How to lower heart disease and breast cancer risk at the same time
It turns out that many of the lifestyle behaviors that help women ward off breast cancer can also help them avoid heart disease.
Think of it as a “double win,” said cardiologist Dr. Ana Barac, director of the cardio-oncology program at the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute in Washington, DC
Such a victory could benefit a significant number of women. Coronary heart disease affects an estimated 9.1 million people in the United States, and heart disease is the leading cause of death in women overall. In 2019, about 3.8 million women were living with breast cancer in the United States, with an estimated 43,250 deaths expected that year.
While some risk factors, like age and family history, can’t be changed, here are five things women can do to lower their risk of both conditions.
What to eat – and not to eat
To prevent heart disease and breast cancer, the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society offer similar guidelines for an ideal diet that includes eating a variety of fruits and vegetables; Choosing whole grains over refined grains; avoiding processed meats; and limiting added sugars.
Even for women who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer, “diet is a big part of staying healthy,” Barac said. Evidence, she said, points to a link between a healthy diet and improved breast cancer prognosis. For example, a 2020 study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that reducing fat intake and increasing your intake of vegetables, fruits, and grains may reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
But the data for cardiovascular disease is clearer, Barac said. “We have strong evidence that a healthy diet improves outcomes in people with cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease.” A 2020 analysis in Nutrients magazine found that people with cardiovascular disease who followed a Mediterranean diet — which emphasized vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, and fish — had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease dying from any cause, including cardiovascular disease.
Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease as well as breast cancer after menopause, according to a 2018 AHA Scientific Statement on Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer.
Body mass index, or BMI, is a calculation of height and weight that determines a person’s weight class. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or more.
Get up and move
For adults, at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as B. brisk walking recommended. Unfortunately, federal survey data shows that only about 1 in 5 US women report meeting this requirement. And research suggests that doing less than the recommended amount of physical activity per week is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.
Sedentary time carries the same risks.
“If you’re sitting for a long time, you have to get up and walk around,” even if you’re exercising that day, said Dr. Tochukwu Okwuosa, cardiologist and associate professor at Rush Medical College in Chicago. Getting up for a minute or two every hour will benefit the body, she said.
Beware the alcohol (and the hormones)
The take-out here is moderation for those who drink alcohol — and don’t start for those who don’t. Moderation for women means no more than one drink a day, say the AHA and Cancer Society.
And “make sure you’re not binge eating,” Okwuosa said. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking in women typically involves four or more drinks in a two-hour period.
Excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of liver disease, breast cancer and a range of cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
Okwuosa said women should also be aware of the risks associated with postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy, which has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.
If a woman has a history of breast cancer or cardiovascular disease, or the more risk factors she has, “then there’s a higher chance that hormone replacement therapy might not be good for you,” Okwuosa said.
Women should talk to their healthcare team about the risks and benefits of options to manage menopause symptoms to determine the best treatment strategy for them.
Let yourself be examined
Knowing if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes and then working with a doctor to treat them can help prevent those conditions from causing heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.
The AHA recommends that adults have their blood pressure checked at every regular doctor’s visit, or once a year if blood pressure is normal. It also recommends cholesterol screening every four to six years, beginning in age 20, for adults at normal risk of heart disease and stroke, or more frequently for those at increased risk. For diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends screening at age 35 or earlier for those at risk.
Although mammograms cannot prevent breast cancer, they can help detect it early. For women at average risk of breast cancer, the Cancer Society recommends annual mammograms starting at age 45, with an option to start at 40. Women age 55 and older can switch to one every two years or choose to continue annual mammograms.
Knowing your family history of breast cancer and cardiovascular problems is a big part of determining when and what type of screening you might need, Barac said.
Overall, she added, once health professionals understand a person’s personal and family medical history, “we can use lifestyle medicine, especially exercise and diet, to empower women and prevent cancer and heart disease.”
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