10/31/2025
♥Protect Your Breast Health - Breast health and preventing breast cancer is of concern to all women.♥
There are many things we can do to improve our chances of avoiding issues in the future, or even to resolve problems you currently have. The tissue in breasts is made up of hormonal tissue, lymphatic vessels which act as a highway for immune cells, and fat. So, keeping hormones balanced, keeping the lymphatic drainage open, and eating good fats are all ways we can keep our breasts healthy.
BRAS-Tight bras that restrict blood and lymph flow can lead to problems and underwire bras can be especially harmful. There are plenty of supportive, attractive bras available that are wireless, and these are preferred. Get fitted for a bra so you are wearing the correct size, and not one that is too tight for you.
SWEAT-Exercise, saunas, and hot yoga are all ways to get sweating. Toxins are eliminated through our sweat, so heavy metals or chemicals that may have accumulated in the fat or lymphatic tissue are pushed out through our skin when we sweat. This is the body’s natural way to detoxify.
ANTIPERSPIRANTS-All antiperspirants contain a form of aluminum. This is what keeps you from sweating (it poisons the nerves in your underarms). Aluminum is a toxin and is absorbed through the skin, and it accumulates in the breast tissue. The metallic flakes from antiperspirant can be seen on mammograms! Use a natural deodorant that doesn’t contain aluminum.
SKIN CARE-Other skin products, like lotions and soaps, often contain toxic substances that get absorbed into the body. Some of these chemicals are called “endocrine disruptors”, which means they mess up your hormonal system. These tend to concentrate in fatty tissues, so the breasts are extremely susceptible to these products. Using natural skin care not only protects your breasts and your hormonal organs, but it makes your skin much nicer, too!
FOOD ADDITIVES-Animals that are given antibiotics and growth hormones will produce meat, eggs and milk that also contain these substances. Choose products that come from healthy animals raised on organic feed, and that aren’t treated with chemicals. Many processed foods contain genetically modified ‘food’, MSG, or artificial sweeteners, to name a few. Again, chemical toxins tend to accumulate in our tissues from consumption of soy products or from plastic containers to name a few. So eating green veggies can help keep estrogen levels balanced. Excess estrogen is a risk factor for cancer.
EAT YOUR VEGGIES-Vegetables like broccoli, kale, and brussels sprouts have the ability to help sweep excess estrogen from the body. Estrogen-like compounds can accumulate in our tissues from consumption of soy products or from plastic containers to name a few. So eating green veggies can help keep estrogen levels balanced. Excess estrogen is a risk factor for cancer.
BRA HEALTH-Is Your Bra Harming Your Health? We’ve all seen them, those television ads showing women how beautiful they can look in those tight underwire pushup bras. Of course, no one is bothering to tell women that those same bras could be increasing their chances for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Michael Schacter, M.D. says in his article, The Prevention and Complementary Treatment of Breast Cancer:
“Over 85% of the lymph fluid flowing from the breast drains to the armpit lymph codes. Most of the rest drains to the nodes along the breast bone. Bras and other external tight clothing can impede flow. The nature of the bra, the tightness, and the length of time worn, will all influence the degree of blockage of lymphatic drainage. Thus, wearing a bra might contribute to the development of breast cancer as a result of cutting off lymphatic drainage, so that toxic chemicals are trapped in the breast.”
It’s important to realize that nearly all underwire bras contain metal under wires, coated with plastic which creates even more potential risk for the wearer. Metal acts as an antenna which will attract electromagnetic fields. This can increase risks of cardiovascular disease. Johns Hopkins performed research showing that there is a direct relationship between exposure to electromagnetic fields and the speed and rhythms and in extreme cases, heart failure.
Medical anthropologists Sydney Singer and Soma Grismaijer-authors of Dressed to Kill: The Link between Breast Cancer and Bras-conducted a study of over 4,000 women, and found that women who do not wear bras have a much lower risk of breast cancer.
Their findings included:
-Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer.
-Women who wore bras more than 12 hours per day, but not to bed, had a 1 out of 7 risk.
-Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 52 risk.
-Women who wore bras rarely or never had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer.
Singer and Grismaijer also found that about 90% of fibrocystic patients improve when they quit wearing bras.
Of course while some women would be happy to have any excuse to burn their bras, breasts can be heavy and having insufficient support can cause some women a great deal of discomfort. Fortunately, there are more and more options for women which will give them gentle support without restricting flows. There is a whole series of new bras on the market which don't restrict the lymphatic flow. Some places simply call them ‘wireless’ bras, others call them leisure bras. Several examples of these bras include the Genie Bra, the Aire Bra and the Ahh Bra, but there are plenty more options like them. You can find these less restricting bra designs online and in stores like Haines and in your finer department stores. Look for one which does not fit tightly around your ribcage or restrain the bust from any movement, but which gives you sufficient support. Some of these bras are designed for smaller cup sizes and some have been specifically designed to support larger cup sizes. It might take some time to find the right one for you, but once you do, you’ll wonder why you ever wore anything else.
