Breast Cancer Awareness Month

If you’ve got breasts, you’ve got to know the statistics: according to the American Cancer Society, a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer sometime in her lifetime is 1 in 8.

A woman’s chance of dying of breast cancer are 1 in 35.

The most recent American statistics are shocking. For 2009, it is estimated that there will be 92,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths from breast cancer. That is for one year alone.

Which should get you thinking about breast health. We have and we’ve got some great tips to protect your breast health - and we think every woman should be following these easy suggestions.

One of the best ways to make sure that your breasts - and you - are healthy is to take care of them. Doctors recommend that you do a monthly self-exam. This can be difficult, particularly for women who have breasts with a naturally “lumpy” feel. So, while it is recommended to do a self-exam, part of this is actually getting to know how your own breasts feel - and realize their own unique qualities.

Dr Christine Horner recommends that women take Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) for breast health. Horner says a lot of great things on her site, including that CoQ10 lowers your risk of breast cancer, shrinks metastatic breast tumors, protects your organs from the damaging effects of chemotherapy, and may help you survive if you do get breast cancer. It sounds to me like taking a daily dose of CoQ10 is a helpful little insurance policy that protects your breasts - and you.

Dr Deborah Gordon, co-author of the book “Breast Health The Natural Way” argues that only 10 per cent of breast cancers have a genetic or inherited origin: the vast majority are likely related to lifestyle factors. The book suggests a breast health plan that addresses your breasts through every phase of life. Not just a book about cancer, it discusses everything from breastfeeding to breast conditions of all kinds. This is another great resource if you want to protect your “girls”. Make sure you add this book to your home library!

Of course, we also believe in lovely lingerie that makes the most of your assets - despite the continuing controversy about bras and cancer. The best way to enjoy your lingerie and still protect your health is to make sure you take off your bras at night! This allows your breasts a chance to move freely and is a good break for your bra too.

Another option is to look at Dr Marla’s Wellness Bra. We’ve featured this bra before - but it’s now on the market at a JC Penney’s near you! The creator of this bra - a real life MD - designed it to provide great support and still allow unrestricted breathing and movement.

Even better - when you buy a bra from Dr Marla, you’ll also be supporting breast cancer research. After all, nothing would be better than a cure.