Sunday, February 22, 2009

Weight Gain After Menopause and Breast Cancer

By Ricardo d Argence

Even though many women feel that it is okay to gain weight during menopause, because it is something that happens almost naturally, it certainly 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.

Indeed, studies done at the Harvard Medical School of Public Health have shown that women who've put on 55 or more pounds since the age of 18 are 45% more apt to get breast cancer in comparison to those who didn't gain that many pounds. Using postmenopausal hormones can actually increase the risk of cancer.

It is important not to gain the weight at all. Life happens and you can find yourself in need to lose some weight, so do it. The sooner you act the better. The faster you lose those extra pounds the less likely you'll have 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 a pound or two a week is a healthy rate. Striving for faster results can both damage your system and make it more likely that you will regain weight in the future. Slow and steady is the best way to lose pounds.

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. - 15634

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