cigarettes can not only cause lung cancer, but can also be breast cancer in women. A study revealed, women who actively smoke are more at risk for developing breast cancer compared with those who do not smoke.

• Limit consumption of alcoholic drinks

Having healthy breasts is only a dream if you continue to consume alcoholic beverages. Consuming about two to three glasses of alcoholic drinks every day will increase the risk of developing breast cancer by 20 percent.

• Eat healthy foods

Applying a healthy diet by prioritizing consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, can also help reduce the risk of breast cancer. In addition, avoid the consumption of fatty foods and processed meat.

• Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is also proven to be able to prevent breast cancer. According to research women who rarely or never do sports have a higher risk for developing breast cancer. Therefore, take a moment to do sports with moderate intensity, at least 2.5 hours per week.

As a preventative and early detection step, it is important to carry out regular breast checks (check-ups) to the doctor regularly and do mammography checks. For women over the age of 45 years, it is advisable to check with the breast doctor every year or according to the schedule that the doctor has recommended previously. Breast is one of the important parts in a woman's body, so it needs to be maintained for her health. Remember also to always do your own breast examination at home. If there are abnormal changes in the breast, immediately consult a doctor.