Mammmograms bras and breastcancer

[Guest guest]

Dear Herbalists,

Not quite sure who posted the post on Mammograms but I would like to

ask whomever it was (plus any women onthis list) to read this article

carefully.............Love Penny

 

 

 

Bras and Breast Cancer

by Ralph L. Reed, Ph.D.

Although I am an environmental chemist (PhD 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 exercise 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 ( Dressed to Kill

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

 

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 Dressed to Kill

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

 

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.

 

 

The author, Ralph L. Reed, Ph.D. can be reached at reedr

<reedr

[Guest guest]

Thank you very much for posting this, Penny. I had asked awhile back about mammograms. This is very informative.

Love,

Valerie

 

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