Healthy Breasts...Naturally!

by Rebecca Liston, H.D., DSHomMed

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, when women across the nation pause and give thought to those that they know who are living with breast cancer, those who have survived with breast cancer, and those who have not. As women, this is the month when we stop and wonder, “Could it happen to me?”

Clients often come to me with concerns about getting breast cancer. Statistics tell us that one out of nine women will develop breast cancer. Many of those women will have certain risk factors such as a family history…many will not. Women want to know how they can prevent breast cancer and what they can do to keep their breasts disease-free.

My professional advice on breast cancer prevention is much the same as my advice on prevention of any illness or disease. Here are some of the basic Healthy Lifestyle Tips that I review with my clients who are concerned about maintaining their health.

1. Take care of yourself. Taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually is, in my opinion, the single best thing you can do for your health. This could be as simple as scheduling lunch with a friend one day a month, taking a yoga class once a week, or going for a walk in the woods every day. We all have something special we love to do but putting off that something special for the “right time” is akin to using the “good china” only at Christmas. Dust off that something special you love to do and do it for the health of it!

2. Learn to love your body. In this society, we are taught that our bodies are not “good enough.” Not thin enough, not shapely enough, not strong enough…the list goes on. This message that we are receiving permeates our very being. If every day we are bombarded by the idea that our bodies are not “good enough” then guess what happens? Suddenly, we believe it to be true and we stop looking at the magnificence of our bodies and only see them as being sub-standard. This thinking leads to self-criticism, self-abuse, and self-hate. And this inevitably leads to illness and dis-ease. Learning to love your body, and hence your self, by positively connecting to your body through touch, yoga, exercise, verbal affirmations, and more will remind you of the miracle of your body and keep your thoughts and your bodily functions focused on the health and vitality that is naturally yours.

3. Be proactive with your health. Seek the advice of natural health practitioners who specialize in the maintenance of health and wellness. Find someone with whom you connect and develop a plan to help you keep on track. Begin your own natural, wholistic wellness program today because a healthy body, healthy emotions, and healthy thoughts are meant to be yours…naturally!