The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In 2006 (which were the most recent numbers available), over 190,000 American women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and just over 40,000 American women died from the disease. This accounts for about 1% of all American women deaths.

The prospect of breast cancer is scary, but there are ways to go about preventing it. The Mayo Clinic has four broad and basic ways to go about preventing breast cancer:

Limit Alcohol Intake

Either wine, beer, or mixed drinks; it makes no difference. Though a link between alcohol intake and the occurrence of breast cancer exists, it still remains to be seen how strong the link is. To be safe, think about limiting your alcohol intake to one or less drink a day.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

The link between obesity and cancer is clear, and the case remains the same for breast cancer. Weight that is gained later in life, especially after menopause, is particularly harmful. To help matters, try to keep in a healthy weight range for your body type.

Stay Physically Active

At least 30 minutes of exercise a day can aid in breast cancer prevention. This also helps when maintaining a healthy weight. Training with weights can also help with keeping your bones strong.

Limit Fat in Your Diet

This also helps in avoiding a plethora of other diseases, and in maintaining a healthy weight, but it has been determined that there is a slight correlation between dietary fat intake and the occurrence of breast cancer in women. Try to limit your fat intake to about 35% of your daily calories, and avoid saturated fat in all instances possible.

Be aware: For the average woman, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammography every two years in women between the ages of 50 and 74. Get regular check-ups for the best results.

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