Think Pinker

According to Business Line happy people with a positive outlook on life can reduce their chance of getting breast cancer. In fact a recent study shows that you can reduce your risk by as much as 25%.

Women who have undergone a great deal of stress such as death of a spouse, divorce, or other traumatic events are more likely to develop breast cancer than those who have not.

One severe life event increases the risk of breast cancer among younger women. Where as overall optimism and happiness is thought to have a protective role. Young women who have had several negative events in their life are at a much greater risk of developing breast cancer.

In fact, according to Dr. Peled one of the researchers, he feels that if a young women has undergone several negative events she should be treated as at risk.

The research group consisted of 255 breast cancer patients as well as 367 healthy women between 25 and 45 years of age. The answers to some very personal questions were compared between the two groups. It quickly become apparent that what there was a definite correlation between happy and reduced breast cancer risks. Women who had suffered one or more traumatic events has a 62% greater risk.

The message here isn’t that your doomed if you have traumatic events in your life. It’s that you need to be aware and be more diligent about your screening. It’s also a message that says none of us should sweat the small stuff. Instead try to keep a positive outlook and be happy.

Happiness and optimism really do appear to be the best medicine.