~Breast Self Care~

In my private consultations and at the Women's Self Care with Ayurveda and at the Woman Know Thyself! workshops I have seen the great relief and excitement that women feel when they learn more about breasts, how to care for them, and the range of what normal breasts look like.  It's amazing that in a culture where breasts are used so freely to sell things & titillate (!) we are taught so little about this part of our bodies.  At the same time it's no surprise, since nourishment is NOT what we are taught about in general or specifically regarding breasts.  Sex & mothering are forever separated by a culture so influenced by the view that mothers aren't sexy &  sex should be boxed off from mothering - why was the mother of Jesus a Virgin???    But our bodies say otherwise - The very same hormone is instrumental in  female orgasm, childbirth, and releasing the milk from a nursing mother's breasts to feed her child.  So we know that if the Virgin Mary gave birth & breastfed, she was also capable of orgasms. ( In Ayurveda , the woman orgasming is considered a part of a healthy conception.)

The breasts are mainly made up of fatty tissue and ducts which have the potential of milk production.  They begin their development into milk makers during puberty, when the ducts & fatty tissue which protects them grow.  But full & final development of the breasts does not happen until the hormonal dance of pregnancy & childbirth come to fruition in the birth of a child.  At that point the breasts are finally mature and become stabilized in a cellular sense.  This is why absence and disruptions of the reproductive process (including breastfeeding less than 1 year) increase the risk of breast cancer.  Those cells are more easily confused by toxins, traumas, radiation & other initiators of cancer because they haven't gotten to that stabilized place of having fully developed & functioned.

Ayurvedic care of the breasts includes understanding that milk production and breasts are through the agency of the rasa or plasma tissue level.  This level is very changeable because it is the level fed directly by the digested food substance-it is greatly influenced by dietary intake.  The breasts are ruled by the dosha of Kapha in general, being on the chest which is the home of Kapha, and also producing milk, which is a sweet, rich, nourishing Kapha substance.  If the plasma is constantly out of balance, carrying excess Vata or Pitta then the breasts will easily become out of balance. If digestion is poor, aama or toxins will be circulating in the plasma. This can result in breast cysts, tenderness, tumors, or breastfeeding problems.   So a basic Breast care principle is to eat properly and support healthy digestion ( as in the article on Protecting your digestive fire in a previous issue).

Another Breast care principle has to do with circulation in the breasts.  Because plasma is so important to breasts it's important to have good circulation, both to carry in nutrients and to prevent any stagnation from occurring which would allow toxins to build.  Much of the body has muscles that massage the lymph system and general area to move things through-but the breasts are not covered by muscles.  This leaves them vulnerable to stagnation.  Wearing improper breast support can exacerbate this situation-it is readily apparent when breastfeeding.  If you wear improper breast support during your lactation the milk can be trapped & stagnate, causing inflammation & infection.  Similarly, an improperly fitting bra can allow for toxic buildups in certain areas of the breasts.  Some research also indicates underwire bras may be contributory to breast cancer.  Finding proper breast support is important for women who have large breasts to prevent discomfort and back problems .  In some cultures other forms of support than bras have been used-cholis in India and someone told of fitted blouses that crossed between the breast, supporting them in the clothing itself.  If you know more better support for women with large breasts please let me know so I can pass it on. Decent Exposures is a company that makes cotton bras to order and specializes in breastfeeding and big breasted women, check their website at www.decentexposures.com.

To overcome the lack of muscular massage of the breasts it is advisable for women to massage their breasts regularly.  This can become a part of your morning routine or your bathing routine.  Use some natural oil.  For Vata or Kapha use sesame oil, for Pitta breasts use coconut oil or almond oil.  You can add some ylang ylang essential oil if you tend towards inflammation of the breasts or just because it smells good.  Then massage the breasts in a circular motion from the outer lower quadrant of the breast around & up, towards the lymph drainage under your armpit. This will encourage movement of lymph & cleansing of the tissue.  This regular massage- be it daily or several times a week-will familiarize you fully with what is normal for your breasts. The breast massage affirms and contributes to the health of your breasts, while allowing you to know if something odd is happening with your breasts.  You can do a breast self exam once a month also, as you wish.

Last but not least in breast self care is loving your breasts.  This doesn't mean PRETENDING to like the way they look.  It means understanding that there is a wide range of normalcy in breasts and what is fashionable is not necessarily what is healthy or even desirable sexually.  It also means acknowledging that our breast are like friends that we might love but not always like in every respect.  Loving my breasts means I give them what they need to be healthy and accept them for what they are.  They are now almost 49 years old and don't look or act the same as when 21!  My friend who lived in Africa told me that there women actually do brag about how long their breasts hang down and one is a truly great mother if you can carry your baby on your back and your breast reaches all the way over your shoulder so you can feed the child while digging roots, etc.  This is surely a different story than here in America.  We have to realize that it is just about stories and to love those we have for what they are.  We can also do our part in educating others about the story where breasts are great for both milk and for loving and that aging breasts go along with the rest of becoming a wisewoman.

Women with specific breast concerns can often be helped with ayurveda. I had begun to form some fibrocystic areas in my breast, which have now almost disappeared, after practicing ayurveda for several years and adding in the breast massage. Please contact me for an appointment if you wish to explore how to reduce or get rid of fibrocystic breast syndrome (which ayurveda does consider a staging area for further problems) or to do other things promoting healthy breasts.  Long distance phone consults possible, though not ideal.