Prevent Breast Cancer* (Get Something Off Your Chest!)

It was 2005 and Catherine* was my first manual lymphatic drainage client.  The year before, I had finished pre-natal therapy and grew interested in how fluids travel through (or stagnate in) the body.

Catherine was this very friendly, distinguished woman.  She reminded me of Susan Sarandon but with darker hair.  She had a modified radical and simple mastectomy combo.  It was Breast Cancer.  While she was under, the doctor also removed a “growth” from the abdomen.  She came in with a determination and self-reliance, joking about getting the party started. Oh, I like her!  So I told her how lucky I was that all my clients came in with enough work to keep me busy the whole session time.  We laughed. 

Teaching Moment - Let’s geek out (you know you want to) Our lymph vessels have the job of returning fluid from the tissues toward the central circulation but in one direction – toward the heart.  Lymph travels through the body like a dance.  The nodes bottleneck into each other so the fluid is meant to travel through them and not return back the other way all while syncing to the rhythms of the body, blood flow, and the heartbeat.  Most people know about this therapy for the treatment of lymphedema.  Really, because of the nature of the therapy itself, it is helpful for anything that has compromised the superficial or deep lymph like an injury, blockage or augmentation. 

As the session continued, Catherine and I talked about many things including my experience working with other cancer patients.  I was only about 4 years in the field at the time but I had certainly encountered some clients with these issues considering I was living among a certain demographic in Florida.  Also, I was learning more about the health concerns of my biological Father in regards to Lymph.  She told me about her colorful life and how things changed when she noticed there was a problem in her breast tissue.  She had some bad habits (wrong type of deodorant, carrying her cell phone in her bra strap, not handling stress well, eating habits).  Ultimately, she had a life-altering moment in which she realized who she really was and how her skin [body] wasn’t WHO she was.  A great message at the time for my young brain and obviously one I still remember. 

Breast cancer does not discriminate.  It spans every gender, race, background, even animals.  The reasons why any being experiences it are a bit ubiquitous; genetics, lifestyle, environmental toxins, exposure to harmful substances in conjunction with any number of health concerns.  There are many outcome combinations.  It can be overwhelming to think about those possibilities.  So, we won’t cover those specifics now but discuss what this month has been designated to remind us about.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  And guess what?  Awareness of this health concern has been working!  Instances of breast cancer have decreased per capita/year.  Advancements have been made.  Education about maintenance therapy and prevention is growing.  Let’s keep it going!  There are many things we CAN do about this specific cancer. 

·      Do regular Breast exams by hand and then seek imaging through non-invasive instrumentation

·      If you feel a lump in any of your bodily tissue, get it checked out in a reasonable time

·      Use more natural products on your body, skin, and hair

·      Eat the right diet for your body constitution (blood type and ayurvedic bodytype)

·      Be physically active (being in nature is also therapy)

·      Don’t smoke

·      Limit your dosage or duration of hormone therapy

·      Limit your alcohol consumption (use body type guides for quality of life on this)

·      Do genetic testing if certain cancers run in your family (I am doing mine this week…will report)

We are affected by what we consume (physical and vibrational forms), what we eat and what we apply to our bodies.  Pay attention to the products you use daily on your porous body.  Shampoos, soaps, fragrances, coloring agents…so many of them contain endocrine disruptors and they add to the possibility of developing a long-term problem for your health.  There are plenty of studies proving the detrimental effect of aluminum in armpits just like talcum powder in your groin area.  These two places have an abundance of lymph nodes.  Let them be fluid and happy.

There are healthier products available today that can work in harmony with your body.  It’s about finding what works best for your specific body type.  My favorite product line for deodorant and scar care is called All Good.  I personally use these two products daily.  They work with my body chemistry and do NOT cause redness, bumps or itchiness.