Recommendations for Breast Health

Breast Massage Technique Will Enhance Lymphatic Drainage

Research indicates that wearing a bra for prolonged periods of time during the day can impede the drainage of harmful fluids from breast glands. The following massage technique, done once a night, will enhance lymphatic drainage from the breast.

1. After removing the bra, lie on your bed, on your back. Straighten one arm and raise that arm over your head, allowing it to rest on the bed. (For our purposes here, let's presume you raised your right arm first.)
2. Next, using the fingers of your left hand, gently stimulate the right nipple by gently rubbing and/or squeezing it. This will trigger the release of the hormone oxytocin and increase lymph drainage throughout the breast.
3. After stimulating the nipple for a few minutes, very gently grasp the lower portion of the breast. Using a sort of pumping action, gently squeeze and release the breast, gradually moving your hand up toward the outer portion of the breast and armpit area. Continue to "pump" higher into the armpit until you can't go any farther.

The idea here is not to rub the skin overlying the breast and armpit, but rather to rhythmically and very gently pump the lymph from the breast into the armpit and then further up the lymph system. Continue this pumping procedure for about 3 minutes, and then switch to the other breast and armpit area. (Remember to raise the opposite arm over your head.) One 3-minute session on each side nightly is all it takes.

Diet

• Eat more soybean products: Increase the amount of soy, like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and roasted soy nuts, in your diet. Researchers have found that soybeans contain a natural substance that has been shown to promote breast health. Soybeans also contain what are called protease inhibitors, and have been shown to protect against developing breast problems.
• Eat only organically-grown produce, or wash it thoroughly. Eating organic fruits and vegetables will help limit your exposure to a group of chemicals called organochlorines that accumulate in fatty tissues in the breast. There are now more than 10,000 different varieties of organochlorines. These include compounds like benzene, chlordane, DDT, dioxin, vinyl chloride, atrazine and CFCs.

If the fruits and vegetables you eat are not organically grown, then at least be sure to wash and rinse them well. You can do this with mild soap and water, with one of the pre-made produce washes found in health food stores, or with diluted grapefruit seed extract.

Also, make sure your drinking water is free of organochlorines and other foreign chemicals. I believe distilled water is always the safest. Learn more about the water distiller I recommend.

Avoid Toxins

Stop using antiperspirants, as the chemicals they contain can be absorbed through the skin and cause the underlying lymph nodes to constrict and block lymph flow. Switch to natural deodorants, which don't cause the nodes to constrict.

Likewise, use nontoxic and/or natural pesticides and herbicides, both indoors and out. Always wear protective gloves and clothing to avoid getting any of these substances on your skin, and be careful not to breathe the fumes, as chemicals can easily enter the body via the respiratory system.