A major portion of a total wellness program is learning some different ideas about exercises. Studies abound on the importance of having a regular exercise program, yet you will rarely find any of these exercises, massages or specialized ideas for lymph drainage. The most important type of exercise to keep our breasts free of toxins help stimulate the lymph system.
• Exercise. Teresa Tapp at www.t-tapp.com has the best lymphatic drainage exercises that I have found.
• Use a rebounder to help clear lymph nodes.
• Lymph node drainers are available to help the lymphatic cleansing, drainage stimulation and immune enhancement.
• Body brushing: Use a body brush to get your lymph nodes moving. Directions included.
• Exercise/massage your breasts. There are several exercises that will help clear your lymph glands of debris. Sadly, these exercises are promoted and suggested to women only after breast cancer surgery as a way to clear their lymph nodes. Why can’t we incorporate these into our daily regimen to keep our lymph nodes clear all the time?
• Massage: Treat yourself to massages from a local deep tissue massage therapist. Ask for special support for lymph node drainage.
• 6. Go braless. Once a breast exercise regimen is implemented your chest muscles are stronger. You may want to consider not wearing a bra. Obviously, this step may not be for everyone. But statistics, although limited, do point to the fact that the longer you wear a bra the greater your chances of breast cancer. At the very least, wear your bra a minimum amount of time. Read Dressed to Kill by Singer and Grismaijer. Exercise without a bra if possible.
• Adjustments: Get adjusted by a chiropractor, biocranial specialist, or see an acupuncturist. Keep your body in alignment to allow drainage of toxins.
• Learn reflexology points that stimulate your mammary glands and lymph nodes. Directions included.
The Five Tibetan Rites
Exercise 1 Stand erect with arms outstretched, horizontal to the floor. Spin around clockwise, until you become slightly dizzy. Gradually increase (in increments of 2) practicing from 3 up to 21 repetitions per day, for each rite.
Rite 2 First, lie flat on the floor, face up. Fully extended your arms along your sides, and place the palms of your hands against the floor, keeping the fingers close together. Then, raise your head off the floor, tucking the chin against the chest. As you do this, lift your legs, knees straight, into a vertical position. If possible, let the legs extend back over the body, toward the head; but do not let the knees bend. Then slowly lower both the head and the legs, knees straight, to the floor. Allow all the muscles to relax, continue breathing in the same rhythm. Breathe in deeply as you lift your legs and breathe out, as you lower your legs.
Rite 3 Kneel on the floor, with the body erect. The hands should be placed against the thigh muscles. Incline the head and neck forward, tucking the chin against the chest. Then, throw the head and neck backward, arching the spine. As you arch, you will brace your arms and hands against the thighs for support. After the arching, return to the original position, and start the rite all over again. Breathe in
deeply as you arch the spine, breathe out as you return to an erect position.
Rite 4 Sit down on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your feet about 12 inches apart. With the trunk of the body erect, place the palms of your hands on the floor alongside the buttocks. Then, tuck the chin forward against the chest. Now, drop the head backward as far as it will go. At the same time, raise your body so that the knees bend while the arms remain straight. The trunk of the body will be in a straight line with the upper legs, horizontal to the floor. Then, tense every muscle in the body. Finally, relax your muscles as you return to the original sitting position, and rest before repeating the procedure. Breathe in as you raise up, hold your breath as you tense the muscles, breathe out completely as you come down. Continue breathing in the same rhythm as long as you rest between repetitions.
Rite 5 When you perform the fifth rite, your body will be face-down to the floor. It will be supported by the hands, palms down against the floor, and the toes in a flexed position. Throughout this rite, the hands and feet should be kept straight. Start with your arms perpendicular to the floor, and the spine arched, so that the body is in a sagging position.
Now, throw the head back as far as possible. Then, bending at the hips, bring the body up into an inverted 'V'. At the same time, bring the chin forward, tucking it against the chest. Breathe in deeply as you raise the body, breathe out fully as you lower it.
Breast Exercises
The breasts and under arm area contain the body’s largest lymphatic system. The system is located just underneath our skin. These lymph vessels are easily constricted because of their nearness to the skin. Unlike other blood vessels, which have pressure that allows them to inflate after constriction, lymph vessels do not regain their shape.
Unlike veins and arteries, lymph vessels have no internal pressure. They are easily compressed by external pressure (like a bra), and do not return to their original shape once constricted.
Lymphatic Breast-Care and Breast Cancer
.
Lymphatic Congestion
This 54 year old client had no breast complaints, and was post menopausal. Her initial breast series included the thermogram at left, which includes an assymetrical vascularity in the left breast, circled. The thermal findings associated with this vascularity contributed to a left breast rating of TH 4.
Because the client was already working with an acupuncturist and suspected lymphatic congestion, she asked her acupuncturist to focus on clearing the left breast.* The thermogram at right resulted 5 months later.1
This 50 year old client had cancer surgery/treatment in the left breast in 1998. She had no current breast complaints. Her initial breast series included the thermogram at left, which includes assymetrical vascularity in the left breast, circled.
1 http://www.thermogramcenter.com/Before+After.htm
The client initiated a mini-trampoline bouncing regimen to address possible lymphatic congestion.* The thermogram at right resulted 7 months later.
It is essential to breast health to keep the lymph from becoming stagnant.
The lymph systems’ filtering devices and pathogen storage areas clean the breasts and blood of cellular debris, toxins, viruses, bacteria, cancer cells and other toxins. The storage areas are meant to hold “garbage” for a short time until our body can destroy and remove it. Impeded circulation and constriction in the lymphatic flow allows the “garbage” to ferment in our systems.
Toxins are believed to be the local beginnings of cancerous tissue. We need to make sure that toxins in our system are moved continuously through the veins and lymphatic vessels. The possibility of cancer increases when toxins cannot exit your body.
After many years of bra wearing, a good exercise regimen for a month is a very viable option for women who need to clear their lymph system along with a lymph node drainer. These exercises are great to tone, firm and strengthen your muscles. They help blood circulation and lymph drainage. Personally, they helped clear out my lumpy breasts overnight. My mother, who had a hard breast that doctors described as cooked after breast cancer radiation said the exercises made a huge difference. These exercises cleared her breasts within a month. She had suffered two years with hard, painful breasts.
Exercises/Massages
These exercises can be done in a variety of places. They can be done in bed early in the morning, in the evening, sitting up, laying down or while taking a bath or shower, etc. You area limited only by your time, space and privacy. Concentrate on doing these exercises 3-6 minutes apiece for a minimum of one month. You may then drop to a maintenance program, exercising once or twice a week for approximately two minutes daily on each exercise or whatever you feel necessary. You know your own body.
Nipple Stimulation: Gently rub your nipples and twist them gently for a few minutes. This action will release oxytocin, a homone which causes circulation to increase, blood to flow and is a natural orgasm enhancer. Constricting bras cause the release of prolactin, which reduces the circulation of breast fluids.
Nipple Circles: Using your fingers, lightly trace circles around your breasts. Start by circling the nipple and then make larger and larger circles around your breasts to help lymph drainage.
Nipple Ripple: You may use this instead of the circles. Use your fingers to gently smooth away from the breast/nipple in all directions. Begin by stroking from the breast to the armpit, then gradually move toward the nipple making longer strokes to the armpit.
Rotate and stroke from the breast lightly to the collar bone, and then longer strokes, from the nipple to the collar bone. Repeat light strokes from the sternum and then down from the breasts to the ribs.
Underarm Stimulation: Place one arm behind your head. Use the other hand to press under the arm or armpit and gently move tissue into the breast area. Repeat 10- 12 times on each side daily. Years of wearing bras, especially sports bras have migrated your mammary glands into your armpit area.
Remember, you do not want to constrict the lymph vessels that are located on the surface of the breasts. In the following exercises you need to hold your hands as close as possible to your chest, so that you are working on muscles that support your breasts. Use one hand to support the breast and keep the breast tissue in its own space while the other hand is massaging.
Massage: Use both hands to circle one breast as close as possible to the chest. Massage the breast with a kneading-like motion using lifting and pressing movements. This helps to release fluids.
Twister: Use both hands to circle one breast as close as possible to the chest. Twist breasts in a clockwise direction, then a counterclockwise direction.. Repeat on the other side. This exercise keeps your ligaments in good health and helps fight gravity.
Underarm squeeze: Place left hand under left armpit and push breast toward chest using palm of hand to massage side of breast firmly. Place right hand on the other side of breast, flat against chest for support. Squeeze breast with palm for 10 seconds. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Ribcage squeeze: Come up underneath the left breast, just above the ribcage with the right hand. Push up firmly. Use the left hand to push down securely from the chest and keep your breast in its space. Push firmly for 10 seconds. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Total breast squeeze: Circle breast close to the chest with both hands. Squeeze firmly for 10 seconds. This will cause blood to engorge the nipple and help in circulation. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Chest Squeeze: Place right hand in center of chest, using palm to push toward underarm. Use left hand to hold breast in its space, keeping hand as flat and tight against body as possible. Squeeze firmly for 10 seconds. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Bosom Buddies: Place each hand on each side with palms flat against chest. Fingers should be splayed out to circle underneath each breast, with thumb on top of breast. Squeeze together for 10 seconds, using your palms to apply pressure to the underlying chest muscles. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes.
Wobble Exercise: Repeat the bosom buddy position. Instead of squeezing and holding, simply move or wobble the breast tissue from side to side. This creates space between your breast tissue and your ribs and allows lymphatic fluid to drain.
Additional breast exercises
You may remember some of these exercises from gym class, or weight lifting. Feel free to add more of these to your regimen.
Wall Pushups: Find an open area on the wall. Place palms 3-4 inches apart on the wall and plant feet firmly at that distance. Lean body in and use your muscles to push away from the wall. Repeat 20 times. Readjust hands elbow length apart on the wall and repeat exercise 20 times. There are several variations according to distance from the wall and distance of hands apart.
Floor Pushups:
Bar Bell Exercises: Bend over from the waist holding barbells out horizontally from the body. Bend elbows and bring bar bells to sides. Extend arms and hold bells out straight from sides. Repeat 20 times.
Weight Machines: Use recommended exercises for your machine for your chest or pectoral muscles.
Chair Exercises 1: While sitting in chair, hold hands at chest level, placing fingers of
one hand inside palm of the other hand with elbows at shoulder level. Pull firmly for 10 seconds, release, and repeat several times. Switch fingers and repeat pulling exercise.
Chair Exercise 2 : While sitting in chair, hold hands at chest level with palms together in upright position and elbows held at shoulder level. Push palms firmly together for 10 seconds. Release and repeat several times.
Are you “Dressed to Kill”
While most research has looked at outside factors, newer research is starting to look at what may be going wrong inside our breast tissues to allow cancer to develop. Specifically they are looking at the blockage of the lymphatic network in our breast tissues and under our arms. If you’ll remember from seventh grade science class, the lymph nodes function to filter out viruses, bacteria and other “stuff” circulating through our body. Just imagine all the scenarios that could happen if your house plumbing is plugged. Is it so inconceivable that breasts would react with swollen lymph nodes, infections, cysts, lumps, and eventually cancer after 20-30 years of pressure and blockage?
Bras-an intimate apparel item pushing up lingerie companies $6 billion sales-seem to be a double culprit. Pardon the entendre. Although it took 350 years to concede that corsets were very bad for our health, some health professional skeptics claimed bras would restrict the lymph system from the very beginning. After all, they were invented in the 1930’s only as a fashion garment-not for any documented reason for support. Is it just a coincidence that cancer rates have increased along with the bras’ popularity?
Sidney Singer, a medical anthropologist, and his wife began research on a bra-less approach when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Their findings were published in Dressed to Kill by Avery Press in 1995. The medical community did not support their research, because it was not a controlled study for other risk factors. Singer and Grismaijer wrote Dressed to Kill in 1995. It was passed over by the medical community, but it should not be passed over by any woman wanting hands on information about what can be done to prevent breast cancer before medical intervention is ever necessary.
Singer, a medical anthropologist, surveyed 4,700 women in Fuji. Half wore bras and half went without. Although both groups had the same living environment and diet, the women who wore bras had the same breast cancer rate as American women. There was almost no breast cancer in Fuji women who did not wear bras.
Women who wore bras 24 hours a day had a 3 out of 4 chance in developing cancer.
Women who wore bras more than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 7 risk.
Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 152 risk.
Women who wore bras rarely, or never, had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting cancer—the same rate as men.
The overall difference between 24 hour bra wearing and not at all was a 125-fold difference.
Although the medical community claimed it was a faulted study-known risk factors that are published in medical journals are mostly in the range of less than three fold differences.
Supporting Evidence
Bras create droopy, weak breasts-they rely on the bra for support and make the breasts unable to support themselves. Just like back supports, they eventually weaken the very muscles they were worn to support.
Many women don’t think they can go without a bra. Try the exercises for a month, then try to wear your bra less and less. If a bra is necessary wear one that is not too restrictive or constricting. Allow at least 1” of comfort along the bottom of your bra. More draining action will take place naturally if your breasts are allowed to move independently from your body.
Wearing a bra, especially an under wire bra or sports bra, prevents normal lymphatic flow that would likely lead to less than normal oxygen content or anoxia. Anoxia has been related to fibrosis. The vote is still out on fibrosis and a cancer connection-but until the final vote is cast I want to do everything I can to ease lymphatic constriction in my body.
• Exercise. Teresa Tapp at www.t-tapp.com has the best lymphatic drainage exercises that I have found.
• Use a rebounder to help clear lymph nodes.
• Lymph node drainers are available to help the lymphatic cleansing, drainage stimulation and immune enhancement.
• Body brushing: Use a body brush to get your lymph nodes moving. Directions included.
• Exercise/massage your breasts. There are several exercises that will help clear your lymph glands of debris. Sadly, these exercises are promoted and suggested to women only after breast cancer surgery as a way to clear their lymph nodes. Why can’t we incorporate these into our daily regimen to keep our lymph nodes clear all the time?
• Massage: Treat yourself to massages from a local deep tissue massage therapist. Ask for special support for lymph node drainage.
• 6. Go braless. Once a breast exercise regimen is implemented your chest muscles are stronger. You may want to consider not wearing a bra. Obviously, this step may not be for everyone. But statistics, although limited, do point to the fact that the longer you wear a bra the greater your chances of breast cancer. At the very least, wear your bra a minimum amount of time. Read Dressed to Kill by Singer and Grismaijer. Exercise without a bra if possible.
• Adjustments: Get adjusted by a chiropractor, biocranial specialist, or see an acupuncturist. Keep your body in alignment to allow drainage of toxins.
• Learn reflexology points that stimulate your mammary glands and lymph nodes. Directions included.
The Five Tibetan Rites
Exercise 1 Stand erect with arms outstretched, horizontal to the floor. Spin around clockwise, until you become slightly dizzy. Gradually increase (in increments of 2) practicing from 3 up to 21 repetitions per day, for each rite.
Rite 2 First, lie flat on the floor, face up. Fully extended your arms along your sides, and place the palms of your hands against the floor, keeping the fingers close together. Then, raise your head off the floor, tucking the chin against the chest. As you do this, lift your legs, knees straight, into a vertical position. If possible, let the legs extend back over the body, toward the head; but do not let the knees bend. Then slowly lower both the head and the legs, knees straight, to the floor. Allow all the muscles to relax, continue breathing in the same rhythm. Breathe in deeply as you lift your legs and breathe out, as you lower your legs.
Rite 3 Kneel on the floor, with the body erect. The hands should be placed against the thigh muscles. Incline the head and neck forward, tucking the chin against the chest. Then, throw the head and neck backward, arching the spine. As you arch, you will brace your arms and hands against the thighs for support. After the arching, return to the original position, and start the rite all over again. Breathe in
deeply as you arch the spine, breathe out as you return to an erect position.
Rite 4 Sit down on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your feet about 12 inches apart. With the trunk of the body erect, place the palms of your hands on the floor alongside the buttocks. Then, tuck the chin forward against the chest. Now, drop the head backward as far as it will go. At the same time, raise your body so that the knees bend while the arms remain straight. The trunk of the body will be in a straight line with the upper legs, horizontal to the floor. Then, tense every muscle in the body. Finally, relax your muscles as you return to the original sitting position, and rest before repeating the procedure. Breathe in as you raise up, hold your breath as you tense the muscles, breathe out completely as you come down. Continue breathing in the same rhythm as long as you rest between repetitions.
Rite 5 When you perform the fifth rite, your body will be face-down to the floor. It will be supported by the hands, palms down against the floor, and the toes in a flexed position. Throughout this rite, the hands and feet should be kept straight. Start with your arms perpendicular to the floor, and the spine arched, so that the body is in a sagging position.
Now, throw the head back as far as possible. Then, bending at the hips, bring the body up into an inverted 'V'. At the same time, bring the chin forward, tucking it against the chest. Breathe in deeply as you raise the body, breathe out fully as you lower it.
Breast Exercises
The breasts and under arm area contain the body’s largest lymphatic system. The system is located just underneath our skin. These lymph vessels are easily constricted because of their nearness to the skin. Unlike other blood vessels, which have pressure that allows them to inflate after constriction, lymph vessels do not regain their shape.
Unlike veins and arteries, lymph vessels have no internal pressure. They are easily compressed by external pressure (like a bra), and do not return to their original shape once constricted.
Lymphatic Breast-Care and Breast Cancer
.
Lymphatic Congestion
This 54 year old client had no breast complaints, and was post menopausal. Her initial breast series included the thermogram at left, which includes an assymetrical vascularity in the left breast, circled. The thermal findings associated with this vascularity contributed to a left breast rating of TH 4.
Because the client was already working with an acupuncturist and suspected lymphatic congestion, she asked her acupuncturist to focus on clearing the left breast.* The thermogram at right resulted 5 months later.1
This 50 year old client had cancer surgery/treatment in the left breast in 1998. She had no current breast complaints. Her initial breast series included the thermogram at left, which includes assymetrical vascularity in the left breast, circled.
1 http://www.thermogramcenter.com/Before+After.htm
The client initiated a mini-trampoline bouncing regimen to address possible lymphatic congestion.* The thermogram at right resulted 7 months later.
It is essential to breast health to keep the lymph from becoming stagnant.
The lymph systems’ filtering devices and pathogen storage areas clean the breasts and blood of cellular debris, toxins, viruses, bacteria, cancer cells and other toxins. The storage areas are meant to hold “garbage” for a short time until our body can destroy and remove it. Impeded circulation and constriction in the lymphatic flow allows the “garbage” to ferment in our systems.
Toxins are believed to be the local beginnings of cancerous tissue. We need to make sure that toxins in our system are moved continuously through the veins and lymphatic vessels. The possibility of cancer increases when toxins cannot exit your body.
After many years of bra wearing, a good exercise regimen for a month is a very viable option for women who need to clear their lymph system along with a lymph node drainer. These exercises are great to tone, firm and strengthen your muscles. They help blood circulation and lymph drainage. Personally, they helped clear out my lumpy breasts overnight. My mother, who had a hard breast that doctors described as cooked after breast cancer radiation said the exercises made a huge difference. These exercises cleared her breasts within a month. She had suffered two years with hard, painful breasts.
Exercises/Massages
These exercises can be done in a variety of places. They can be done in bed early in the morning, in the evening, sitting up, laying down or while taking a bath or shower, etc. You area limited only by your time, space and privacy. Concentrate on doing these exercises 3-6 minutes apiece for a minimum of one month. You may then drop to a maintenance program, exercising once or twice a week for approximately two minutes daily on each exercise or whatever you feel necessary. You know your own body.
Nipple Stimulation: Gently rub your nipples and twist them gently for a few minutes. This action will release oxytocin, a homone which causes circulation to increase, blood to flow and is a natural orgasm enhancer. Constricting bras cause the release of prolactin, which reduces the circulation of breast fluids.
Nipple Circles: Using your fingers, lightly trace circles around your breasts. Start by circling the nipple and then make larger and larger circles around your breasts to help lymph drainage.
Nipple Ripple: You may use this instead of the circles. Use your fingers to gently smooth away from the breast/nipple in all directions. Begin by stroking from the breast to the armpit, then gradually move toward the nipple making longer strokes to the armpit.
Rotate and stroke from the breast lightly to the collar bone, and then longer strokes, from the nipple to the collar bone. Repeat light strokes from the sternum and then down from the breasts to the ribs.
Underarm Stimulation: Place one arm behind your head. Use the other hand to press under the arm or armpit and gently move tissue into the breast area. Repeat 10- 12 times on each side daily. Years of wearing bras, especially sports bras have migrated your mammary glands into your armpit area.
Remember, you do not want to constrict the lymph vessels that are located on the surface of the breasts. In the following exercises you need to hold your hands as close as possible to your chest, so that you are working on muscles that support your breasts. Use one hand to support the breast and keep the breast tissue in its own space while the other hand is massaging.
Massage: Use both hands to circle one breast as close as possible to the chest. Massage the breast with a kneading-like motion using lifting and pressing movements. This helps to release fluids.
Twister: Use both hands to circle one breast as close as possible to the chest. Twist breasts in a clockwise direction, then a counterclockwise direction.. Repeat on the other side. This exercise keeps your ligaments in good health and helps fight gravity.
Underarm squeeze: Place left hand under left armpit and push breast toward chest using palm of hand to massage side of breast firmly. Place right hand on the other side of breast, flat against chest for support. Squeeze breast with palm for 10 seconds. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Ribcage squeeze: Come up underneath the left breast, just above the ribcage with the right hand. Push up firmly. Use the left hand to push down securely from the chest and keep your breast in its space. Push firmly for 10 seconds. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Total breast squeeze: Circle breast close to the chest with both hands. Squeeze firmly for 10 seconds. This will cause blood to engorge the nipple and help in circulation. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Chest Squeeze: Place right hand in center of chest, using palm to push toward underarm. Use left hand to hold breast in its space, keeping hand as flat and tight against body as possible. Squeeze firmly for 10 seconds. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes, then change sides.
Bosom Buddies: Place each hand on each side with palms flat against chest. Fingers should be splayed out to circle underneath each breast, with thumb on top of breast. Squeeze together for 10 seconds, using your palms to apply pressure to the underlying chest muscles. Release. Repeat cycle for several minutes.
Wobble Exercise: Repeat the bosom buddy position. Instead of squeezing and holding, simply move or wobble the breast tissue from side to side. This creates space between your breast tissue and your ribs and allows lymphatic fluid to drain.
Additional breast exercises
You may remember some of these exercises from gym class, or weight lifting. Feel free to add more of these to your regimen.
Wall Pushups: Find an open area on the wall. Place palms 3-4 inches apart on the wall and plant feet firmly at that distance. Lean body in and use your muscles to push away from the wall. Repeat 20 times. Readjust hands elbow length apart on the wall and repeat exercise 20 times. There are several variations according to distance from the wall and distance of hands apart.
Floor Pushups:
Bar Bell Exercises: Bend over from the waist holding barbells out horizontally from the body. Bend elbows and bring bar bells to sides. Extend arms and hold bells out straight from sides. Repeat 20 times.
Weight Machines: Use recommended exercises for your machine for your chest or pectoral muscles.
Chair Exercises 1: While sitting in chair, hold hands at chest level, placing fingers of
one hand inside palm of the other hand with elbows at shoulder level. Pull firmly for 10 seconds, release, and repeat several times. Switch fingers and repeat pulling exercise.
Chair Exercise 2 : While sitting in chair, hold hands at chest level with palms together in upright position and elbows held at shoulder level. Push palms firmly together for 10 seconds. Release and repeat several times.
Are you “Dressed to Kill”
While most research has looked at outside factors, newer research is starting to look at what may be going wrong inside our breast tissues to allow cancer to develop. Specifically they are looking at the blockage of the lymphatic network in our breast tissues and under our arms. If you’ll remember from seventh grade science class, the lymph nodes function to filter out viruses, bacteria and other “stuff” circulating through our body. Just imagine all the scenarios that could happen if your house plumbing is plugged. Is it so inconceivable that breasts would react with swollen lymph nodes, infections, cysts, lumps, and eventually cancer after 20-30 years of pressure and blockage?
Bras-an intimate apparel item pushing up lingerie companies $6 billion sales-seem to be a double culprit. Pardon the entendre. Although it took 350 years to concede that corsets were very bad for our health, some health professional skeptics claimed bras would restrict the lymph system from the very beginning. After all, they were invented in the 1930’s only as a fashion garment-not for any documented reason for support. Is it just a coincidence that cancer rates have increased along with the bras’ popularity?
Sidney Singer, a medical anthropologist, and his wife began research on a bra-less approach when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Their findings were published in Dressed to Kill by Avery Press in 1995. The medical community did not support their research, because it was not a controlled study for other risk factors. Singer and Grismaijer wrote Dressed to Kill in 1995. It was passed over by the medical community, but it should not be passed over by any woman wanting hands on information about what can be done to prevent breast cancer before medical intervention is ever necessary.
Singer, a medical anthropologist, surveyed 4,700 women in Fuji. Half wore bras and half went without. Although both groups had the same living environment and diet, the women who wore bras had the same breast cancer rate as American women. There was almost no breast cancer in Fuji women who did not wear bras.
Women who wore bras 24 hours a day had a 3 out of 4 chance in developing cancer.
Women who wore bras more than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 7 risk.
Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 152 risk.
Women who wore bras rarely, or never, had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting cancer—the same rate as men.
The overall difference between 24 hour bra wearing and not at all was a 125-fold difference.
Although the medical community claimed it was a faulted study-known risk factors that are published in medical journals are mostly in the range of less than three fold differences.
Supporting Evidence
Bras create droopy, weak breasts-they rely on the bra for support and make the breasts unable to support themselves. Just like back supports, they eventually weaken the very muscles they were worn to support.
Many women don’t think they can go without a bra. Try the exercises for a month, then try to wear your bra less and less. If a bra is necessary wear one that is not too restrictive or constricting. Allow at least 1” of comfort along the bottom of your bra. More draining action will take place naturally if your breasts are allowed to move independently from your body.
Wearing a bra, especially an under wire bra or sports bra, prevents normal lymphatic flow that would likely lead to less than normal oxygen content or anoxia. Anoxia has been related to fibrosis. The vote is still out on fibrosis and a cancer connection-but until the final vote is cast I want to do everything I can to ease lymphatic constriction in my body.
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