A doctor shares 3 ways women can lower their cancer risk, starting in their teens and 20s

"Over the past five to 10 years, OB-GYN Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi noticed an uptick in younger cancer patients in her practice. Suddenly, more in their 30s and 40s were getting diagnosed with breast, uterine, and colon cancer, the latter of which is now the leading cause of cancer death in people under 50. As to the causes, Aliabadi has her own theories."

""I think our lifestyles, our metabolic changes, the rates of obesity, the increase in insulin resistance, our poor diet, lack of exercise, chronic inflammation - these have all played a huge role," she told Business Insider. She also mentioned environmental pollutants that can disrupt the endocrine system and the fact that women are getting pregnant later or not at all, which can change hormone exposure and increase the risk of breast cancer."

Rates of colon, breast, and uterine cancers have risen among people under 50, with colon cancer now the leading cause of cancer death in that age group. Contributing factors include lifestyle and metabolic changes such as rising obesity, increased insulin resistance, poor diet, lack of exercise, and chronic inflammation, plus environmental pollutants that disrupt the endocrine system and altered reproductive patterns that change hormone exposure. Improved detection and risk assessment have increased diagnoses. Prevention strategies include understanding personal risk, improving metabolic health through diet, sleep, and exercise, lowering cholesterol, and reducing alcohol consumption.

Read at Business Insider