
Breast Health Care - A Basic Approach
There is need for every woman to do a regular self-examination on herself. This will help you to be familiar with your breast, and helps to detect any changes that may occur, and perhaps cancer in its early stages. One of the most important methods of enhancing healthy breast tissues by self-examination is by regular breast massage on yourself.
A regular breast massage will help you get used to normal breast tissue related condition that may occur due to hormone fluctuation, or during your monthly cycles. These may include pre-menstrual tension and discomfort, uneven or lumpy tissue, petoralis muscle pain, mastitis, milk production in lactating women. All these respond well to a regular massage.
One key factor in preserving and promoting healthy breast tissue is the consistent flow of the lymph fluids. The lymphatic system is responsible for the removal of toxins from our body. It serves to remove cellular debris and waste by products of normal cellular function. The lymph carries immune cells for fighting against infection and tissue growth like cancer. To insure a healthy flow of lymph fluids to promote healthy breast tissue regular movements, and regular breast massage are absolutely essential.
Another important factor in the promotion of breast health care is the intake of natural ingredients that help to promote breast health care based on current research on natural hormone balance, systematic detoxification and enhancing immune function. These ingredients should contain:
1. Plant base Estrogen:- help to balance female hormone agent.
2. Anti-oxidants:- doubles as phytoestrogen immune booster, and anti tumor.
3. Phytonutrients:- important disease fighters that seek out and destroy aberrant cell growth.
4. Detoxifying agents:- rids the body of toxins including harmful estrogen.
Our present day busy lifestyle has placed our dietary dependency mostly on junk and fast foods. This is of course unhealthy. Apart from the factors mentioned above there is need to adopt a healthy lifestyle that should also involve, healthy diet, consistent exercise, and stress reduction. These are the essential to basic breast health care.

Breast Cancer Prevention: Lifestyle for Healthy Breasts
It has been estimated that by the year 2020, the number of women who get breast cancer may be as high as 1 in 5. That number is staggering. With the help of a "healthy breasts" lifestyle, you can defy those odds, and help to beat those ominous forecasted statistics. You can help change the future.
Chances are, if you are a woman, or even a man for that matter, you know someone or at least have an acquaintance who has either battled breast cancer, or succumbed to the disease. I am no different.
My Story?
I am 31 years old, and about eight years ago a very dear relative of mine, my aunt, passed away from complications directly related to breast cancer. About 3 years before her passing, she went to the doctor because of a lump in her breast. After going through several rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, we all thought she had beat the cancer and was going to enjoy a long healthy life.
After being in remission for about a year, the cancer returned with a vengeance. Before we knew it, the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, her back and her liver. She passed away, a shadow of her former self, and a very warm, brave and compassionate person was gone from our lives, just like that.
I wanted to share the story to convey the pressing importance that we take good care of our bodies, and our breasts, so we can help ensure our long, healthy stay here in this world.
Some Lifestyle Tips for Breast Cancer Prevention :
1.) Cut the unhealthy, saturated fats and substitute with healthy fats like olive oil. If you use butter, use organic butter.
Actually, it's really best to buy all organic dairy products, since toxins like chemicals and pesticides tend to build up much more in animal fat - which is what dairy is made from, animal fat and biproducts.
2.) Cut out the underwire, push up, and tight-fitting bras. It has been speculated for years that more pressure on your breasts can result in more toxin buildup in the breast area, as well as agitate any tendencies toward tissue abnormalities. Wear looser fitting bras whenever possible. Even better, go braless when you don't need one.
3.) Moderate breast massage may be helpful in breast cancer prevention. Some studies have shown this practice to be therapeutic and speculation is that the massage helps free the breasts of toxins and improves circulation.
4.) Get plenty of antioxidants in your diet. Foods rich in antioxidants, which help defend against cancer-causing free radicals, are as follows:
a. Dark green leafy vegetables
b. Brightly colored fruits
c. Red Wine
d. Tomatoes
e. Garlic
f. Tea (especially green tea)
g. Berries
5.) Moderate exercise, or at least not having a sedentary lifestyle.
6.) Get organic foods whenever possible. The pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals and other general toxins that are in
our food, our water and produce just seem to be getting worse. Many speculate the increasing number of cancer cases is partly to blame on the foods we eat and the water we drink. Also try to drink distilled or filtered water rather than spring or tap water.
7.) Smoking and drinking alcohol have both been shown to be possible risk factors, so it goes without saying what needs to be done if either of these habits are a regular part of your lifestyle.
We can never prevent any disease 100%, and it is true that breast cancer has also been linked to a hereditary factor. However, this doesn't mean we can't dramatically bump the odds in our favor and enjoy a disease free, cancer free life.

Encourage Healthy Breasts With Self Breast Massage
Breast cancer and how to prevent it is a concern for us all. I've noticed there is very little focus on what we can do to help prevent it. Rather the focus is on finding a cure by funding pharmaceutical companies. I hope someday a cure is actually revealed, but in the meantime, let's talk about the things you can do for yourself so you can actively contribute to your own health and well-being.
One topic I never hear discussed in the media is stagnation in the breast tissue. The people that discuss this are those well-educated in Chinese Medicine. These folks are few, but I can help get the word out on their behalf, and so can you.
Stagnation in the breast tissue can occur when there is little movement in and around the breasts. Various factors can contribute to it, many of which we don't ordinarily consider. For example, did you know that breast tissue collects debris and toxins from cosmetics, including deodorant and antiperspirant? Other culprits are calcium deposits, scar tissue from trauma, tight chest, neck, and back muscles, the side effects of radiation exposure, and sluggish qi flow, or "energy." Each of these can reduce the healthy flow of blood and lymph through your breasts. They can also create low levels of oxygen in breast tissue.
Oxygen in our breast tissue is an important consideration. Cancer cells tend to collect around dead cells and areas with little oxygen. They don't survive in a highly-oxygenated environment. To encourage healthier breast tissue, it is wise to get movement through the breasts and motion through sluggish tissue.
One way to do encourage this movement is with breast massage. I think this can be done instead of your monthly self-exam. I'm not convinced the current way we are taught to examine our breasts is ideal. Searching for cancer and suspicious lumps is not where I want to focus my mind. For many women it triggers fear. That can't be helpful. When you do self-massage you become aware of the landscape of your breasts and how your breasts feel under the surface. If there is any change to what you know to be normal for yourself, you will know right away and can have it checked.
Weekly breast massage is a nurturing, sensible approach to breast health. It is done with the intention of healing and helps you become familiar with how your breasts normally feel. I believe this is a more effective way to keep aware of your body, rather than the approach of searching for unusual lumps.
There is a massage technique from Medical Qi Gong that is said to break the cycle of disease in the breasts as well as move the tissue and prevent it from stagnating. This is simply to massage both breasts in a circular manner 36 times inward followed by 36 times outward. This technique is further explained and demonstrated in a video called "Medical Qi Gong for Breast Health" by Jerry Alan Johnson, which can be found online.
I recommend using a breast balm or oil in your weekly massage. "Breast Balm" by MoonMaidBotanicals is designed for breast massage and contains poke root and calendula-infused organic olive oil with St. John's Wort and cedar. These herbs are known to give relief to breast swelling and lumps. You can inquire about it at your natural food store or order it online. Meanwhile, I hope you will familiarize yourself with this very simple way to keep your own breast tissue flowing, fluid, and healthy.



Dreaming - the Breast Cancer Vaccine
I have a dream. Well, I have many dreams, but this one is about an easy, almost painless means of ensuring that no woman ever has to face, fight or survive breast cancer again. A vaccine. Am I just dreaming? Maybe. Maybe not.
Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a proven cause of breast cancer in field and experimental mice. MMTV was discovered way back in 1936. MMTV-like viral genetic material has been identified in human breast tumors, but it's not known whether it actually causes tumor development. Research has uncovered a human mammary tumor virus, HMTV, which is 95-98% similar to the mouse virus (MMTV), so they are believed to be the same virus.
HMTV has been found in approximately 40 percent of all human breast cancer (bc) specimens examined, in 60 percent of pregnancy-associated bc's, and in 71 percent of inflammatory bc's. Women whose tumors show evidence of the virus have antibodies to it 95 percent of the time, whereas normal, healthy women have antibodies to the virus less than 5 percent of the time.
A research team, led by Vincent Tuohy, PhD, at Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute, have developed a vaccine that prevents breast cancer tumors from forming in mice, while inhibiting the growth of existing tumors. The vaccine contains the antigen a-lactalbumin. In the latest study, genetically cancer-prone mice were vaccinated - half with a vaccine containing the antigen and half with a vaccine that didn't contain the antigen. None of the mice vaccinated with the antigen developed breast cancer, while all of the other mice did.
Unlike the FDA approved cervical cancer vaccine and liver cancer vaccines, both of which target viruses (human papillomavirus and Hepatitis B viruses), this mouse vaccine targets cancer formation itself. Tuohy explains that the key in developing a human breast cancer vaccine is therefore to find a target within the tumor that isn't typically found in a healthy person. In the case of breast cancer, they are targeting a-lactalbumin, a protein found in the majority of breast cancers but not in healthy women, except during lactation. The vaccine is expected to stimulate a woman's immune system to target a-lactalbumin, stopping tumor formation without damaging healthy breast tissue.
The hoped for strategy would be to vaccinate women over 40, when breast cancer risk begins to increase and pregnancy becomes less likely. The vaccine would also be an alternative option for younger women with a heightened risk of breast cancer, instead of prophylactic mastectomies.
While there is still controversy over just how many breast cancers contain a-lactalbumin, Tuohy is hopeful that his findings might lead to vaccines for other types of cancer, and so am I. His vaccine is ready to be tested for safety in humans, but guess what. Komen has turned him down for funding 3 times and Avon has refused to even consider it. Hmmmm.... Maybe Mr. Tuohy scared the queens of pinkwashing when he said, ""If it works in humans the way it works in mice, this will be monumental. We could eliminate breast cancer."
I first heard about the possibility of one or more breast cancer viruses from Dr. Kathleen Ruddy, founder of The Breast Health and Healing Foundation. Talk About Health hosted a question/answer session with Dr. Ruddy, which is a great place to start if you're interested in learning more about this topic.

3 Healthy Habits Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Even if you have a close relative with breast cancer you'll want to know about the results of a new study. It appears you can reduce breast cancer risk by sticking to three simple habits - being physically active, keeping your weight under control and drinking in moderation, if at all - are keys to protecting yourself.
Even if you have a family history, these three behaviors were found to lower your risk, compared to women who don't do these things.
The team wanted to examine the effects of lifestyle habits on breast cancer risks in an effort to show those with a strong family history of the disease that there were things they could do to impact their own risk.
The team analyzed data on women aged 50-79 from the Women's Health Initiative study that began in 1993. During 5.4 years of follow up, just under 2000 of those women were diagnosed with invasive cancer of the breast. Women were excluded from the study who had a personal history of breast cancer, or who had a family history of early onset cancer (before age 45) so the team could look at the impact of lifestyle factors on cancer risk.
Following all three healthy habits brought down risk of cancer of the breast for women with, and without, a late onset family history. If you had a family history yet did all three of the healthy habits, six out of every 1,000 women would get breast cancer in a year. In contrast, about 7 of every 1,000 women developed breast cancer each year if they had a late onset family history but did none of the three healthy behaviors.
If a woman didn't have a family history, and still followed all three healthy habits, about 3.5 of every 1,000 were diagnosed with breast cancer each year, compared to almost 4.6 per 1,000 per year for those who didn't have the history and followed none of the good-for-you behaviors.
For the study, regular physical activity was 20 minutes of heart rate raising exercise at least five times each week. Moderate alcohol intake was considered less than one drink each day. Body weight was measured according to body mass index (BMI), with anything from 18.5 to under 25 being considered a healthy weight.
The good news for anyone with a strong family history of this devastating disease is that you can do something to reduce your own risk. You don't have to follow in family members' footsteps... this research shows it's up to you, and what you do for your body.
It seems any woman can reduce breast cancer risk by keeping herself at a healthy weight, being active (45 to 60 minutes of intentional activity per day) on a regular basis, and keeping your intake of alcohol in check.

How To Keep Your Breasts Healthy And Disease Free
Breasts are a very important part of a woman's body and when we talk of breast health one thing that comes to our mind is breast cancer. It is a very important thing to keep breasts free from cancer as well as look after their overall health.
On an average breasts normally start developing around at the time of puberty but it is just an assumption because as each individual is different so in some cases they might develop early like at an age of eleven years while in others they develop sometime around at the age of 13 or 14. But no matter when they start developing you should try to provide them with all they need to keep themselves healthy. Another important fact is that breast cancer is more prevalent in older women than in young women so age does play a very vital role in getting breast cancer.
Breasts perform a variety of functions in a woman's body from sexual stimulation to breast-feeding to attract men they help a woman in all departments. For a new-born baby breasts are the main source of nutrition thus an effort should be made to keep them perfectly healthy and eat a diet which increases the nutritional value of breasts milk.
They also play a very vital role in attracting men as we all know there are so many women who opt for breast enhancement surgery in order to look more attractive to men. Some women can even achieve satisfying orgasms only through stimulation of their breasts.
How To Maintain Optimal Breast Health
There are many ways through which a woman can keep her breast healthy. Let us lay out some of them.
1. Keep Yourself Fit
It is very important to keep yourself fit for your overall health. Exercise regularly and do some exercises for your breasts which can help in circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids into your breasts and out of them efficiently.
2. Avoid Harmful Substances
Alcohol and smoking are very injurious to the health of your breasts and research suggests that women who drink regularly are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer.
3. Healthy Diet
It is quite evident that breasts have a very high content of fat as such women should try avoiding a fat rich diet. Women should eat a diet high in fiber and include a lot of green vegetables in their dietary regime as they provide them with iron and other essential vitamins and minerals necessary for keeping a woman healthy and her breasts tender and firm.