One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. As the mother of two little girls, that statistic is sobering.  

Breast cancer can't always be prevented, but there are a number of things that we can do to improve the odds.  

A healthy lifestyle is a great way to arm your kids against a number of illnesses—including breast cancer. Excess lifetime exposure to estrogen is one of several factors associated with the development of breast cancer in both women and men. Since the hormone is stored in body fat, keeping your family active and emphasizing a healthy diet are two ways to help kids avoid breast cancer later in life.

Make a habit of bringing kids to the farmers market to pick out veggies for dinner. Let them help out in the kitchen so they can take ownership and see where their food comes from. Even more fun, plan a weekend trip to one of many pick-your-own farms in Northern Virginia.

Let your kids see you take care of yourself. Children mimic their parents' habits and a solid sense of self-worth is one concept you want to plant early. Take a yoga class at Mind the Mat, go to the gym or just walk down to St. Elmo's for some coffee. Get regular checkups. If you find it difficult to justify time away for your own sake, do it for your kids.

Finally, keep your family active. It doesn't take a hardcore workout routine to make a difference. Eat dinner a little early and burn off the grub with a family walk. As the holidays approach, it's fun to check out how your neighbors have decorated their houses.   

Every step counts.