1) Do monthly self-exams and get an annual mammogram once you’re old enough. Forget the goofy cartoons showing women with pancaked breasts after getting a mammogram. The procedure doesn’t hurt. When you are 40, mammograms should be done yearly.

2) Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking raises the risk of breast cancer; your risk goes up by 7 percent with each drink you have per day.

3) Control your weight. Obesity has a strong association with greater breast cancer risk, especially in post-menopausal women. It’s unclear whether or not losing weight helps lower risk, so the best prevention is to just avoid gaining in the first place.

4) Exercise. Yes, it seems to be the fix for everything, but that’s because it practically is a magic bullet. With regard to breast cancer, working out hard at least four hours per week drops your risk up to 40 percent.

5) Know your family history. Having a first-degree relative (mother or sister) with breast cancer raises your risk of someday getting it too. Being aware of your history could change your doctor’s recommendations for screening, so talk to your family now. However, most breast cancer occurs in women without a family history, so that’s not a free pass.

6) Consider saying no to hormone therapy. Estrogen-progestin therapies used to treat menopause raise the risk of breast cancer by 26 percent. Unless there is a compelling reason to use hormone therapy, think very carefully before you start popping pills.