Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Breast Cancer and Another Risks of Gaining Weight After Menopause

By Ricardo d Argence

Some women think that gain weight during menopause is ok. Even if it just occurs naturally, it is not something you want to do.

There are a lot of women who face weight loss challenges during this part of their life but it is important to tackle that issue head on. Leaving it alone and allowing yourself to gain the weight without doing anything about it is putting your health at risk more then you know.

During menopause, your breast cancer risk increases as your weight increases. You must be alert to the health risks that could be possible if you pack on the pounds at this time of your life. The risk level is reversible though. You lower your breast cancer risk when you loose weight.

It has in fact been found by researchers from the Harvard Medical School of Public Health that women who have gained fifty-five pounds or more since they were eighteen are forty five percent more likely to develop breast cancer compared to women who did not put on that much weight. By using postmenopausal hormones you can actually increase your risk of cancer as well.

The best thing to do is to make sure that the weight is not put on to begin with. Sometimes things in life happens though and if you have found yourself in a position where you need to lose some weight then you can do just that. The sooner you act the better. The quicker you get that extra weight off the less likely you will end up with breast cancer.

Proper diet and exercise is very important. You want to make sure that you are doing everything in moderation. It's important to maintian a balanced diet to make sure you are still getting enough protein and everything else you need to function properly. Changing your diet and exercise will help you lose the weight.

Dropping about one to two pounds a week is the healthiest way to go about it though. Insisting on faster results could not only damage your system but also almost guarantee that you will regain the weight in the near future. Slow and steady is the way to go when trying to lose weight.

Even though there is the fear of breast cancer you could damage your body in other ways by not taking care of yourself when dieting and exercising. Know the facts and get yourself in action and you will be on the path to a healthier and better looking you. - 16083

About the Author: