Chances are that you or somebody close to you has been affected by breast cancer. Today, nearly one out of every eight women will develop a form of breast cancer and that number is steadily increasing. Luckily, thanks to recent technology, the survival rate is also on the rise.

So, what can you do to help fight breast cancer? It’s a common misconception that breast cancer is hereditary, however, it’s estimated that only 5-10% of breast cancers occur as a result of genetics. The fact is, you can greatly decrease your risk of developing breast cancer by making smart diet and lifestyle changes.

Below is a list of ways you can lower your risk of getting breast cancer by making simple changes to your lifestyle and eating habits:

The Power of a Healthy Diet
Women that are considered to be overweight or obese – defined by a BMI (body mass index) of 25 or higher – not only are at higher risk of developing breast cancer, but also have a higher risk of recurrence. Making changes to your diet can help decrease your risk and eating healthy can be a lot easier than it sounds. Simple tips like eating smaller portions throughout the day and limiting the amount fats and sugars will drastically help in weight loss. Also, don’t forget to go green. Fruits and veggies help fill the void of hunger and have little to no fat.

Work Off Your Risk
As much as 4-7 hours of exercise a week can help lower your risk of breast cancer. Exercise will both control your blood sugar levels and limit your blood levels of insulin, which has been shown to affect the growth and behavior of breast cancer cells. Start slow with a 15-minute walk each day and ease your way into a workout routine. Who knows—you may even like it!

Kick the Habit
Smoking has been linked to various diseases and cancers and breast cancer is no exception. Smoking has been proven to increase the risk of breast cancer in younger women who are premenopausal. And for those that have already been diagnosed, smoking has been proven to complicate treatment by greatly damaging the lungs during radiation therapy, complicating recovery following surgery and/or breast reconstruction and increasing risk of blood clots when taking hormonal therapy medicines. Quitting smoking is difficult, so if you don’t smoke, don’t start and if you do, seek help if the challenge seems too great.

Don’t Overhaul on Alcohol
Drinking alcoholic beverages increases a woman’s risk of developing hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer and can also increase your risk by damaging DNA cells. Research shows that women who have 2-5 drinks per day increase their risk by 50%. If you do consume alcohol, please do so in moderation.

The list above is just a few of many everyday habits you can change in order to decrease your risk of developing breast cancer. However, with strides being made in breast cancer prevention, more and more factors are being lowered every day.