Did you know that certain daily habits may be negatively affecting your breasts? The human breast comprises fat, connective tissue, milk glands, mammary glands, and lymph nodes. Many factors can impact the health of our breasts, including genetics and environmental factors. This post contains information on some common habits that may be negatively affecting your breasts.
1. Drinking Alcohol
There are many well-known negative side effects of alcohol consumption. You may know that it can cause dehydration, weight gain, and liver damage. Not many people realize that alcohol consumption can also negatively impact the health of your breasts. Consuming alcohol regularly can cause a type of fatty tissue known as fibroadenoma to develop in a woman’s breast. Fibroadenoma occurs when an excess of fibrous connective tissue is produced in the breast. This tissue may become so abundant that it compresses the mammary glands and interferes with normal breast development.
2. Smoking
Smoking is known to cause many health problems in both men and women. We are all concerned about the negative effects of smoking, for instance, lung cancer and heart disease. Everyone knows that smoking is not good for you, but did you know that it can negatively affect your breasts? Research has revealed that those who smoke are 30 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than those who do not. Those who smoke are also more likely to experience a faster breast cancer progression.
3. Stress
Stress is a factor that affects us all. There are days when you feel like you can’t handle the stress of life anymore. You may know that prolonged stress can lead to many physical ailments; however, did you know it can negatively impact the health of your breasts? Researchers found that women who experienced high-stress levels had a 50 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer than others who did not experience such high-stress levels. Stress can also increase your risk of developing fibroadenoma.
4. Sleeping on Your Stomach
When you sleep on your stomach, your breasts are in an unnatural position. Women who regularly sleep on their stomachs are at a greater risk for fibrocystic breast disease when fibrous growth forms in the breast. It is important to keep in mind sleeping on your stomach can negatively affect more than just your breasts. This poor sleeping position can impact your entire body.
5. Not Massaging Your Breasts
Did you know that you can massage your breasts to make them healthier? Women who massage their breasts regularly are less likely to develop fibrocystic breast disease when fibrous growth forms in the breast. Massaging your breasts can also stimulate blood flow and thus increase your circulation. You can as well visit a breast lift surgeon to find out more information on how to stimulate the circulation of your breasts.
6. Taking Excess Caffeine
Consuming too much caffeine can negatively affect your health in many ways. It can cause you to become jittery and make you more attentive to your body. Did you know that women who consume more than two glasses of coffee per day are 60 percent more likely to experience fibrocystic breast disease than those who do not? This is one habit that has multiple negative effects on your breasts.
7. Not Wearing Bra At All
Did you know how important your bra is in protecting your breasts? Wearing a bra every day can reduce the risk of breast cancer and fibrocystic breast disease. Many mothers also believe that girls wearing bras might make their breast development incorrect; this is a myth! The fact is: it is good to wear a bra even if you don’t have much breast tissue. Wearing a bra will help support your breasts and keep them healthy. The commonly held belief that bras are harmful to girls is a myth.
8. Extreme Exercise
Extreme exercise can negatively affect your breasts in many ways. Breasts need to be properly nurtured, just like any other organ of the body. Consuming too much caffeine, drinking alcohol, or smoking is not good for your breasts. These habits can make you tired and stressed, but even moderate exercise should be avoided if it makes you tired and upset afterward. When you exercise, you break down your muscle tissues, but if you don’t give your body the time to repair itself and build new muscle tissue, exercise will not be beneficial for your health.
9. Nipple Piercing
Do you know how dangerous nipple piercing can be? Nipple piercing is risky because it allows bacteria to enter the breast. A woman with a pierced nipple is at significant risk for staph infection in her breast, developing into resistant abscesses and affecting the mammary glands. This can cause pain, swelling, and fever.
10. Wearing the Wrong Bra Size
Did you know that the right bra size can prevent breast cancer and improve your posture? Wearing the wrong size bras can cause you to develop breast pain, back pain, and incorrect posture while at work. Did you know one of the most common mistakes women make when buying bras is not checking their cup size? Often, women think they are wearing the right-sized bra when they are wearing a larger cup size. This can cause your breast to be compressed, which results in restricted blood flow. Even worse, you may suffer from pain and discolored skin, a sign of breast cancer.
11. Duct Taping Your Breasts
Did you know that duct-taping your breasts can cause damage to your breast cells? Duct taping your breasts will compress them against your chest and restrict blood flow. This leads to uneven growth. Women who have duct-taped their breasts over a long period often develop fibrocystic breast disease.
12. Waxing Nipple Hair
Did you know that waxing your nipple hair can cause infections and rashes? Nipple and body hair can get into the skin, leading to infection. The natural oils in your body are designed to defend you against foreign substances, and if you expose these hairs to the air, they become covered with bacteria, which can cause an infection.
Conclusion
Breasts are an important and sensitive part of a woman’s body. Women should be able to take care of them properly. If you have been following any of these bad habits, it is time to get rid of them and be healthy.