As we step into October, it's essential to recognize that this month is not just about embracing the autumnal hues and cozy sweaters; it's also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer remains a formidable adversary, accounting for 30 percent of new female cancer cases yearly. According to the American Cancer Society, by the end of 2023, it's estimated that there will be approximately 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in the United States.

Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. However, the silver lining is that rates have steadily declined since 1989. There has been an overall decrease of 43 percent in breast cancer cases through 2020. This is a testament to our progress but underscores the importance of continued efforts to drive these numbers even lower.

There are several things you can do to improve your health and reduce your risk for breast cancer.

Discover how to prioritize wellness and cope with health scares in midlife. Learn about preventable risk factors, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and understand health conditions like monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a precursor to multiple myeloma.

After menopause women's heart disease risk increases. Yet, only 56 percent of women identify it as the greatest health problem facing them today. Learn key ways to take care of your heart after 50 from preventive cardiologist, Courtney Jordan Baechler.

Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in women. We don't talk as much as we should about how women's heart health research is 35 years behind that of men. Or, how our symptoms are often not taken seriously. We want to help change the narrative around women and heart disease. It all starts here with a conversation with Courtney Jordan Baechler MD, MS.