Shelf Life

5. Keeping Watch Any Ob-Gyn will tell you that the most important regimen for healthy breasts is yearly mammograms. Carol Runowicz, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Connecticut and past president of the American Cancer Society, recommends women begin with yearly mammograms at age 40. But according to a recent report by the National Cancer Institute, many women are not following that advice: Between 2000 and 2005 mammogram usage dropped roughly 7 percent among women between 50 and 64 and 4 percent among women over 65. (See this NEWSWEEK article to learn more about what to expect from your mammogram.)

6. The Big Picture Your breasts aren't an isolated system—they are affected by how well you treat the rest of your body. Runowicz notes that obesity is associated with an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, so maintaining a healthy body weight is just as important for your breasts as it is for the rest of your figure. Exercising—with the correct sports bra, of course—can be one of the most important ways to keep your weight and breasts in check. It can even help protect you if you do get breast cancer, according to research from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. A 2006 study in the journal Cancer found that the level of exercise in the year prior to breast cancer diagnosis affects patients' ability to survive after a diagnosis. So a jog may be a good dose of preventive medicine after all.

© 2008