Breast Cancer Awareness month officially underway Published Oct. 13, 2006 By Tech. Sgt. Alethea Aikens 4th Services Squadron SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Men as well as women are at a potential risk for developing breast cancer. Both genders should remain aware that monthly self examinations are key to early detection. Along with self examinations, fitness and nutrition can also play a vital role in prevention. A recent study shows that eating the right number of calories and getting enough exercise are the bodies' best defense against breast cancer. Alecia Malin, an assistant professor of Surgery at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, has found that people, (especially post-menopausal women) with high body mass indexes who didn't exercise at least 3 hours per week were 5 times as likely to develop breast cancer. Even people who adopt healthy behaviors later in life are more protected than people who never exercise at all. Combinations of exercise and weight control are crucial. To help you find your body mass index, go to www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index.htm. If you fall into the overweight or obese categories, then begin making changes to your diet and exercise habits to get yourself into the "normal" range. Keep a journal of all your activity. Tally up the time for the week, and if it doesn't add up to 3 hours per week, modify your activity level. Do you have any idea how many calories you should consume each day to maintain your weight? Find out at http://mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU000598. Keep a daily food log to list all calories you consume to see how you are doing.