Breast Health Starts With Your Bra

No, I'm not kidding, nor am I crazy. Wearing the wrong bra, or not wearing a bra at all, can negatively impact your health. It's a fact. Breast tissue requires proper support in order to remain healthy for your entire life. Your lymphatic system functions by your body's movement. Blocking the lymphatic system stops it from doing its job and puts you at risk, because toxins are not cleared from your body. Here's how you can put yourself at risk.

First of all, by not wearing a bra you put unnecessary pressure on delicate breast tissue. Remember that your breasts are just tissue held in place by skin. There is no muscle involved to provide support, so bouncing about will cause damage and sag.

About that sagging – going bra-less with sagging breast tissue will leave you with a skin-on-skin situation. That means perspiration issues. It's uncomfortable and encourages bacterial and yeast growth. Then you are forced into powder use, fungicides and other nasty chemicals that your body doesn't need or want.

Aching back? Sagging breast tissue pulls on your back. The pulling changes the way you position your body and ultimately puts pressure on your back and shoulder muscles.

Note, that sagging breast tissue can happen if you avoid a bra, or if you wear the wrong bra.

What about that bra? You need a bra that fits in order to have proper support. The band should fit snugly around your body without binding. A loose band will allow tissue to pull the cups down at the front and the band up at the back. Your band is designed to support part of the weight of the tissue. It can't do that if it is too large. Your shoulders will end up taking the weight, instead.

The cup should fit comfortably and should hold the tissue. If you have a wrinkled cup, it's too large and will make your clothes look frumpy. Try a smaller cup.

If you have tissue spilling over the top, under the cup or under your arms, the cup is too small. Keep trying larger cups until you find one that doesn't push tissue out in any direction. Remember to look for larger cup sizes. For example go from a B to a C. Don't go for a larger band to get a larger cup. You will compromise the support of the bra.

What if your bra doesn't fit? You can damage your health by wearing an ill-fitting bra. An overly large band will allow for sagging and it's associated issues. It will also allow breast tissue to fall below the cups. In this case, the tissue will be pinched. Since proper circulation and lymphatic drainage are keys to breast health, allowing tissue to be pinched below the bra will put your health at risk.

Pushing breast tissue into a too-small cup will harm breast tissue in the same way. Cramped and pinched tissue doesn't support good lymphatic drainage, which can lead to lumps, or worse. It isn't worth the risk. Take the time in the store to keep trying on bras until you find one with a cup that holds your breast tissue properly.

Buying a bra can be a trying experience that we all just avoid, but shouldn't. It isn't worth the health risks. While many manufacturers and stores provide only basic sizes, there are bras out there to fit every body. You just have to keep looking and trying, or engage the services of a trained bra fitter.

Assess Your Current Bra

Are you wearing the right bra? That's a question that has been asked over and over again. It's also a very good question, because a proper fitting bra provides the best support.

There are several ways that you can check the fit of your bra.

First off, consider the age of the bra. The elastic used in most bras breaks down over time, reducing the support offered by the garment. Consider replacing a bra that has worn elastic.

Next, let's examine the band. The band actually supports about 90% of the weight of the breast tissue, so it is very important to have a proper fit.

Take a look at the back of the bra. Does it sit level, or ride up? A bra that rides up is too big in the band. While it rides up in the back, it sags down in front. Your support is reduced and you won't look or feel your best.

How many fingers can you place under the band? Two or three fingers equal comfort. More than that reduces the support offered by the bra. A loose bra will ride up when you lift your arms. You'll also notice breast tissue falling out the bottom. A wired bra should fit comfortably against your body. It can't do that if the band is too large.

Now, we need to take a look at the cups. A proper fitting cup will have a smooth look and will comfortably support all tissue, without forcing any up, or back under your arms.

A wrinkled cup generally means that you have too large a cup. Try a slightly smaller cup. If you have wrinkles, but tissue is spilling over, then try a slightly different style. The composition of the cup is not made for you. Thankfully, there are many styles available to accommodate most bodies.

What about extra tissue that peeks up above the cup or under the arms? That's a bad thing. Tissue above a full coverage cup gives a muffin-top look that is uncomfortable and unbecoming. You need a bigger cup to accommodate the tissue. Consider the tissue under you arms, as well. That tissue belongs in the cup. A too-small cup will force the tissue above the cup and back under the arms.

Breast tissue is malleable and will move about. It can even migrate around to the back. That's not the best situation, but the tissue can be slowly worked back around the front, where it belongs. If this applies to you, just be patient. You will have to increase the cup size, occasionally, but it will be worth it in terms of your comfort and your health.

So take a serious look at your bra. It's time to take action.

I discuss bras and breast health on my website, www.PatHornsby.com. Take a look to see my current bra offerings, including a bra that has a Health Canada License. I'll discuss breast health and bras in my next blog submission.

'til next time,

Pat

A Bra Fitting Changed My Life.

It sounds insane, but a bra fitting did change my life. Like many people, they say 85%, I was wearing the wrong bra, and I was very uncomfortable.

Was I wearing the wrong bra, because I was stupid? No! I just couldn't find my size. I had a drawer full of ill-fitting garments. The stores just didn't carry a bra for a small band combined with a large cup. I knew that I needed a 32 band, but I couldn't find it in a D cup.

Finally, I found an MLM company that specialized in bras. The bras came in every size, from a 28A to a 46KK. I bought the bra, signed up, and haven't looked back.

It wasn't a glamour bra, but their 32E fit my body. This company had bras to fit a lot of bodies. How many bras come in 1/2 cup sizes? I was fitting women in 40HH. They went from frumpy to fabulous, just by trying on a bra.

The company also trained me to properly assess a woman's body and to fit the correct size. I don't work with that company anymore, due to my switch to straight retail, but I'll never forget their training. I have been fitting long enough that I can often judge a woman's size before I do the measuring and fitting.

While I do have a website called PatHornsby.com, where I discuss and sell products, I wanted a separate place to share my knowledge. I have helped many women and will continue to help with my fitting services, but I want to help more. This blog will serve as my place to discuss topics of interest, from determining a good fit, to what makes a healthy bra.

Be sure to come back soon to find out how to "Assess your current bra."

'til next time

Pat