Regular exercise and a diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables, decrease the levels of estradiol and estrone, two types of estrogen, in the body. Even though women need estrogen to mature and to develop strong bones, excessive estrogen can lead to breast cancer. 80% of all breast cancer cases are related to excessive estrogen.

Exercise is a simple and easy way to decrease the levels of estrogen in the body, as well as other hormones and growth factors that can cause cells in the breasts to become cancer cells. According to relevant studies, women with a family history of breast cancer were able to decrease their risk of tumor growth by ¼ by exercising for just 20 minutes at least 5 times a week at moderate to high intensity, and combining this with a healthy diet.

Even after menopause, women can benefit from exercise, as the changes are immediate, in terms of protein and hormone levels associated with breast cancer risk. Some studies claim that a regular exercise regimen during puberty can delay the development of cancer in women who have a specific mutation of their BRCA genes, but this cannot prevent the cancer entirely. A study published in the scientific journal, Journal of Clinical Oncology, reported that exercise reduced mortality in breast cancer survivors by 50% when it is combined with a healthy diet.