| Wear a
supportive bra. The mere act of not wearing a bra can contribute to breast
pain, says Michele A. Gadd, M.D., a participating surgeon at the Comprehensive Breast
Health Center Division of Surgical Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
"The weight of the breasts themselves can contribute to discomfort." So many
women find it helpful to wear supportive bras. Be sure that you wear a bra that's constructed in a way that won't add to the
irritation, suggests Dr. Yankauskas. Look inside the cups and make sure that there are no
seams and nothing pushing up against you. If there is an underwire, make sure that it's
very well-padded so that it doesn't add to the friction. "This might not be the
time of the month to wear your Wonderbra," she says. "Try a sports bra
instead." |
| Serve up
some soy. In societies where soybeans are a routine part of the diet, women
have fewer breast problems, says Dr. Yankauskas. Soybeans, and foods made from soy,
contain isoflavones--naturally occurring substances that are converted to hormonelike
substances and may block certain unwanted effects of estrogen in the body, thus mitigating
breast discomfort. So the next time you order Chinese food, order an entrée with tofu
instead of meat. Pour soy milk on your cereal. Or pick up some soy burgers for your next
cookout. You can find soy milk, soy burgers and other soy products in health food stores. |
| Cut salt. "Salt
is a water magnet," says Dr. Yankauskas. "So if breast discomfort is associated
with fluid retention, then watching salt intake should help." |
| Cut
caffeine. If you experience breast discomfort, abstain from caffeine
in all forms, advises Tina Hieken, M.D., a surgical oncologist at the University of
Illinois at Chicago Medical Center. This includes coffee, tea, caffeine-containing soft
drinks, chocolate and painkilling medications (such as Excedrin) that contain caffeine.
The culprit seems to be a compound called methylxanthine, contained in caffeine, that may
stimulate breast tissue and cause pain. You may feel an improvement if you cut back
to just one or two cups of coffee a day, says Dr. Yankauskas. "But some women are
very sensitive and really can't have any caffeine at all." If you cut down, be
patient, says Dr. Hieken. It may take a few weeks or even months to notice a difference. |
| Make
yourself a cup of herbal tea. Corn silk, buchu, and uva ursi--herbal teas
found at health food stores--act as mild diuretics that can flush out some of the fluid
that contributes to breast discomfort, says Dr. Yankauskas. |
| Ease pain
with evening primrose oil. "Though there is no
scientific explanation for it, taking evening primrose oil relieves breast pain in about 30
percent of the women I see," says Dr. Gadd. Health food stores sell evening primrose oil in tablet form. Take three tablets
nightly before bed when you experience breast discomfort, says Dr. Gadd. |
| Try some
vitamin
E. "Some studies have shown that taking slightly larger amounts than the
Daily Value of vitamin E is very effective in relieving breast tenderness
and discomfort from fibrocycstic breasts," says Dr. Yankauskas. Either start with the
Daily Value of 30 international units (IU) and increase it when you experience breast
problems or take 200 to 400 IU of vitamin E a day. "That should be safe.
But don't take more," she says. Vitamin E is stored in your body fat, so
too much could be toxic. |
| Eat less
fat. Women in cultures that customarily consume a low-fat diet have fewer
breast complaints than those where women eat high-fat diets, says Dr. Yankauskas. So she
advises women who complain of breast problems to eat a diet consisting of less than 30
percent fat. (On a 1,800 calorie-per-day diet, that's no more than 60 grams of fat.) |
| Lose
weight. Women store estrogen in body fat, says Dr. Yankauskas. Losing
excess weight can therefore help minimize the hormone's contribution to breast discomfort.
|
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- Product Recommendations
|
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- Femaprim is a woman's dietary
supplement, traditionally used for complaints such as "menstrual difficulties, PMS
menopause and fibroids. 1 Capsules provides 225 mg Vitex extract, 100 mg Vitex
fruit and 100 mg B-6.
- On Sale Now
|
|
- Nature's Way standardized Soy Isoflavone is
a technically advanced herbal extract standardized to 40% isoflavones to provide the
natural ratios of the key isoflavones in a convenient once-daily dosage.
|
|
Comforts such as irritability, bloating, breast soreness, and depression
occur before and during menstruation in many women. |
|
BoneSoy delivers the full 1,200 mg dose with 100% Calcium Citrate-the most easily absorbed
form. BoneSoy conatins the full clinical dose, well ahead of other brands of Soy, 300 mg
(90 mg isoflavones). Also Vitamin C (100 mg) , Vitamin D (400
IU), Vitamin K (100 mcg), Magnesium (600 mg), Boron (3 mg) and Zinc (30 mg) per serving. |
- For Women Only
- Complete high potency multi
-vitamin-minerals plus essential herbal women factors.
|
- For Woman Only provides
nutrients to help support and maintain the health of today’s active women.
Because of the changes in hormone levels throughout a woman’s lifetime, women may
experience a variety of symptoms: P.M.S, menstrual irregularities, anxiety, and menopause.
Designed specifically to help maintain good hormonal health.
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