So, we have reached the end of “Breast Cancer
Awareness month” (though I think most of us are already aware of Breast Cancer,
unfortunately) and we have seen the usual pink-washing by cosmetic companies,
who perhaps assuage their consciences by making a small donation to cancer
charities, rather than by changing the ingredients in their products. The
Breast Cancer Fund says that we need to “re-think the pink” and many women seem
to be getting justifiably annoyed by this sort of hypocrisy and are looking for
better ways to care for themselves.
The problem is that many of the ingredients used by
mainstream cosmetic companies, such as Phthalates, lead, parabens, triclosan,
to name a few, are not compatible with our skin and nervous system and are also
considered by the Breast Cancer Fund to be actively dangerous. For example, studies
link phthalates with early puberty in girls, which is itself a precursor for
some female reproductive cancers. The food we eat is not necessarily helping,
either, as the introduction of hydrogenated fats caused a leap in the incidence
of breast cancer. Seems like butter is better, after all!
We all know that prevention is better than cure,
and if there are things we can do to lessen our risk, then that is surely a
good way forward? Some specialists advise not to wear underwire bras, or at
least not wearing them to bed, as they could cause lymph blockage. Exercise, eating
well, (organic, locally-produced food, with organic meats and lots of
vegetables, especially cruciferous ones) and not overdoing alcohol, coffee and
tobacco are no-brainers, but there is another technique that few people in the
west are aware of and that is breast massage; it seems that breast
massage is a good means of flushing toxins out of the body and the breasts, as it is likely that a build-up of toxins could lead to an increased chance of developing cancer. If
we consider that the breasts are comprised of dynamic, changing, living tissue then
it makes sense that nurturing them would have a positive effect on them and perhaps
also our own state of mind
According to Ayurveda, massage can keep the breasts
healthy and toned and some people think that it might even change their size.
Maggie Tisserand, for example, recommends a blend of rose oil in jojoba to tone
and decrease their size, whereas geranium and ylang-ylang are reputed to
increase them! I would recommend the use of pomegranate oil, castor oil or sesame
oil, as that is what is traditionally used in India, Breast massage can
stimulate healthy natural lymphatic drainage and aid the elimination of waste,
as well as increasing circulation and therefore the delivery of nutrients to
the cells, and regular massage of the breasts also enables us to be intimately acquainted
with their shape, so any changes that might occur are noticed very quickly.
We need to stop obsessing about the shape of our
breasts and how they compare to the ludicrous pictures that we see in the
media, and start to consider that healthy breasts are themselves beautiful,
whatever they look like. Massaging them can help us to gain acceptance of our
own unique beauty and help us to nurture ourselves. The remarkable Susun Weed says
“we cannot nurture others fully or well unless we also nurture ourselves.”
Self-care of the breasts, the potent symbol of femininity motherhood and the
goddess is a good place to start and great for health too.
