What's breast feeding got to do with cancer?

Breast cancer rates have risen in the last ten years. According to Cancer Research UK, one in ten cases of breast cancer a year can be prevented by 2024 if more women made simple lifestyle changes.

These changes are:

reducing long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
staying in shape,
drinking less alcohol,
exercising more,
and breast feeding for longer.

Professor Max Parkin of Cancer Research UK said he would like to see three-quarters of UK mothers breast feed - currently, only 21% do so. I knew that breast feeding wasn't popular here but I didn't know it was this unpopular.

One way to help increase the breast feeding rates might be to share this information with pregnant women during antenatal checks and classes.

I guess it's obvious what my views are on this issue. But I digress...

There's more information about the research on breast cancer here.

Folic acid benefits

Many people know that folic acid is recommended for pregnant women and women who are thinking of having a baby.

However, some recent studies suggest that folic acid may also decrease the risk of heart disease, bone disease and stroke in some people. Experts have warned though that these benefits must be balanced against other risks and that folic acid can increase the risk of heart disease in some people.

Go here to see more information about the folic acid research.