If Your Breasts Could Talk What Would They Say?

Breasts are the extension of our hearts. When we hug one another we touch everyone with our breasts. We are physically loving with them to our babies, husbands, and friends all the time. Our breast health typically mirrors that nature of loving ourselves and others in giving and receiving.  We find it hard to keep a balance when it comes to loving others and ourselves. We tend towards giving more than we receive. In our culture we are in a constant flow of giving and sometime we are guilt-ed into this state of imbalance. Susan Weed describes this well in her book Breast Cancer? Breast Health! 
Keeping Our Breasts Healthy
We can keep our breasts healthy by remembering to love ourselves enough and take time to care for our bodies, minds, and spirits. This week carve out a few minutes to give your breast a massage. 
Massaging your breasts brings much needed circulation to a fat dense area. Our breast are mostly made of lymphatic tissue, fat and milk producing glands. But what else is in there? I remember after nursing I lost all of the fat in my breasts and felt so much less of a women.  I called my breasts two skin tabs just floating there with nothing to fill them. This process happened so quickly that I did not have time to adjust to and keep loving myself in the face of my new emaciated body. I was embarrassed and did not want anyone to touch them for a while, not my babies, or husband. I wanted my body to be my own.
I needed to start loving myself again, taking responsibility for my definition of self care. Doing what truly nourished me so I could have the ability to love my new momma body. The first thing I did was put on some much needed weight. I started to practice yoga in the morning and bought myself a new to me bicycle.  I also started breast massage and lymphatic skin brushing daily. ​Making just these few changes gave me new strength for my family too. I became happier and healthier.
Breast massage is simple and only takes a few minutes every day for a self care techinque that can actually be life saving. Dense breasts can get congested. Massage keeps the energy flow moving. 
Breast congestion includes cyst formation or fibrocystic breast syndrome and premenstrual breast tenderness
Herbs for lymphatic flow and balance  
​Red Root Ceanothus spp

• lymphatic, decongestant to pelvis, liver,and spleen tissue
• protective to blood vessels especially in capillary fragility
  • easy bruising, heaving bleeding

Violet Viola odorata

• leaf is specific for tincture in breast and ovarian cancer,helps dissolve breast and ovarian cysts, wonderful wild food
• lymphatic

Cleavers Galium aparine

• blood purifier,heated conditions, inflammation, swollen glands
• large amounts can thin blood and increase menstrual flow

Poke Root Phytolacca americana

• very strong lymphatic mostly used topically
• used in acute and chronic conditions as a medicine not a preventative
• caution topically can cause a rash

Plantain Plantago lanceolata used topically as a breast cancer preventative
Seaweeds

• treat fibrocystic breast syndrome with iodine
• protective breast tissue and thyroid function

Immune Nourishing Herbs
Astrgalus membranaceus

• enhances immune system, restores T cell function, increases interferon synthesis, strengthens killer cells.  Used also to protect from the detrimental effects of chemotherapy

Nettles Urtica diocia,

• strengthens the immune system, increases energy and helps to protect the adrenal glands

Siberian Ginseng Eleutherococcus senticosus 

• is used for its effects on the immune system and as an adaptogen helps immune system respond to cellular damage caused by radiation , air, and water pollution.

Mushrooms, Grifolia frondosa Maitake, Ganoderma lucidum Reishii,
Lentinus edodes Shiitake

• work to strengthen the immune system by increasing production of cancer fighting alpha interferon, shrinking tumors, increasing T-cell production and are anti inflammatory

Echinacea purpurea

• anti tumor, anti cancer enhances immune system increases interferon enhances macrophage activity reduces side effects of chemotherapy

Usnea spp

• is rich in a powerful antibiotic and anti-tumor bitter called usnic acid and is also immune-strengthening

Poultices

• used for breast congestion  for mastitis
  • cabbage leaves, calendula, comfrey leaves, burdock leaves, poke

• dipping breasts in a strong tea
  • basil, calendula, comfrey, rose, ginger

• fibrocystic breasts
  • plantain, calendula, violet, dandelion blossoms (also oil)

Nourishing and Tonifying
Dandelion Root Taraxacum officinale

• specific for cysts, lumps, growths, and abnormal cells in the breasts. This addresses the liver

Calendula internally and externally
Burdock Arctium lappa

• anti-cancer reverses pre -cancers, resolves chronic skin problems
• fresh root binds to heavy metals and toxins
• can be used for years

Breast Self Examination

• While standing and looking in the mirror, raise your hand over your head and press them together.  Notice the shape of your breasts.  Place your hands on your hips, apply pressure, and look for dimpling of the skin, nipples that seem to be out of position, one breast that looks different from the other or red scaling or thickening of the skin and nipples.
• Raise one arm above your head.  With the other hand, firmly explore your breast.  Beginning at the outer edge, using a circular motion, gradually work toward the nipple.  Take your time wherein examining the area between the nipple and the armpit, and feel the armpit as well.  You have lymph nodes in the armpit: they move freely and feel soft, and are not painful to the touch.  Look for lumps that are hard and not mobile.  Cancers are often attached to underlying muscle or the skin.
• Lie down on your back and repeat step 2.  Lumps may be more easily detected in this position also squeeze each nipple to check for blood or a watery yellow or pink discharge.

Recipe
Breast Oil 
Dandelion Flowers Fresh 1 part
Fenugreek 1/2 part
Bladderwrack 1/2 part
Calendula 1 part
1 part can equal 1 TBL or 1 cup depending on how much you want to make 
This oil if for congestion and stagnation.
Put all the herbs together and cover by one inch with sesame or olive oil. You can also use a blend of oils. Place together and blend in blender. Pour into a mason jar and put in a water bath double boil keeping it between 110-120 degrees. Cook for about 6 hours or more strain with muslin or cheese cloth and store in glass in a cool dark place. 

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