6 Lifestyle Changes That May Lower Your Risk of Breast Cancer

GE Privacy

Introduction: protecting your privacy, enhancing your online experience

When it comes to data privacy, protecting your personal information is most important. We feel it’s also important to give you, your colleagues, and your family members a voice in the development of this web site and your overall experience with it. To do this, we need to collect certain types of information to help us evaluate how the HealthAhead web site is being used, so we can continually improve your experience and the content we offer to you. By tracking overall usage patterns, providing an easy channel for your feedback, and allowing you to tell us what content is most useful to you, we can refine our offerings and provide more of the content you personally find valuable.

Overall, we are committed to giving you the option to participate – or not participate – in a manner that’s right for you. Read more for how we do this.

Information we collect and how we use it

Identifiable Information Collecting

All methods of identifying yourself to GE will be optional and opt-in, may be updated by you at any time, and will not be required for all areas of the web site.

We will not collect any identifiable user information from the areas of the HealthAhead web site which do not require SSO (Single Sign On), unique User ID (Identification), and/or Password.

There are areas of the web site that require you to identify yourself to us (authenticate). This allows you to access certain parts of the web site that may otherwise be restricted for privacy and security purposes.

There are also areas that may provide the option to create a personalized profile. The information you provide is optional and what you tell us will determine the level of personalization you will experience.

Access to identifiable information is restricted to internal, administrative personnel and solely for purposes of providing web site support, awarding prizes and other recognition, and customizing the web site content and overall functionality for the user. However, we will also allow you to change your mind and opt-out of sharing personal information with us at any time.

Non-Identifiable Information Collecting

When you visit the HealthAhead web site, we track, collect and report on certain aggregate and non- identifiable information. In other words, the information we collect does not relate to a single identifiable visitor. It tells us things such as how many users visited our web site and what pages they viewed.

This non-identifiable data will be collected and stored in a secure database in the U.S., and may be viewed by GE. We will analyze this information to refine our web site to better reflect user preferences, such as the type of content users are searching for most, and to improve the usability of the web site and the user’s web site experience. The information may also be used for purposes of promoting the web site. The data will not be used for medical analysis or other medical purposes.

Cookies

Like many web sites, the HealthAhead web site uses browser cookies – bits of text placed on your computer’s hard drive when you visit. We use them to tell us things like whether you’ve visited us before, and to help us identify features in which you may have the greatest interest. We also use cookies to track country and language selection.

In the future, we may use cookies to track additional details, such as city and state.

We keep this information unless you don’t wish GE to capture this and choose to delete your cookie history. If you wish to stop accepting new browser cookies, get notification when you receive a new cookie, or disable existing cookies, the “help” portion of the toolbar on most browsers will tell you how. Keep in mind, without browser cookies, you may not be able to take full advantage of all our web site features or have your preferences saved for future visits.

We also use Flash cookies on the web site to enhance your online experience. These are similar to browser cookies, but they store data more complex than simple text. Flash cookies, by themselves, cannot do anything to or with the data on your computer. In addition, Flash cookies cannot access or remember your email address or other personal information unless you provide the information on this web site.

Web Beacons

Certain pages on our web site contain “web beacons” (also known as Internet tags, pixel tags and clear GIFs). These web beacons obtain information such as the time the page was viewed, the type of browser used to view the page, and the information in cookies. Web beacon data does not include IP address. The web beacon data is stored at Google Analytics, a third party (see ‘Tracking and Reporting’ for more information on this technology).

Tracking and Reporting

Specifically we will track, collect and report on the following data using software from Google Analytics. For more information about Google Analytics, including information about how to opt out of these technologies, go to www.google-analytics.com

Our primary metrics include: Poll response rate, repeat visits, number of times content is shared, and visits by country.

The sub-metrics include:

Most Popular Content Types, Most Popular Content Topics, User Pathing, Exit Links, Bounce Rate, Traffic by Source (region), Time on Web site, Visit Time of Day, Unique Views/Page Views, Thumps Up/Down, Most Shared Content, Number of Times Content is Rated, Most Rated Content by Type, Language Selection.

We will also be tracking how much communicators, web site leaders and other HealthAhead operations teams are leveraging the web site to support and align their business, regional and web site specific efforts. Some of these metrics may be tracked using existing support central tools.

These metrics may include:

Number of Content Submissions by Region, Number of non-corporate Driven Promotions by RCs, Number of Promotional Downloads by Region, Support Central Survey

Feedback Form

Your feedback is important to the web site’s ongoing development, so we’d love to hear your opinions and ideas. To contact us, please use this Feedback form. We will not be able to respond directly, but all feedback will be reviewed, evaluated, and factored into future content decisions. Please note: this form is monitored by IT support staff only. Please do not submit any personal or medical information. And thank you in advance!

Poll and Quiz Responses

On the web site, we will conduct polls and quizzes to better understand user activities, attitudes, interests and knowledge across multiple health topics. These polls may also help us serve you better by asking questions that relate to the usefulness of our web site. We will not capture any personally identifiable information through the collection of poll response data. As part of these polls and quizzes, we will capture responses sorted by country. In the future, we may capture responses sorted by additional anonymous demographics such as language, affiliated GE business, work web site location, gender, etc.

Sharing Content with Family and Friends

We want you to share the web site’s content with important people in your life, so most articles, videos and slideshows can be emailed. To do so, we will ask you to provide your name and the recipient’s email address. We simply use this information to send the content as you request. At this time, we do not capture or store your, or the recipient’s, email address. Please see below to learn how we track and report on email sharing activity.

Please also review GE’s Social Media Guidelines

How we protect information

GE maintains administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect against unauthorized disclosure, use, alteration or destruction of any information you provide on this web site. We use secure socket layer (SSL) technology to help keep the information you provide on this web site secure. See ‘Information We Share’ and ‘Information We Transfer’ for additional details.

Information we share

We do not sell or otherwise disclose personal information about our visitors, except as described here. We may share information provided by visitors with service providers we have retained to perform services on our behalf. These service providers are contractually restricted from using or disclosing the information, except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. In addition, we may disclose information about you if we are required to do so by law or legal process; to law enforcement authorities or other government officials; or when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity.

Information we transfer

We may transfer the information we collect on this web site to other countries where we do business, but only for the purposes described above. When we transfer your information to other countries, we will protect that information as described here unless otherwise required by applicable laws.

Links to other web sites

We provide links to other web sites for your convenience and information. These web sites may have their own privacy statements in place, which we recommend you review if you visit any linked web sites. We are not responsible for the content of linked web sites or any use of the web sites.

Children’s privacy

This web site is not directed to children under the age of thirteen and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of thirteen on the web site. If we become aware that we have inadvertently received personal information from a visitor under the age of thirteen, we will delete the information from our records.

Some links on this web site may take web site visitors to web sites that are directed to children. These web sites have their own privacy notices that address children’s privacy. We encourage you to read these privacy notices if you visit any linked web sites directed to children.

Updates to our privacy & data policy

This Privacy & Data Policy may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our online information practices. We will post a notice on this web site to notify you of any significant changes to our Privacy & Data Policy, and indicate at the top of this policy when it was most recently updated.

How to contact us

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy & Data Policy, or if you would like us to update information we have about you or your preferences, please contact us by visiting our Feedback Form.

6 Lifestyle Changes That May Lower Your Risk of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among American women—affecting about one in eight women during their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Breast cancer is a condition where cells in the breast grow out of control. While it may cause lumps in the breast, not every breast lump is cancerous. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that most breast lumps are related to other medical conditions, like non-cancerous cysts.

Certain factors affect a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Some of the risk factors, such as family history and genetics, can’t be changed. Fortunately, other risk factors may be addressed through lifestyle changes. That’s why it’s so important to make the healthy choices that are within your control. Start by learning about six steps you can take to potentially lower your chances of developing breast cancer.

Maintain a healthy weight
The American Cancer Society (ACS) warns that women who are overweight or obese after menopause are more likely to develop breast cancer. To help you maintain a healthy weight as you get older, the CDC encourages adults to get regular exercise, eat a nutritious diet, and balance the number of calories consumed with the number of calories burned. Some research reported by the ACS also suggests that a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy products may help reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Exercise regularly
Getting four or more hours of exercise per week may also lower your odds of developing breast cancer, suggests the CDC. Examples of moderate exercise include brisk walking, casual biking, actively playing with your kids, or even tackling some yard work. For a more vigorous workout, you could try jogging, swimming laps, or playing a game of soccer, basketball, or football.

Get enough sleep
The CDC also lists lack of sleep as a preventable risk factor for breast cancer. Unfortunately, the CDC notes that a quarter of the U.S. population experiences occasional sleep problems—and nearly 10 percent of Americans report chronic insomnia. To help you enjoy the 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night recommended for adults, consider trying these tips from the National Sleep Foundation:

Exercise daily
Follow a regular sleep schedule
Shut down electronics before bed
Develop a relaxing bedtime ritual
Sleep on comfortable pillows and mattress
Adjust the temperature, sound, and light levels in your bedroom

Limit alcohol
Whether you’re drinking wine, beer, or liquor, consuming too many alcoholic beverages may raise your risk of breast cancer, cautions the ACS. In fact, women who drink two to five alcoholic beverages per day are about 1½ times as likely to develop breast cancer as women who don’t drink at all. Women who have a family history of breast cancer should be particularly careful about limiting alcohol.

Avoid smoking
According to the ACS, studies suggest that smoking may be another preventable risk factor for breast cancer. Women who begin smoking before having a first child may be at particularly high risk. It’s even possible that exposure to second-hand smoke may increase the chances of developing this disease. If you’re currently a smoker, consider making a commitment to quit. Speak with your doctor to learn more about smoking cessation strategies and support tools—and explore the tobacco-quitting resources provided by HealthAhead.

Breastfeed if possible
Some research suggests that breastfeeding may provide a small level of protection against breast cancer, reports the ACS. Specifically, women who have more children and breastfeed for a longer time may have lower chances of developing breast cancer than women who have fewer children and breastfeed for a shorter time. One major study found that every 12 months of breastfeeding could potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 4 percent.

Challenge yourself: Do what you can to lower your risk
Not all risk factors for breast cancer are preventable. That’s why it’s so important to make lifestyle changes in areas that help lower your risk. For example, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, getting sufficient sleep, limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, and breastfeeding are all steps to consider. Regular breast cancer screening may also help you catch and treat the illness early, if you do develop it, advises the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force. Speak with your doctor about your family medical history and other factors that may affect your risk of developing breast cancer.