by Sarah Ewing

Follow smart lifestyle and dietary advice to fight back against this deadly disease

Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst women in the UK. More than 41,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, meaning roughly one in nine women will get it during their lifetime. But sadly, only two per cent of the national spend on breast cancer goes on prevention research. Despite this there are eight simple changes you can make to lower your risk.

Do's
Eat more soy
Soy contains a type of phytoestrogen, or plant oestrogen, called isoflavones, which lower your body's natural production of oestrogen. Increased levels of oestrogen are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer is virtually unheard of in countries like Japan, where soy is an important dietary staple. Researchers from the University of Ulster have also found that a soy-based diet can inhibit breast cancer growth. Try substituting soy milk in your cereal or make stir fries using soy bean curd. Miso soup is also a good source of soy.

Get your thyroid checked
Women with an underactive thyroid have a 61 per cent lower risk of developing breast cancer, according to a recent study in the American journal, Cancer. Thyroid hormones and oestrogen share similar pathways in your body and decreased thyroid hormones are believed to curtail rampaging oestrogen. If you do have an underactive thyroid, you can control the symptoms, including fatigue, poor circulation, depression, a low sex drive, and high cholesterol. If you've got an overactive thyroid, you might have a rapid, irregular heartbeat, feel jumpy, sweat excessively, suffer from insomnia and have difficulty concentrating. If you're concerned about suffering from any of these symptoms, visit your GP to discuss having a thyroid test.

Use more olive oil for cooking
Researchers at Northwestern University in the U.S. have found that a key ingredient in olive oil - oleic acid - cuts activity levels of a gene believed to trigger breast cancer. The gene is linked to aggressive tumours with a poor prognosis. Olive oil can also protect against heart disease and ageing.

Eat little, but often
Insulin is a very powerful growth factor and keeping insulin low reduces unwanted cellular multiplication, especially with breast cancer. The worst, fastest growing cancers are anaerobic and must burn sugar. Keeping sugar levels low by diet and by maximising insulin sensitivity reduces the fuel that cancers must burn. Therefore, eat five to six tiny meals a day to keep your blood sugar on an even keel. The current GI and GL diet craze is a perfect example of this.

Don'ts
Keep eating a high-fat diet
An unhealthy, high-fat diet, can lead to obesity, which is a big risk factor. Lose 10 pounds (and keep it off!) between the ages of 18 and 30 and you'll reduce your chances of developing breast cancer by a whopping 65 per cent, according to a recent study in the Breast Cancer Research journal. Aim for a diet that is balanced and naturally lower in fats, as a lot of low-fat foods use artificial sweeteners and chemicals to bulk up their products, which is almost just as bad as a high-fat diet. Trans-fatty acids are bad fats and are used in cakes, cookies and processed foods. Monounsaturated fats are good fats, which are naturally occurring, and are found in avocados, nuts, fish and seeds.

Change your sleeping habits constantly
Melatonin is particularly important in regulating your internal body clock and preventing breast cancer. If you go to bed before 10pm, then the natural rise of melatonin will reach its highest level. Night owls who work the night shift have a 50 per cent higher incidence of breast cancer, which is believed to be a result of their low melatonin levels. Melatonin decreases the production of baddy estradiol and decreases the release of two breast cancer growth factors, prolactin and epidermal growth factor. So go to bed by 10pm and get up by 6am. The natural daily fluctuations in your hormones are optimal when you keep to this schedule.

Take your car everywhere
Women who exercise regularly have a 20 per cent reduction in risk, with stronger effects if you've gone through menopause, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Moderate exercise, such as walking, cycling or swimming five times a week for 30 minutes had the greatest effect. Dr Anne McTiernan, who led the study, said the benefits are greatest for women of low to normal weight and even those who are slightly overweight. It's always easy to find an excuse not to exercise, so that's why you have to substitute a current action with physical activity - say leave your car at home one day a week and cycle to work instead, or walk to the shops and take the bus back, rather than driving both ways.

Think that extra drink won't hurt
Scientists from Cancer Research UK have calculated that a woman's risk of breast cancer rises by six per cent for each extra alcoholic drink she consumes on an average daily basis. One unit is equivalent to half a pint of beer, a glass of wine or a measure of spirits. The recommended weekly allowance for women is 14 units, so beware binge drinkers or if your job includes a lot of entertaining clients.

Contact Genisis UK, the country's only charity dedicated to breast cancer prevention, on 0870 623 000 or www.genesisuk.org