Put a little prevention on your plate at your next meal, and you might be able to reduce your chances of developing breast cancer. It’s true that modifying your eating habits and other lifestyle factors can make a difference, says Helen Krontiras, M.D., co-director of the UAB Breast Health Center and the Lynne Cohen Prevention Program for Women’s Cancer. “In different studies, lifestyle changes have been shown to decrease breast cancer risk,” she says. “It’s probably the best thing patients can do.”

So how—and where—do you begin making those changes? Dr. Krontiras suggests starting small, with what you’re going to have for dinner. She recommends a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and avoids refined sugars and saturated fat. Skip a lot of red meat, and if you do eat it, try to cook it rare or medium rare rather than well done.

Beyond the kitchen, Dr. Krontiras says you should avoid alcohol or drink it in moderation; a study found that women who have two to five alcoholic drinks a day have one-and-a-half times the breast cancer risk of nondrinkers. Smoking also can increase your risk.

In addition, you can literally make moves against breast cancer by becoming physically active. “Try to exercise regularly, and try to maintain a healthy weight,” says Dr. Krontiras.

If you had your first child before age 30 or breastfed your children for several months, you already have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. But regardless of your risk level, you should try to limit your exposure to estrogen, since the hormone can encourage breast-cancer cell growth. Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT), for example, has been linked to breast cancer, so be sure to discuss the use of hormones with your doctor if you’re in a high-risk category.

“Some high-risk women may need to employ other methods to reduce their risk,” including medication, Dr. Krontiras says. For more information about your risk levels—and how UAB’s Breast Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment Clinic can help—see “Chance Encounters.”

Dr. Krontiras advises that even with preventive measures, you should still have regular exams to detect any changes in your body early. Doctors recommend a monthly breast self-exam and a clinical breast exam every three years up to age 40—and every year after 40. You should also have a screening mammogram every year after age 40.