In a recent study, women had cause for shock and concern as UCLA
medical school findings revealed that women’s breasts age at a rate
two to three years ahead of the rest of their body. Keeping your
breasts perky is already a challenge, without the added knowledge
that it’s an uphill battle. Before you schedule a consultation with
the plastic surgeon’s office, learn some natural ways to keep your
breasts healthy.
• Sunscreen. Most swimsuits and summer tops make the
décolleté a prime target for sunrays, and it often gets missed with
that slather of SPF moisturizer during your morning beauty routine.
Some companies make all-natural, organic décolleté creams, but a
broad-spectrum sunscreen will work too. Just make sure to visit the
Environmental Working Group’s website, Skin Deep, to find natural,
non-toxic products. You don’t want to add to the aging process by
slathering chemicals on your breasts either.
• Organic coconut oil. Your breasts need moisture,
especially with all the stretching the skin has to go through in
the course of a lifetime. Through pregnancy, weight gain or loss,
and monthly fluctuations that coincide with your menstrual cycle,
you need to nurture the skin on your breasts. All-natural, organic
coconut oil is a great choice, and you don’t have to worry about
toxins.
• Support. Reports suggest that approximately 80
percent of women wear the wrong bra size. Lack of support can leave
you with back pain, sagging and bad posture – advancing the aging
process even further. Although monthly fluctuations are inevitable,
getting fitted for new bras yearly will help ensure you are wearing
the right size most of the time and avoid poor support that can
contribute to advanced aging.
• Self check-ups. The single most effective thing you
can do in the battle against breast cancer is regular self-exams.
If you know your breasts and monitor them regularly, you can detect
abnormalities early and improve outcomes. Each month after your
period, schedule a monthly self-exam and note changes in size,
sensation, color or rashes, discharge, dimpling or bulges.
• Workout. Strengthening your pectoral muscles is an
effective way to get a natural lift in the breasts. Your breasts
sit right on top of these muscles, meaning if those muscles are
sagging, your breasts will be too – and vice versa.
• Posture. There are so many reasons to practice good
posture, and anti-aging your breasts is one of them. Poor posture
can cause your breasts to sag and droop, while sitting up
straighter can actually make your breasts appear much bigger (and
without surgery!)
• Nutrition. Your diet is a key factor for
anti-aging, preventing disease and just about anything and
everything that has to do with your health and quality of life.
Your breasts are no different. Diets lacking in vitamins and
minerals cause advanced aging. Vitamins A and C, for example,
nourish the skin and promote collagen production, while too much
sugar can lead to wrinkles.
• Excess alcohol. Moderate consumption of alcohol has
its place, but excessive drinking – even wine – can cause increase
in levels of estrogen. Estrogen contributes to increased risk of
breast cancer, especially in high-risk individuals. Keep
consumption moderate to protect your health.
Aging is inevitable, but diligent care and a healthy lifestyle can
turn back the clock a few years and preserve your health across the
lifespan.
