Aunt Gretchen Joins the Blogosphere: August 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

Bras & Breast Cancer

This is a very interesting article! I am wearing more camis & just wearing one 12 hours a day, not in the evening. :-) GS

Natural Health and Longevity Resource Center

Bras and Breast Cancer

by Ralph L. Reed, Ph.D.

Although I am an environmental chemist (Ph.D 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 excercise 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,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, 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@ucs.orst.edu

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Our Vacation -Part 6 Lake Arrowhead Resort, CA

The last 2 days of our vacation were spent in beautiful Lake Arrowhead at the Lake Arrowhead Resort. Keriann Weber and Jonnie got married on July 31 and Heather was her Matron-of-Honor.
(Keri was Heather's Maid-of-Honor in May of this year).

The handsome 2-month newlyweds

The wedding took place on the deck overlooking Lake Arrowhead on a perfect day!

It was so special to all be together for such a happy occasion.

Abby took this picture of us dancing for the FIRST TIME EVER!! So lovely!

After the wedding we went with Philip and Abby to The Village to shop and have dinner.
When Philip saw Kirk in this hat he said, "Hey, you look like Uncle David!"

The view from McDonald's

The next morning we all gathered for a yummy breakfast at the Belgian Waffle Works.

Hangin' out with our kids is THE BEST!!

Lake Arrowhead on Dwellable

Our Vacation -Part 5 Cambria Prines Lodge, CA

We enjoyed a lovely walk in the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria.
This is just a few blocks from the area where Aunt Lois used to live.

Driftwood furniture made a fun place for a picture.

Yours truly

We got out our double chair and; sat and read for awhile-so relaxing!

We love the charming gardens at Cambria Pines Lodge. This is the outdoor bedroom, "A Place to Dream." Next to the bed is a dresser with the drawers open. Each drawer has plants cascading out. It's beautiful!

A full breakfast is included each day. Both mornings we took our meal and enjoyed it outside next to a fountain and colorful flowers.

The Kitchen Garden was right below our room.
Here are the lettuces which they use daily in the restaurant.

Kirk enjoying a turnip!

Cambria on Dwellable

Our Vacation -Part 4 Napa, CA Castello di Amorosa Winery, Cedar Gables Inn B&B

(These 2 pictures belong at the bottom of the blog.)
Anyway, they were taken in the Great Hall of the castle (Castello di Amorosa) we visited near Calistoga, at the north end of the Napa Valley.

We stayed at this 10,000 square foot mansion in Napa called the Cedar Gables Inn B&B. It has 9 bedrooms with baths. The owners/innkeepers are very pleasant and fix delicious breakfasts!

We enjoyed our room.
The linens were luxurious and the bed was comfortable.

The French Toast Souffle was fabulous! I have the recipe if anyone wants it. :-)

The Napa Valley (Wine Country) has over 600 wineries with
mile-after-mile of beautiful vineyards.

The highlight of our stay was visiting the Castillo di Amorosa. It is a 121,000 square foot castle built of 10,000 100 year old bricks from Europe as well as bricks quarried in the US.

We had many photo opportunities, as we toured the place.
This is part of the central courtyard.

So beautiful!

This is the chapel where the walls are painted in brightly colored frescoes.
They hold Catholic services there once a month.

Here's one panel of the walls in the Great Hall.

Napa on Dwellable

Our vacation Part 3 East Brother Light Station, CA

We drove from Pt. Reyes to the San Pablo Harbor in Richmond, CA where we were 1 of 4 couples spending the night on the island. The innkeeper came and picked up 2 couples at a time for the 10 minute boat ride.

Here's our bedroom on the 2nd floor. It looked out on the Marin Harbor.

The view from our window included guano rock and seagulls floating on the breeze.

The sitting room is next to the game room near our bedroom.
We read here before going to bed.

The East Brother Light Station was built in 1873.
It is a working lighthouse B&B (the only one in CA)

We had a private bath, but were not allowed to shower
since the only water supply is from rain that is caught in the cistern on the island.

The wind was so strong it blew us sideways!

The full moon rose on the water. A perfect evening!

We went up into the light tower several times.
It was really fun to SLEEP in a lighthouse!

I would recommend it!
The innkeepers worked very hard fixing snacks, a 3-course dinner and gourmet breakfast!
We felt spoiled. :-)

Sedona on Dwellable

Friday, August 13, 2010

Our Vacation Part 2 - Pt. Reyes Seashore Lodge

Our hotel, the Pt. Reyes Seashore Lodge, in Pt. Reyes, CA (just above San Francisco)
had a deck looking out into the gardens.

Here's how it looks from the backyard. There is a creek running through just behind me.

This tugboat was beached in the 1970's.
I had fun taking some pictures of it as the sun set.

Afternoon cookies and coffee in the garden. Ahhh, relaxing!

After crossing the little plank on the creek you go out onto this huge field. We came upon this stile (which you hear about in nursery rhymes, but hardly ever see).