Ladies, who wants to have a bra burning party? Those straps that bite into your should, the underwire, the constant itch from the clasp, being restrictive, sucks right? But alas, society says bras are the way. What doesn't get mentioned is the danger a bra poses to our health. Not only do they feel restrictive, but they restrict some of our bodies natural process, which can lead to breast cancer. Yikes!
Here are the stats (courtesy of Ralph L. Reed, Ph.D):
- Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer.
- Women who wore bras more than 12 hour per day but not to bed 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 breast cancer. The overall difference between 24 hour wearing and not at all was a 125-fold difference.
"Apparently , the restrictive nature of bras inhibits the lymphatic system (our internal network of vessels and nodes that flushes wastes from teh body) from doing its job. The mammy glands are filled with lymphatic vessels that move from the breast, through the auxiliary lymph nodes under the armpit, over the collar bone, to the thoracic duct. This is how the breast drains toxins and keeps its internal environment clean. However, if something impedes the cleansing process, an imbalance occurs and the estrogen by-products become destructive molecules called free radicals that begin cellular damage which leads to breast cancer. The correlation between bras and breast cancer is four times greater than smoking is to lung cancer! Pushup bras are said to be the most restrictive. If you cannot discontinue wearing a bra, consider wearing one as little as possible, and use a bra that allows some breast motion, without cutting tightly under and along the outer edges of the breasts where the milk ducts are located."
As Ty pointed out, it may not be possible to completely omit wearing a bra. However, forget underwire, take it off when you are home alone, or even just with family and close friends. Layer, ladies it's all about the layers. Give yourself a boob massage, keep that lymph flowing. Once you reduce the time you wear a bra, your body will start to feel so much better.
OR, could it be that women who don't wear bras have smaller breasts, therefore less breast tissue in which to cultivate cancer, leading to less incidence of breast cancer for women not wearing bras??
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they tested women with boobs of all sizes, besides, tumors themselves are not a sign of cancer. Cancer cells cannot form tissue, they can however spread themselves throughout the bloodstream and hide in masses. I talk about this in my post: http://existingstricky.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-your-oncologist-never-told-you.html
ReplyDeleteI don't think breast size matters; rarely, men do get breast cancer. I'm not saying wearing bras is the only cause, or you will definitely get it, it just increases the risk. The more often you can take it off and let your lymph system flow, the better.
The Singers' study was not experimental research but a series of interviews with over 4,000 women. The Japanese and French studies involved experimental research.
DeleteFor thousands of years few women used any kind of breast support. The paintings and drawings of women wearing some kind of breast support represent members of the upper class, a small fraction of all people.
I guess all of us that burned our bras in the 70's knew what we were doing!
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't see how anyone can be comfortable with one on all the time anyway.
Man, I wish that it were practical to not have to wear a bra to house DDs! Oh well, at least I hang out naked most of the time I'm at home :P TMI? =X
ReplyDelete