5 Unusual (And Easy) Ways To Prevent Breast Cancer

1. Don’t wear a bra.

No, that doesn’t mean you need to go outside and burn your bras. But you should probably wear it less than you think. Bras tend to raise the temperature of the breasts, and cancer thrives in higher temperatures than normal. Bras also restrict the natural flow of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, and don’t allow the normal lymph-pumping action of natural breast movement. (See number 4). 

2. Breathe

Well, you’re probably already doing this. But take a few minutes to breathe differently every day, and you’ll notice a world of difference. Deep, slow breaths from your abdomen will oxygenate your system, keeping your cells happy and avoiding the oxygen-starved environment that fosters the growth of cancer cells. Learn more about breathing techniques here. 

3. Don’t wear antiperspirants

“Eww gross”, you’re probably saying to yourself. Not wearing antiperspirants doesn’t automatically mean smelling like a horse, but it does mean staying away from the potentially cancer-causing aluminum that’s an ingredient in most products. (See here for my previous post on this). 

4. Exercise

Remember when I mentioned the “lymph-pumping action” your breasts have in natural movement? If you don’t move a lot, they won’t do their job. The lymphatic system is a crucial component in the body’s immune response, and lymph (the disease fighting fluid in the system) isn’t pumped through your body like blood, but rather by the movement of your muscles.  Some lymph nodes reside in your armpits (where a good deal of women end up having breast cancer) and when you “bounce” you’re naturally pumping lymph from there into the rest of your body. And, of course, exercise will generally increase quality of life and allow you to live longer. 

5. Stop being so stressed out!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 85% of all illness is caused by stress. Stop and think about that... then think about how often you live with that stress. Unfortunately, it’s next to impossible to live in today’s world without stress, but it is possible to find ways to deflect it or release it. One way is simply to find the time to do whatever it takes to get some rest and quiet (two essential ingredients to stress relief). Another way is to just say NO to all the commitments that clamor for your time. Be wise about how you manage your time, and you’ll find your stress levels will decrease. 

So there you have it, five easy ways to prevent yourself from getting breast cancer that don’t cost you a penny, and might even save you some money! 

Drugs & chemo: not always the right choice.

This summer, the New York Times wrote an article about the drug Avastin, a drug sold by the company Genentech and used by many doctors to treat breast cancer. In the article, however, the New York Times notes that the drug “promotes life only by a few months, if that,” and that “some new studies suggest the drug might be less effective against cancer than the Food and Drug Administration had understood when the agency approved its uses.” 

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that drug companies usually know those things long in advance before it is disclosed. It’s about the money. I hate to be that honest and simplistic, but that’s the bottom line.  

I went to a breast cancer seminar probably 5-6 years ago.  Of course there were a lot of drug companies there. They had set up the booths and they were sponsoring it.  But the statistics at that time were that, if women who had recurrent breast cancer took chemo and radiation (in other words, traditional treatment provided by pharmaceutical companies) they lived 22 months on the average.  If they didn’t take these drugs they lived 20 months.  That is not statistically significant.  If you ask a statistician, there is no difference in those two, 20 or 22 months.  So you’re talking about women being damaged and nauseated, sick with hair falling out and all kinds of horrible side effects, all the while getting no increase in life that is of statistical significance.

I asked the drug company reps at this seminar, “So why are we giving this?”  They told me, “Oh, well, two months!”  But that’s two months of misery for these poor women. Medicine is supposed to be very scientific and about the patient, but unfortunately the sad truth is that many times it’s not in the best interest of patients.  

That doesn't mean that there isn't hope for a longer life for those who suffer from breast cancer. With a healthy lifestyle, careful decisions about your diet, and some alternative treatments and preventative measures, I've seen many women live far longer than the doctors had given them, with some even experiencing remission.  If you want to learn more, I'll shamelessly plug my book here, but you can also stay tuned to this blog to learn more about different ways to stay healthy without padding the pockets of drug companies.