Breast Health, Self Exams, and Products we LOVE

As October is breast health month, we wanted to give you the low down about self-breast exams and some breast health products we know and love.

Self-breast exams are something every woman should be informed about. Some masses are so small that they will only be detected via regular mammograms or ultrasounds, but checking yourself at home and knowing what to look for is an equally important tool when it comes to non-invasive preventative health measures.

How often, and what to look for?

Self-breast exams should be performed each month. It’s a good idea to establish a habit or routine of checking while showering or afterwards in front of a mirror, that way you remember to do it every month. It is best to check for lumps a few days after your menstruation ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. The changes that you want to look for include: new lumps, knots or changes in the breast such as a new nipple inversion or discharge, redness or irritation, dimpling or thickening of the skin, or persistent pain. Of course, any changes you notice should be reported to your physician.

Also- if you do feel lump, absolutely schedule an appointment with your doctor, but before you panic, know that 8/10 lumps are non-cancerous. A professional opinion will either catch something wrong or truly ease your mind- so have it checked!

How is a self-breast exam performed?

Check out the link below for a short how-to video on performing self-breast exams. Remember to check breast tissue, but also in the area of the underarms as well.

How-to Video

Mammograms & when should women get them?

Women have the option to get mammograms starting at age 40-44, and mammograms should be performed every year at ages 45-54. When women turn 55, they have the option to reduce mammograms to every 2 years, or continue with every year if they wish (more info here).

Now for the fun stuff!

Bras

By now I’m sure you’ve seen a wireless bra ad circulating on your social media feed at least once. I gave in a few years ago and tried a True & Co. bra for the first time and haven’t looked back! I actually ended up throwing away all my other bras because I never wanted to wear them after trying a wireless bra. If you haven’t tried them, they are truly the most comfortable thing ever and will have you wondering why you ever put up with tight, constrictive underwire bras for so long.

Because they are way less constrictive- they don’t restrict our breathing or the lymph flow in the chest. As Kandi talked about in her lymph flow article, avoiding stagnation in this area is very important for our breast health and overall health, especially if you experience pain or tension in this area.

As I stated, my favorite and True & Co.; however, Dr. Meghan and Kandi both love Knix bras. The firm structure of these wireless bras make it a more comfortable and supportive fit for larger busted women.

You can find them here:

1) True & Co

2) Knix bras (Knix also carries period undies and we hear GREAT things!)

Herbal Products

We love 5Yina, a skincare company created by two acupuncturists in California that use traditional Chinese Herbal medicine in a beautifully curated skincare line for all sorts of concerns- including your décolletage!

This luxurious cream is specially formulated for the delicate skin on our neck, chest, and breasts. Aside from smelling amazing and feeling like liquid silk, it also contains several Chinese herbs that are specifically used for either the chest or the breast in Chinese medicine. Cyperus (Xiang fu) is an herb commonly used in Chinese medicine that guides to the chest, relieves stagnation, promotes blood and lymph flow, and helps settle the emotions. Forsythia is an anti-inflammatory herb commonly used to reduce nodules and swellings. And Pink Lotus- a sacred flower to help unblock stuck emotions and connect the mind to the heart.

Vitamins and breast health

Research has shown that women with lower levels of vitamin-D are at a higher risk of breast cancer. According to breastcancer.org, “vitamin D may play a role in controlling normal breast cell growth and may be able to stop breast cancer cells from growing”. Aside from getting adequate sunlight, and eating foods high in vitamin D, there are supplements you can take to also increase your vitamin D. We carry Designs for Health Vitamin D supreme, which has vitamin D and K. The two vitamins work best as a team as vitamin D will increase your need for vitamin K. If your vitamin D levels are low, or you’re looking to supplement for prevention, talk to us the next time you are in and we can help!

You can also get vitamin D through eating certain foods. Foods that are high in vitamin D include: salmon, rainbow trout, sardines, steelhead trout, cod liver oil, whole milk, mushrooms, yogurt and eggs. As always- be sure to buy good quality in order to optimize nutrient density!

Deodorants we love!

According to the National Cancer Institute, “Because underarm antiperspirants or deodorants are applied near the breast and contain potentially harmful ingredients, several scientists and others have suggested a possible connection between their use and breast cancer (1, 2). However, no scientific evidence links the use of these products to the development of breast cancer.”

Parabens, which are used as preservatives, are also found in deodorants and have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen in the body’s cells. One study found in the Internal Journal of Molecular Science stated that “Parabens have been associated with disturbances of estrogen hormone action and potential estrogenic activities of parabens have been extensively investigated in the past decades [6,9]. In 2004, Darbre et al. reported the detection of unconjugated parabens in breast cancer tissue, triggering further investigations into estrogenic activities of parabens”. While it has not yet been proven that parabens cause cancer, both aluminum and parabens are labeled as potentially harmful and research has shown they can mess with our hormones, so why use them?!

Here are deodorants that are aluminum free and only contain natural ingredients!

First up is Remy and Rose deodorant- this kick butt COLORADO made deodorant is rubbed on like a lotion, available in multiple incredible scents, clean and green, and you can find it locally at Hey Day!
NATIVE deodorant seems to have a cult following of avid lovers. You can find this at Target.
Tom’s deodorant was sort of the trailblazer when it came to natrual deoderant. All the scents smell so dang good but be sure to pick the one that matches your needs.
Also- Check out a local Fort Collins company that makes Pit Liquor- a natural, non-toxic deodorant using just liquor, arrow root powder, essential oils, and herbal extracts. We haven’t tried these ourselves yet, but can imagine they would be more drying and would be great for people who tend to sweat a lot.

As always- we also encourage you to try out a Lymphatic Chest and Breast Treatment at Balanced Thistle with Kandi. The service is lovely, and you’ll leave feeling like you can breathe deeper. Who doesn’t love that?!

Blog written by Samantha Kloss, MSAOM, L.Ac.

Edited by Dr. Meghan Gray, DACM, L.Ac.