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Reduce Your Risk

• Tips for Prevention
  • Choose Safe Cosmetics
  • Create a Healthy Home
  • Eat & Live Better
  • Make Informed Healthcare Choices
  • Protect Your Family
  • Protect Yourself & the Environment
• Prevention Is Power
• Educate Friends and Family
• Act for Change

Protect Yourself & the Environment

Stay Far, Far Away from Cigarettes

There are just so many health reasons to avoid smoking and breathing in second-hand smoke. Beyond the obvious reasons we all know, cigarette smoke has high levels of cadmium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), another source of estrogenic pollutants linked to increased risk for breast cancer.

Protect Yourself from the Sun – and from Sunscreen

Don't trade one cancer risk for another. While too much exposure to direct sun can cause skin cancer, sunscreens often contain small amounts of chemicals that mimic estrogen as well. Stay out of the sun during peak hours, cover up, and when you do use sunblock, look for safer solutions.

• Protect yourself with these 14 natural sunscreens.
• Look up your sunscreen's safety rating on Skin Deep.

Find Safe Ways to Fight Germs

These days it seems like everything claims to be "antibacterial"—soaps, toothpaste, clothing, bedding, socks, band-aids, toys, cutting boards—you name it. Chances are, these products contain triclosan, an antimicrobial agent that is suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife. There's no evidence that triclosan is more effective than soap and water, so trade in the toxics for some good, old-fashioned elbow grease.

Don't Stop off at the Dry Cleaners

Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene or PERC for short, is a harmful chemical commonly used in dry cleaning. To avoid exposure, don't buy clothes that say "dry clean only." For the dry-clean-only clothes you already own, remember that they can oftentimes be hand-washed and air dried with little consequence. If you do use a dry cleaner, take off the plastic and air the clothes out, preferably outdoors.

Dispose of Medications Properly

Medications that are flushed down the toilet can end up in drinking water. Water treatment facilities generally don’t remove hormones, antidepressants and other medications from waste water. Check to see if your pharmacy has a medication take-back program; if not, ask it to start one.

Take Caution with EMFs

The wireless Internet and cell phone networks we depend on to communicate have a downside: they expose us to very low levels of non-ionizing, or electromagnetic field (EMF), radiation. While health risks are still not well-understood, it’s best to take some precautions. Keep your computer in “sleep” or “stand-by” mode and consider disabling your wireless network when not using it. Don’t keep your cell phone in your pocket or bra, use a headset and opt for texting over calling whenever possible.

• See Environmental Working Group's guide to reduce cell phone radiation exposure.

Dispose of Cadmium Batteries Properly

Cadmium has been linked to early-onset puberty, which is a risk factor for breast cancer. Store substances that contain cadmium safely away and keep nickel-cadmium batteries out of reach of young children. Do not put nickel-cadmium batteries in the trash, but rather look for special battery recycling or disposal centers in your community.

• Metals linked to breast cancer

Buy Low-emissions Vehicles and Avoid Car Exhaust

Car exhaust releases a carcinogen known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (known as PAHs). When purchasing a car (especially used) make sure the emissions system meets government standards, and that the catalytic converter and the computer system controlling emissions work properly. (And needless to say, the less exhaust you breathe, the better.)

• Find clean, fuel-efficient vehicles with the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide.