There are more and more reports and studies showing that wearing this disastrous contraption is one major cause of breast cancer.
Syd and Soma Singer became medical sleuths in 1991, the day Soma discovered a lump in her breast. Syd noticed that she had red marks underneath her bra area and wondered how his wife could stand wearing such a contraption 12 hours a day or more. At that time they were in the Fiji Islands and they noticed that women there did not wear any bras and let their breasts hang naturally. Statistics show that women in countries that did not include bras in their mode of dressing had a very low incidence of cancer.
The Singers became more and more convinced that bras cause breast cancer and started to investigate, doing their own surveys and experiments. They came out with some startling discoveries, which will not be appreciated by the multi-billion-dollar underwear companies, who spend several million a year hyping the likes of Laeticia Casta and Heidi Klum wearing the latest cleavage-lifting, breast-squishing, fashionable push-ups.
But with the latest cancer-related findings of this husband-and-wife team, the question is, should we succumb to these breast enhancers to look like sexual icons or should we listen to scientifically supported studies and do away with the bra?
Let us look for a minute at the brief history of the bra: The bra basically developed from the corset in an attempt to manufacture a more comfortable underwear piece. The purpose of the corset was to shape a woman’s body the way fashion dictated, and the small waist was a fetish for men during that time. Before the time of the corset, there is very little evidence of any garment that could be considered a bra. So the history of the bra is strictly linked to fashion and to the idea that women had to dress a certain way in order to please men.
Even today, the bra is not used worldwide. Western cultures, which have used it the most, have turned into a sexual garment. Its main purpose is to emphasize the sexual nature of the breasts. No wonder feminists symbolically threw bras into the trash in the ’60s. Even today, going braless is sometimes connected with feminism. Still, putting feminism aside, there are some health reasons to consider not wearing bras.
The thing is, most women are so used to bras that they don’t notice the slight discomfort that comes from wearing them. If you think about it, do you feel any discomfort and tightness from your bra? When you take your bra off, does it feel similar to loosening your belt after a heavy meal? Can you see little red marks on your skin after taking off your bra? If you answer yes to these questions, your breasts may be trying to tell you something.
After Soma Singer discovered her breast lump, she decided to let go of her bras. She wore clothes that did not emphasize the breast area, she began having regular breast massages and exercising on the bicycle, took vitamins and herbal supplements, and drank only purified water. After two months, her lump disappeared.
Syd Singer, her husband, says emphatically, "Women should take their bras off before they take their breasts off." He reasons that bras constrict breast tissue, hampering lymph drainage and causing degeneration.
"Chemical toxins are the primary cause of cancer. Poisons accumulate in the breast tissues but are normally flushed out by clear lymph fluid into large clusters of lymph nodes nestling in the armpits and upper chest. Because lymphatic vessels are very thin, they are extremely sensitive to pressure and are easily compressed. Chronic minimal pressure on the breasts can cause lymph valves and vessels to close."
So, could bras be the missing link in this growing epidemic of breast cancer?
"Just before a woman begins her period, estrogen floods her system, causing her breasts to swell. If she continues to wear a tight bra, the lifesaving lymphatic vessels will be more squished," states Soma Singer. Women, especially the larger-breasted ones, insist on wearing a bra because they feel their breasts need support and protection from sagging. "This is largely a myth. Wearing a bra has no medical necessity whatsoever," says Susan M. Love, MD, in her book, Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book. "Breasts were fine before the invention of brassieres. This is similar to the myth that women need corsets to support their stomach muscles."
Besides, according to the Singers, bouncing bosoms help cleanse the lymphatic vessels.
Also, there is no proof that bras prevent your breasts from sagging. Breasts are supported by ligaments, and, like other body ligaments, may atrophy from the constant unnatural support from the bra. Bras also cause headaches, backaches, and neck pains. They pull on the neck and shoulders and strain the back, which aligns the shoulders and neck.
This ruthless undergarment can also lead to breast lumps. Anytime pulling, straining or mashing is involved, it could cause damage to breast tissue. The damage could lead to scarring, which could form into lumps.
If you must wear a bra, find a bra that is not tight and without underwires and side panels, because they can create extra pressure and tightness. Your bra should not leave marks on your shoulders or under your breasts.
In the book A New Look at Breast Cancer by Brian Sanderoff and Craig N. Fryer, one passage struck me really deeply:
"…When are we going to start to respect the body, nature and women properly? In many parts of the world the breast is considered an important organ, not an icon of sexuality. That, I am afraid, is an invention of our culture, and a sad one at that." Women should be aware of the health problems involved with bra use, so let us get rid of those tight-fitting bras that squeeze our breasts to give us sexy cleavage. Healthy is much more important than sexy!