To honor breast cancer awareness month, discover a self-care ritual that can support healthy breast tissue and help detect breast lumps early on.

Breast Self-Massage Aids in Early Detection

Massage can improve circulation and stimulate the lymph system to clear out toxins and congestion. It’s easy to do and can be done in just a few minutes. Try to do this once a week so you’re most familiar with how your breast tissue feels on a week-by-week basis.

Use your favorite all-natural body oil (avoid artificial ingredients and perfume) like almond or coconut oil or Banyan Botanical’s Breast Care Balm.

1. Apply liberally to the breasts and chest.
2. Massage with circular strokes to move the lymph fluid and break up congestion.
3. Allow the massage to soothe the emotional heart as well as support the physical one.
4. Include nearby areas of the chest like the armpits, collarbones, and shoulder joints.
5. Allow balm to absorb, removing any excess oil with a towel if you need to.

If you detect a change in your breast tissue, contact your doctor right away. Early detection can be a life-saver.

Ayurvedic Herbs for Breast Lump Prevention

Breast lumps can be caused by both the Pitta (fire) and Kapha (Earth/water) doshas. Pitta is usually present due to inflammation, often caused by aggravating toxins. Excess Kapha can cause excess tissue growth.

To help keep these doshas balanced, you can try Banyan Botanical’s Breast Care Balm which has a combo of these herbs:

• Amalaki is high in antioxidants and aids in toxin removal
• Arjuna nourishes the emotional and physical heart
• Bhumyamalki is cleansing and purifying
• Castor oil is warming and stimulates circulation
• Guduchi is nourishing for the skin and aids in toxin removal, it’s rejuvenating for Pitta
• Guggulu can break up growths caused by excess Kapha and acts as a penetrating carrier for other herbs
• Licorice is a nutritive that acts as an anti-inflammatory for Pitta and can dissolve excess Kapha
• Manjistha cleanses the blood of toxins and supports skin health
• Punanarva balances excess Kapha and regulates healthy fluid retention
• Tulsi supports the immune system
• Palmarosa essential oil
• Free from petroleum, parabens, and phthalates
• Balancing for all doshas

Clients can get 15% off of Breast Care Balm when you order from Her Well Being’s online dispensary on Fullscript.
Plus free shipping on orders of $49+.

Her well being’s dispensary on Fullscript

Lifestyle Tips for Breast Health

Stay Active. Walk more and sit less. Swing your arms as you walk. Daily exercise helps to improve blood flow, stimulate lymph fluid, and remove toxins. It also can help you feel great and can boost oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, which is the remedy to cortisol, which can cause inflammation. You don’t need a gym membership, you just need to move your body in a way that you enjoy!

Toxin Free Skin Care. Try to avoid putting toxins directly on your skin, especially in your armpits. Your skin is a direct channel to your bloodstream. Avoid products that have:

• Petroleum

• Phthalates

• Parabens

• Aluminum (commonly found in antiperspirants)

Go Wire Free. If you can. Really tight and wired bras can constrict circulation creating poor blood flow and a build-up of fluids. Choose natural fibers that allow your skin to breathe. You should be able to breathe, too 🙂

Just Say No To Plastics & Xenoestrogens

Plastics have infiltrated our lives. They play a significant role in xenoestrogens (artificial estrogen that comes from external sources) that are now poisoning our bodies. This can cause hormone imbalance like estrogen dominance that puts women at risk for excess growth tissue. Try to avoid:

• Plastic drinking bottles, especially the single serving sizes
• Plastic food storage containers
• Heating up food in plastic containers
• Storing warm food in plastic containers
• Plastic wrap

Xenoestrogens are also in our food and water systems. They are found in pesticides and in drinking water. Choose:

• Organic produce when you can (see The Dirty Dozen below)

• Conventional produce grown with less pesticides (see The Clean Fifteen below)

• Drink filtered water (not from plastic water bottles)

Resources for Reducing Toxins

A helpful resource to learn more about what produce has the worst pesticides is the Environmental Working Group’s Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen produce list that’s updated every year. Also, check out their Skin Deep database to learn what’s in your skin-care products and their Tap Water database to learn what’s in your water.

Good luck, my dears!

Check back for a podcast dedicated to this topic that I feel very passionate about.

p.s. I use affiliate links, thank you!

p.p.s. I only affiliate with companies with whom I feel 100% confident about the quality of their products. Banyan is the gold standard. Organic. US made. B Corp.

Learn more about me.

Heather R. Burkart

Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner

Founder, Her Well Being Ayurveda & Yoga

Please be advised that the content on this website is for education and information purposes only and does not replace advice from a medical professional.