Posted by Hotze Vitamins on 10/1/2020 to
Women's Health
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and breast health is atop every woman's mind. No one wants to be diagnosed with this frightening disease, so it is crucial that you do all you can every day to ensure that you are as healthy as possible. Whether you're in your early adult years, child-bearing years, or menopausal and post-menopausal years, as women, we all want to be able to enjoy optimal breast health for our entire lives.
The things you do on a daily basis
can affect the overall health of your breasts. Let's take a look at some simple
changes you can make in your daily life:
- Manage stress. Physically caring for yourself
comes naturally, but caring for your emotional health is something that we
seem to forget about, although it's just as important. Reduce stress
levels by meditating daily, practicing deep breathing exercises, doing yoga
and taking supplements that may ease stress and anxiety, such as magnesium and inositol.
- Avoid toxins found in pesticides. Common pesticides and weed killers contain
chemicals that mimic the estrogen hormone. Over time, this can cause a
buildup and eventually, an unnecessary increase in estrogen levels, which
has been shown to increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Always
read the labels on your yard, garden and home products, and avoid
organophosphate pesticides that can cause estrogen dominance. Instead, invest
in organic pesticides or ask your lawn care company what is in the
products they use to care for your yard.
- Get plenty of rest. While
getting enough sleep is important to your general health, did you know
it's also crucial for breast health? That's right. The hormone produced by
your brain during periods of darkness, melatonin,
is a powerful antioxidant that helps level out estrogen levels and is very
important for breast health. You can also take additional melatonin at
bedtime to make sure you're falling and staying asleep without any
interruptions.
- Avoid common household plastics. Items like water bottles, food storage
containers, utensils, food packaging, shower curtain liners, cosmetics and
detergents contain BPA, BPS and phthalates, all chemicals that mimic
estrogen. Always drink out of glass or stainless steel, store your food in
glass or ceramic dishes and avoid these harmful chemicals as much as
possible.
- Know what's in your personal care items. Products such as lotions, shampoos, cosmetics and
deodorants contain parabens, which can mimic estrogen and be absorbed
directly into your skin and tissues. Read all the labels on your products
and avoid any that include parabens in any form, including methylparaben
and ethylparaben.
- Go bra-less. Yes,
this is permission to go without! Studies show that women who wear bras
for shorter periods of time actually have better breast health because the
breasts aren't as restricted and are able to move around more naturally.
- Get outside more. We
all know that vitamin
D is important for just about every aspect of health, and breast
health is no different. Optimize your exposure to natural sunlight by
working in the yard, exercising outdoors or enjoying a walk in the park.
Additionally, supplement with a high-quality
vitamin D3 supplement to ensure you receive adequate amounts.
- Exercise. Regular
exercise helps to improve breathing and brings oxygen to your tissues,
which promotes lymphatic flow to the breasts. Also, exercising helps
maintain a healthy body weight. Unnecessary body fat contributes to
estrogen production, so keeping a healthy body weight is critical for
optimal breast health. Take up a new spin class at the gym, go for a jog
with your girlfriends or take your furry friend for a long walk after
dinner. You'll be amazed at how good you feel afterwards!