Bras and Breast Cancer

[Guest guest]

Bras and Breast Cancer

 

 

by Ralph L. Reed, Ph.D.

 

 

Although I am an environmental chemist (Ph.D in biochemistry), I

have been

doing a lot of literature research on breast cancer since I saw an

article

on the National Library of Medicine database over a year ago. That

article

documented an increase in breast cancer rates between women who do

wear bras

versus those that do not.

 

That Harvard study fascinated me and I searched the medical

literature for

possible explanations. In January 1996, I discovered the book by

Singer and

Grismaijer and their explanation of impaired lymphatic flow

intrigued me. I

have since read everything that I can find on lymphatic flow. What I

have

found has amazed me, but that is another story. I can supply you

with lots

of info if you like. In essence, what Singer and Grismaijer found

was that

the odds of getting breast cancer dramatically increased with bra-

wearing

over 12 hours per day.

 

* Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance

of developing breast cancer (in their study, n=2056 for the cancer

group and

n=2674 for the standard group).

* 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

152 risk.

* Women who wore bras rarely or never had a 1 out of 168 chance of

getting breast cancer. The overall difference between 24 hour

wearing and

not at all was a 125-fold difference.

 

The results of this study are compelling, even considering that it

was not a

" controlled study " for other risk factors. Bear in mind that known

(published in medical journals) risk factors for breast cancer are

mostly in

the range of less than three-fold differences. It should also be

noted that

Singer and Grismaijer surveyed bra-wearing behavior of the past,

which is

excellent for a disease with such a long development period. In

their book,

the authors show how most of the known risk factors can be related to

bra-wearing behavior and/or the lymphatic system.

 

For example, breast feeding and pregnancy cause full development of

the

mammary lymphatics. Also, women of higher economic status have

higher breast

cancer rates, and one would expect that they would wear their bras

more

hours per day. Women who excercise have lower risk, which could

relate to

better lymphatic circulation (and I would add, more breast movement).

 

To this discussion, I would like to add that lymphatic circulation

in many

tissues (especially the primary lymphatics) are highly dependent on

MOVEMENT. When you sit for a long time on an airplane flight, your

feet and

ankles can swell, because lymphatic circulation goes to near zero.

Wearing a

bra, especially a constricting one with underwires, and especially

to bed,

prevents normal lymphatic flow and would likely lead to anoxia

(lower than

normal oxygen content), which has been related to fibrosis, which

has been

linked to increased cancer risk.

 

Women evolved under conditions where there was BREAST MOVEMENT with

every

step that they took when they walked or ran. My reading of the

scientific

literature about lymphatic flow shows me that this may be as

important as

the constriction factor. Every subtle bounce of the breast while

moving,

walking, running, etc. gently massages the breast and increases

lymphatic

flow and thus cleans the breast of toxins and wastes that arise from

cellular metabolism.

 

Of course, there may be other mechanisms for the damage that bras

apparently

cause. One such mechanism could be temperature. Breasts are external

organs

and have a naturally lower temperature. Cancers can be

temperature-dependent. Breast cancer is hormone-dependent.

Temperature can

alter hormone function. Breast temperature changes throughout the

monthly

cycle.

 

All these facts are from the medical literature. By whatever

mechanism,

someone will eventually explain why Singer and Grismaijer found a

125-fold

difference in cancer rates between bra-free breasts and those

constricted by

24-hour-per-day bra-wearing.

 

If you haven't already done so, I suggest that you read the book by

Singer

and Grismaijer (

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0895296640/naturalhealthandA/

>

Dressed to Kill,Avery Press, 1995). (By the way, I have no

connection to the

authors; I think that they live in Canada.)

 

Also, just for an interesting experiment, the next time you walk

down the

street, notice visually how constricting bras are. On many women you

can

actually see " dents " around the sides of their chests where there

bras are,

even in something as opaque as a black t-shirt.

 

A physical therapist friend of mine, after reading

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0895296640/naturalhealthandA/

>

Dressed to Kill, said that she was amazed at what she saw in her

practice at

a local medical clinic. She noticed how many women have red creases

and

grooves on the their bodies caused by their bras. Singer and

Grismajer also

suggest that you simply stop wearing one for two weeks and see how

you feel.

 

 

By the way, I have heard that they are currently working on a new

study. The

research is to study whether benign fibrocystic breast disease can be

treated by stopping bra-wearing for eight weeks. That should be very

interesting; this time they are involving medical doctors, from what

I've

heard.

 

Years ago, many people thought that the idea of cigarettes causing

lung

cancer was funny. Even if further research with highly controlled

studies

only shows a difference of 5-fold, or even 2-fold, it will be no

laughing

matter.