October has arrived and so has the time when the country focuses its attention on what is normally called “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” I won’t get into the politics of the PINK campaigns, but instead, I would rather take the time to get serious about real prevention by celebrating health on all levels.  

So in honor of Breast Health Awareness Month – BHAM month, in the weeks to come,  I will outline what every women needs to take action for real breast cancer prevention. I will blog about a very special “superfood” that may surprise you with its diverse range of health benefits.  Then we are going to dive into the importance of emotional healing for both healing and prevention of Breast Cancer. Healing the emotions is an area that often gets pushed to the side during the course of our busy lives.

But first….let’s talk about those bras!

The Kind of Bra You Wear Could Increase Your Breast Cancer Risk

This subject may seem light-hearted, but its significance lies in the fact that it affects pretty much every woman out there.

The most important connection between bra-wearing and breast cancer has to do with the lymphatic system, which performs the absolutely vital purpose of draining toxins away fromt the major organs. It is also one of the body’s lines of defense against pathogens. Lymph nodes in the mammary area create white blood cells and are places where Natural Killer Cells are produced.

What this system needs more than anything is to flow with as little restriction as possible. Over 85 percent of lymph fluid from the breast area flows to the lymph nodes in the armpits, with the remainder draining along the breast bone area. When a woman wears a bra for hours at a time, especially one that is very tight or has an underwire, this flow can become seriously impeded.

Probably the most significant work that connected bras and Breast Cancer appeared in the 1995 book Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras. Authors and researchers Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer piggyback on a 1991 Harvard University study which found that women who went bra-less had half the Breast Cancer risk, compared to bra-wearers.

The authors conducted their own study with 5,000 women and the findings were even more shocking: women who wore a bra 24 hours per day had a 3 in 4 chance of developing Breast Cancer.

Wearing a bra less than 12 hours a day reduced that risk to one in 52. According to a recent report in Green Med Info, very recent studies from Kenya, Venezuela, Scotland and China confirm these general findings made over twenty years ago.

In the name of breast health, be sure to give your breasts some room to breathe every day by doing the following:

• When you get home from your busy day and it’s time to kick off your shoes, take off your bra too! Weekends when you are puttering around the house and yard is a good time to let your breasts run free as well. Never wear your bra to bed.
• Avoid bras with an underwire. In addition to the way that wire can restrict lymphatic flow, the metal may also amplify nearby electromagnetic frequencies (EMF)  radiation from cell phones and Wi-Fi signals. This amplification has actually been proven in the work of ground-breaking kinesiologist Dr. George Goodheart.
• Take the time to exercise every day! Even a brisk walk can stimulate the flow of lymphatic fluid and help the lymph system do its job of detoxification and immune system-building. Rebounding is especially helpful for the lymph nodes and overall circulation.
• Finally, find a bra that feels sexy and is good for your health too! I recommend products from BGreen, BrookThere and Cottonique.

In light of this evidence that traditional bras can affect your breast health, take these tips seriously and spread the word about REAL Breast Cancer Prevention! Share this blog with your friends and family.