Although there is no way to completely eliminate your risk of breast cancer, there are steps you can take to reduce it. Many risk factors are beyond your control, such as being born female and aging. There is science to support that there are risk factors you can control to lower your risk.

Breastfeeding has a myriad of health benefits not only for the baby but for the mother as well. Every woman is different and some choose not to breastfeed for a variety of reasons, but this comes at the cost of risks to the child. According to the CDC, only 1 in 4 infants are breastfed adequately, with many mothers opting for store-bought baby formulas to take a break from breastfeeding. Rates of breastfeeding vary by culture and ethnicity, so what’s the norm in one population may not be the norm in another. However, the science tells us that breast feeding is beneficial no matter what background you come from. What’s more, low rates of breastfeeding increase national medical costs by 3 billion dollars in the United States. In this article, we will explore the top reasons why breastfeeding is healthy for both the mother and baby.