Hundreds of millions of women wear a
brassiere (bra). Why? This was the subject of
discussion at a function recently. In the course
of finding an answer to this knotty question, I
discovered that, many women wear bras
without ever asking why. Interestingly, bra
wearing is not a necessity for most women for
their breasts’ sake; rather, it is worn more for
cultural reasons.
The modern bra with its two separate cups
dates back to the corset in the early 20th
century, in an attempt to manufacture a more
comfortable underwear piece and has evolved
from simple underwear into an actual sexual
garment that emphasises the sexual nature of
breasts.
This can be readily seen, for example, by the
terminology used to advertise bras: enticing,
hot, ravishing, seducing, etc. For most purposes
however, wearing a bra is feminine and rather
strangely, going braless is sometimes also
connected with feminism.
So why wear, or not wear a bra?
According to experts, women’s breasts change
sizes an average of five times over their life.
That means that the bra size you wore when
you are 20 now will no longer will fit you
properly. And there is a good chance that the
bra you are now wearing will no longer fit you
in a few years time. Skin, not muscle actually
supports the breasts, and skin stretches with
movement. Wearing a good support bra is
essential to minimise this stretching.
bra To wear or not to wear, would, depend, first
of all, on the breast size, and secondly, on the
woman’s habits. I gather that very large and
heavy-breasted women usually need to wear
bras for support, and they feel pain and
discomfort if they don’t wear bras.
For women with small-to-medium size breasts,
if they are used to wearing bras, say they feel a
little uncomfortable without them.
However, this is more a psychological issue and
a question of habit: women tend to feel
awkward or self-conscious without bras if they
are used to wearing them. In fact, when a
person gets used to automatically wearing bras,
it’s possible to not even notice or pay any
attention to the slight discomfort from bras.
Why you DO need a bra
Your bust has no muscle. When gravity pulls
your breast down, it also stretches your throat
and face tissue. Your breast depends on an
outside source of support to keep its shape and
the shape of your breast is determined by the
bras you wear. Ordinary bras on the market
today are only covers. The woman’s bust must
be lifted to allow for proper circulation.
Without proper support, lymphatic drainage is
impeded, which interferes with cellular health.
Breast disease such as cancer is more likely
when there is no circulation and lymphatic
drainage.
Why you DON’T need a bra
Several medical experts argue that there is no
evidence that wearing a bra brings any medical
benefit. They say you could be putting your
health at risk by wearing bras, researchers have
warned. Surgeons found women are more likely
to suffer regular breast pain, which has been
linked to breast cancer. Across the world, breast
cancer is a problem only in cultures where
women wear bras. There is already
international evidence that cultures where
women do not wear bras are free of breast
cancer. Tight bras cause congestion in the lymph
nodes — a vital part of the immune system and
the body’s first line of defence against the
spread of cancer. Repeated inflammation from
constricting bras are implicated in painful breast
cysts and lumps, scar tissue develops, and milk
ducts become plugged, all of which is associated
with a higher risk of breast cancer.
In one study, 100 premenopausal women who
went braless for three months and then
returned to wearing one for another three
months found that, on average, the number of
totally pain-free days went up by 7 per cent
when the women stopped wearing a bras.
Several separate studies have shown a link
between breast pain and breast cancer. It is
estimated that two in five women suffer from
breast pain, with some also having cysts. The
pain can leave breasts feeling extremely tender,
and restrict movement. Breast pain is very
common but very hard to treat.
Body of evidence
The figures are numbing. Of 4,000 women
interviewed in a major study lasting over two
years, half the women had been diagnosed with
breast cancer; 75 percent of women who slept in
their bras developed breast cancer; 1 in 7 who
wore their bras for 12 or more hours per day
developed breast cancer; 1 in 168 who did not
wear a bra developed breast cancer.
Within one month of ditching their bras, women
with cysts, breast pain, or tenderness found
their symptoms disappeared.
A study published in the European Journal of
Cancer found that premenopausal women who
do not wear bras had half the risk of breast
cancer compared with bra users. More
interestingly, Japanese, Fijians, and women from
other cultures tend to have a significantly
higher likelihood of developing breast cancer
when they began wearing bras. Japanese
researchers found bras can lower melantonin by
60 percent. Melatonin has anti-cancer
properties. And Spanish researchers wrote
about the use of melantonin in breast cancer
prevention and treatment.
bra1Go braless as much as possible?
Most women agree it’s actually easier to do this.
When these muscles and ligaments are forced to
bear the weight of breasts, muscle tone returns.
The more you wear a bra, the more you need to
wear a bra. Chest muscles and breast ligaments
atrophy, which then makes it feel
uncomfortable to go braless.
A study found that “medically, physiologically,
and anatomically, breasts gained no benefit
from their weight being supported in a bra.”
There was some evidence that eliminating bra
use helped ease back pain. *Some say bra
wearing is a “false need.”
A medical doctor (female) summed up this way:
Remove your bra when you get home. Don’t
wear a bra to bed. And if you’re self-conscious
when going out, try wearing camisoles, thicker
material, or nipple pads. However, it does make
sense to wear a support bra while exercising.
Wear loose bras in softer materials
Tight bras and under wires promote congestion
and stagnation of toxic waste materials that are
supposed to be flowing out for excretion.
Further, the closing of lymphatic vessels reduces
the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells.
There’s no need to toss your expensive
underwire bras. If you cut a small opening at
one end of the wire, you can manually remove it
from each cup. You’ll probably find that your
bra supports you nearly as well without them. If
you still need the support, you can buy and
insert plastic wires.
Source: VANGUARD
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