Top Tips For Summer Breast Health

Going bra-less is not just an idea from hippies of the 1960s, it lends its self to better breast health over the long term.  At the conclusion of a 15-year French study on bra wearing, the evidence suggested wearing a bra limits ligament and muscle strength in bra tissue thus contributing to sagging over time.  Furthermore, limiting movement hinders lymphatic drainage. The breast is an essential lymphatic tissue vessel, and is extremely prone to inflammation.  Women who ditch their bra have more natural movement, thus providing stimulation of lymphatic flow in the armpit and therefore allowing the body a vehicle for removing toxicity from the tissues.

 

Which leads us to our second suggestion, ditch the antiperspirant! Do you know why we sweat at our armpits? One reason of course is to cool our body, but the more important reason is to release toxicity and accumulated waste from our tissues.  Therefore, limiting sweat is a sure way to increase your toxic load!  With our ever-expanding intake of toxins, it is essential we encourage release wherever we can. Antiperspirants not only limit our sweat but also most are comprised of some really toxic ingredients, especially aluminum and of course the constant scourge of breast health: parabens.  Aluminum toxicity has been associated with chronic disease including cognitive decline and Alzheimers.  Parabens are endocrine disruptors which means they cause hormonal change and can in some cases mimic the action of hormones like estrogen, thus increasing local estrogen effects on neighboring tissues.

 

Of course, we don't have to go without deodorant, in fact, there are many beneficial products that combine safe, effective, organic, and health-promoting ingredients to eliminate odor.  One of my absolute favorites is the new deodorant by Bobji (the skin line I have previously written about). The Bobji product is safe for your skin, breast, and sweat while providing excellent odor protection.  Other options are: Real Purity (also made right here in Michigan).

 

So, having ditched the bra and eliminated the antiperspirant, we move onto the most controversial topic of all....not wearing or greatly limiting use of sunblock.  Sunblock use has not enhanced our protection from skin cancer for one simple reason: we get skin cancer due to the same factors which precipitate other kinds of cancer: chronic unresolved inflammation.  Blocking UV rays, which in fact are part of a complex regulation system in the body both to produce essential Vitamin D and to stimulate cellular function globally and in the Pineal gland is a terrible thing to do.  Most sunscreens block almost all UV exposure to the skin, furthermore, they also contain endocrine-disrupting ingredients like Parabens, Oxybenzone, and Octinoxate.  In fact according to the Environmental Working Group:

Two European studies have detected sunscreen chemicals in mothers’ milk, indicating that the developing fetus and newborns may be exposed to these substances (Schlumpf 2008, Schlumpf 2010). A 2010 study by Margaret Schlumpf of the University of Zurich found at least one sunscreen chemical in 85 percent of milk samples.

 

Results which raise concern about the total physical effect sunscreen may be having on our bodies.  Of course, use of substances to support the skin and avoid damage is not new, many sites will advocate ancient Egyptian use of plants as sunscreen....which is most likely true, and therefore; let's use plants as sunscreen.  Coconut oil acts as a natural sunscreen providing essential short-chain fatty acids to support skin health and reduce local inflammation too.  In addition, consuming sufficient amounts of Carotenoids as are found in orange fruits and vegetables, eating foods rich in Vitamin C and E such as organic berries, consuming Polyphenols such as those found in grapes (a great reason to drink a glass of Organic Wine daily) are all great ways to boost natural protection from the inside out.  Additionally, consuming adequate amounts of Omega 3 has been shown to reduce the risk of a serious burn, especially from plants like Purslane and Evening Primrose or from Fermented Cod Liver oil mixed with High Vitamin Butter Oil (found at www.greenpasture.org). Although the sun is our main source of Vitamin D, supporting the body with Vitamin D rich foods especially egg yoke from pasture-raised chickens, and liver from pasture-raised cows has also been shown to be very helpful! Remember, skin cancer, like all cancer, emerges from a system over-taken with inflammation, therefore, it needs to be dealt with as such.  Slathering on toxins as a way to prevent cancer is as close to ridiculous as it gets.

 

Protecting and nourishing our bodies is the foundation of longevity, and sometimes to do this, we must disregard common societal beliefs about what we should be doing and consider some other options.  Women face significantly more potential damage from our ongoing environmental toxicity, as our systems are much more complicated and prone to illness. By adopting these three simple changes, you can provide enhanced drainage of vital lymphatic tissues and over time greatly enhance natural vitamin D production as well as the mood and immune-stimulating properties of UV light.