CHERISH your breasts, large, small, pointy, curvaceous, pert or saggy, whatever their form.
Every October the emphasis seems to be falling heavily on the fear of breast cancer, and little on the wonder of breasts. This is as breast cancer is of course a concern.
Nourishing and attending to your breasts through exercise, herbs and massage are gentle, non-invasive ways to improve breast health and channel our nurturing energies back towards ourselves.
Get a move on
Adding exercise to your daily routine makes a huge difference to breast health. A study published in JAMA found that postmenopausal women who engaged in the equivalent of 1¼ – 2½ hours of brisk walking each week decreased their risk of breast cancer by 18%. Women who exercised during their 30s benefited from a similar protective effect later in life.
An infusion of health
Herbal supplements in the form of infusions can make significant contributions to overall breast health. Some herbs nourish the body by providing it with cancer-fighting vitamins, minerals and carotenes; others, called tonifiers, work over time to boost the healthy functioning of organs and bodily systems.
The breast exam
- Get to know your breasts. You want to know what they normally feel and look like, so that if something suddenly changes, you’ll notice. Exploring your breasts through touch and loving observation can take place through regular breast self-massage using infused herbal oils. Do this somewhere you can lean back, such as a bed or warm bath. The advantage of a bath is that the washing motion offers a natural way to monitor your breasts, and the water helps your fingers glide easily over your skin.
