Q. Are there any ways to reduce my chances of getting breast cancer?

A. Yes there are – and the good news is that the best ways to reduce your chances of getting breast cancer are the same ones that reduce your chances of getting a lot of other bad things that can happen to your body as you grow older, like other cancers, heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, strokes, and achy, breaky joints.

The bad news about risk reduction with breast cancer is we don’t yet have a vaccine or pill you can take to reduce your risk; however, the news is not all bad. Research has shown that a great way to reduce one’s risk is eating a healthy diet and getting lots of exercise – especially if these habits form in younger years instead of older ones. So start now.

Here is a list of what you can do:

• Don’t smoke at all, and don’t drink more than one alcoholic drink a day, no more than four times a week.

• Walk at least 30 minutes a day five days a week.

• Work out your upper body with weights – and you don’t have to be Charles Atlas. Using hand-held dumbbells five times a week for a 20-minute workout of your arms is just fine. This is even more important – paramount even – as you get older because it maintains your upper body muscle mass.

• Do 10 minutes of core muscle workout five times a week – like a combination of sit-ups, flutter kicks or holding a plank yoga position for a few minutes.

• Do an Internet search on a Mediterranean diet and stick to it.

• Make sure you maintain your ideal body weight for height. IBW calculators are readily available online.

If you are going up three floors or down five, take the stairs and not the elevator.

The above exercises will help you lose weight and keep it off while making you more healthy in general.

So in summary, one hour of exercise five days a week, eating a healthy diet, not smoking and limiting alcohol are the best ways we know of so far to reduce your chances of getting breast cancer. These exercises and diets help boost chemicals that help your brain and your body age with grace and dignity.

There is also good news in that it is almost never too late to start. If you are not in the best of shape now, check with your doctor and begin slowly. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Michael J. Ulissey, M.D., is a partner at the Breast Diagnostic Centers of Auburn and Federal Way. In addition to taking care of patients locally, he continues to participate in research as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center. You can reach him at Mike@breastdiagnostic.com.