This morning, millions and millions of women got up and put on a bra! I personally find bras incredibly uncomfortable. The first thing I do when I walk through the door when I get home from work is take mine off! And truth be told, sometimes it gets taken off in the car BEFORE I drive home from work!
A bra invented in 1913
For centuries women have used a variety of garments and devices to cover, restrain, or modify the appearance of their breasts. A bra invented in 1913 – one hundred years ago – by Mary Phelps Jacob was made from two handkerchiefs, some ribbon and cord. This was the first bra to receive a patent.
The 1960’s were an important time for the feminist movement
The 1960s were an important time for the feminist movement. A pivotal moment in pop culture was a protest held on September 7, 1968. A “freedom trash can” was placed on the Atlantic City Boardwalk and women threw in high-heeled shoes, curlers, make-up, corsets, girdles and of course, their bras.
Although the history of the bra is very interesting, I’d like to tell you about a health risk associated with wearing a bra.
A health risk associated with wearing a bra
Wearing a bra, especially one with underwire, prevents lymphatic flow. The lymphatic system is highly dependent on movement. The lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like your heart, so the only way to move it around is for you to move.
The lymphatic system
The lymphatic system is a system of thin tubes that run throughout the body. The lymphatic system tubes are much finer than the arteries and veins and carry a colourless liquid called lymph.
So what does the lymphatic system do?
The lymphatic system aids the immune system by removing and destroying waste, debris, dead blood cells, pathogens, toxins, and cancer cells.
So what is the connection between wearing a bra and the lymphatic system?
Many physicians and researchers now agree that wearing a tight fitting bra can cut off lymph drainage. This can contribute to the development of breast cancer since your body will be less able to excrete all the toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis.
Dr. Michael Schacter, M.D. wrote in his article, The Prevention and Complementary Treatment of Breast Cancer:
“The nature of the bra, the tightness, and the length of time worn, will all influence the degree of blockage of lymphatic drainage. Thus, wearing a bra might contribute to the development of breast cancer as a result of cutting off lymphatic drainage, so that toxic chemicals are trapped in the breast.”
Constricting bras have also been implicated in the rise of non-cancerous, but often painful breast cysts and lumps.
Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras
Medical anthropologists Sydney Singer and Soma Grismaijer — authors of Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, conducted a study of over 4,000 women, and found that women who do not wear bras have a much lower risk of breast cancer.
The findings included:
- 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 52 risk
- Women who wore bras rarely or never had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer
Singer and Grismaijer also found that about 90 percent of fibrocystic patients improve when they quit wearing bras.
The World Health Organization calls chemical toxins the primary cause of cancer. Because the lymphatic vessels are very thin, they are extremely sensitive to pressure and are easily compressed. Therefore, when you wear a bra, the poisons and toxins which should be flushed out by the lymphatic system, stay in breast tissue.
Yes, you will most likely wear a bra to work and when you exercise, but please know that every subtle bounce of the breast gently massages the breast and increases lymphatic flow and therefore cleans the breast of toxins and wastes. So, when you are at home, take off your bra!
We all know that there are many factors such as eating whole foods, exercising, and limiting alcohol intake that contribute to the prevention of breast cancer. But you can also incorporate another breast cancer prevention component…
Ditch your bra and let your lymphatic system flow!
This article was provided by holistic nutritionist Jeffron de Savoye. Here at The Naked Label, we can’t wait to see the new ways that Jeffron inspires us to be happy, healthy and feel energized!
Do you wear a bra 24/7? How do you feel about wearing a bra? Share your comments with us! We’d love to hear! Also, help spread the word to our mothers, sisters and girlfriends by sharing this article through social media using the links below.
Photo by 21TonGiant. Click Here to visit their photo stream.
