It’s incredibly important to be on top of your breast health because preventing cancer is much easier than finding a cure.

There may be a lot of breast cancer awareness, and pink ribbons, and pink products out there, but none of that seems to be reducing our risks of getting cancer.

That’s because it’s not dealing with the root of the problem… your health and the health of your breasts.

Disease can’t grow in a healthy body. Breast exams can be useful for catching things once they’ve started, but that’s not being very proactive.

By the time a mammogram has picked up something, you’ve already got breast cancer.

Not good enough.

Our bodies have amazing capabilities and a healthy lifestyle has been shown to reduce cancer rates.

Even if you have a strong genetic predisposition to breast cancer, a healthy lifestyle can only serve to improve your odds of surviving it.

Your health is something YOU can control.

Our breasts are a part of what it is to be a woman. They’re a part of our sexuality. In fact…

Breasts are the erotic source of a woman’s experience of sexual ecstasy.

Sadly, they can also be a place for cancer to take hold.

That’s why you need to take care of your health… because it’s important for the health of your breasts, as well as your overall enjoyment of life.

Healthy breasts are happy breasts.

And don’t we all want to have happy breasts?

 

Here’s a brief rundown on where to start:

 

Eat a healthy diet

 

When you eat non-processed organic foods, you supply your body with proper nutrition, AND you avoid most of the toxins that come from foods that are genetically modified and sprayed with chemicals and pesticides.

Healthy breasts require healthy food.

Tip: A predominately plant-based diet, along with some healthy fats, will give your body the minerals and nutrients it needs to be healthy. Fruits, vegetables and leafy greens provide us with hydration as well.

 

Cut down on your sugar intake

 

Refined sugar feeds cancer and it’s not good for you anyways. Natural sugars, such as those found in fruit, don’t feed cancer because they contain critical components such as polyphenols, including reservatrol, and other beneficial antioxidants. But more importantly, fruits fight cancer by killing the viruses and bacteria that cause it.

Unfortunately, most of the sugar we consume isn’t coming from fruit.

Tip: If you want sweetness, add some raw honey or maple syrup. Those are natural AND good for you. Whatever you do, don’t replace sugary products with sugar-free alternatives. Artificial sweeteners are known to cause cancer.

 

Get some physical exercise

 

Your body requires movement to function optimally. It reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, not to mention it strengthens your muscles and bones and improves your mood.

A good healthy sweat can get rid of lots of toxins through your skin… your largest organ.

Tip: Go for a walk. Take the stairs.  Do thirty minutes of strength training. Play a game of tennis. Go for a bike ride. Go for a swim. You get the idea.

READ: The Sexy Woman’s Guide To Exercise

 

Get adequate sleep

 

This will give your body the time it needs to heal and repair. Your body needs this to be able to handle the onslaught of stress, chemicals and pollution that it must deal with daily.

Proper sleep will improve your mood, your cognitive functioning and give you more energy.

Make sleep a priority. Take some time to unwind each evening by taking a bath, reading a book or spending time with your loved ones.

Tip: Have sex. This will make it easier to fall asleep and could become a ritual that you cherish. And make sure that your bedroom is conducive to sleep and sex!

READ: Is Your Bedroom The Perfect Oasis?

 

Take your supplements

 

Supplementation will fill in the gaps that our current food supply is unable to do. Our food is simply not as nutrient-dense as it used to be, so we need to supplement to make up the difference.

Once it has been replenished, then you can go into maintenance mode.  But…

You can’t correct a deficiency if you don’t know what your deficiency is.

Tip:  Have your blood work and urine analysis done and find out what your actual deficiencies are. Then take the necessary supplements to get you back on track. PS: blood work has its limitations because it doesn’t detect what’s deficient in your body organs, just what is detected in your blood, but it can still be helpful. 

 

Keep your estrogen levels in check

 

Estrogen and progesterone usually maintain a happy balance so that we don’t become estrogen dominant. Estrogen dominance occurs when either progesterone levels decrease (relative to the amount of estrogen), and/or when the body has excess estrogen in the form of xenoestrogens (endocrine disrupters that mimic estrogen.

Estrogen dominance is a recipe for breast cancer.

Unfortunately, we are exposed to xenoestrogens in the form of plastic water bottles, tap water, commercially raised meats and dairy products, and artificial food additives and sweeteners… to name a few.

Tip: Eating organic vegetables from the cruciferous family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale, which contain Indole-3 carbinol… are known to help break down and eliminate excess estrogen.

 

Manage your weight

 

Overweight women have a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than their thinner counterparts. Fat cells manufacture additional estrogen and this can set the stage for estrogen dominance.

The more fat cells you have, the more estrogen you produce.

It’s necessary to have some body fat, but more is not better in this instance.

Tip:  Eating every couple of hours will keep you satisfied and keep your blood sugar stable so that your adrenals don’t have to pump out extra cortisol to keep you going. Extra cortisol creates more belly fat which creates more estrogen leading to more belly fat. Eat often and stop that vicious cycle. PS: Intermittent fasting is not great for women because it puts further stress on the adrenals that are usually already fatigued. 

 

Take it easy on the alcohol

 

The occasional glass of wine, or a Cosmopolitan (my favourite), is perfectly fine, but excessive amounts of alcohol can increase your risk of breast cancer.

Alcohol can interfere with estrogen metabolism in the liver and can result in increased levels of estrogen in the blood.

Remember, creating an excess of estrogen is not a good thing.

Tip: While the link between breast cancer and alcohol is minimal, if you happen to fall into the high-risk category due to genetic factors, you might want to keep your alcohol consumption low.

 

Reduce stress

 

Chronic stress creates adrenaline and adrenaline is corrosive to the body. Not only that, but it fuels the viruses that cause disease in the body. We all know stress isn’t good for us, but do we do anything to minimize it?

It’s important that you do something now, BEFORE a breast cancer diagnosis!

Otherwise, your stress levels will really skyrocket… adding insult to injury.

Tip: Getting plenty of sleep will certainly help, but additional measures such as meditation, exercise, and yes, even sex, are great for stress relief.

Orgasms are fantastic for stress relief!

READ: Some Damn Good Reasons To Have An Orgasm

 

I saved the best for last…

 

Breast massage

 

Breast massage is an excellent way to feel pleasure, improve your confidence as well as your health, and to really get to know your breasts.

Let’s look at some of the specific benefits of breast massage:

Breast massage can replenish the heart.

Women tend to be givers and are devoted to serving others. But always giving, and never receiving, can leave us feeling resentful and disheartened.

Breast massage is self-nurturing.

Breast massage provides loving attention so that we can fill ourselves up again and replenish our hearts. And it’s crucial that we do because if we can’t open our hearts to men, we will never be able to give or receive intimacy.

Breast massage can cleanse and stimulate.

“(Breast) self-massage improves blood and lymph circulation, preventing stagnation and cancer. This ancient practice has helped women keep their breasts healthy for thousands of years. It also gets you in touch with your heart and feelings. It’s an excellent antidepressant!” ~ Minke de Vos

 

These are just some of the ways that taking care of your body impacts the health of your breasts. Even if you’re told that you’re genetically predisposed to breast cancer…  a diagnosis and prognosis I don’t particularly agree with… lifestyle and nutrition and your beliefs play a huge part in how your health will manifest.

Help your body to heal itself and prevent disease. And most of all, love your breasts!

“Our breasts are vessels for nurturance, femininity, and sexuality, to be honored and cared for throughout our life.” ~ Deborah Davis

 

READ: What You Should Know About Breast Screening.

 

 

 

Photo Credit & Bra: http://www.belladinotte.com/prima-donna-black-divine-underwired-bra