Breast awareness

Breast awareness means getting to know your breasts – how they look, how they feel and what changes are normal for you from week to week. Most breast lumps are found by women themselves or their partners.
From time to time, look at and feel your breasts so that you become aware of how they change at different times of the month and with age. Breast changes happen normally over time, as they are affected by hormone changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the menopause and taking the contraceptive pill. Your breasts many be more lumpy before your period, for example, or feel softer after menopause. Being aware of your breasts will help you notice any unusual changes as early as possible. If cancer is diagnosed, this may make treatment simpler and more successful. Remember, there are many other reasons for tenderness or an area of thickening and nine out of ten lumps are benign, that is they are not cancerous.

•Know what is normal for you
•Know what changes to look for
•Look and feel
•Report any changes without delay
•Go for breast screening if you are 50 or over

A good time to check your breasts is in the bath or shower or when you are lying on a bed. A soapy hand or one sprinkled with talc or moisturiser will more over your breast more easily. Women with larger breasts may find it easier to examine them when lying down.
Check the skin of your breast for dimples or puckering. Check your nipples for changes, such as if one is pulled in or has changed direction.
If you notice any changes that is unusual for you, consult your GP or practise nurse for advice. If you don’t you may worry unnecessarily.
Breast cancer is more common in older women. Breast screening is a method of detecting breast cancer at a very early stage. Regular screening of women over 50 has been shown to reduce deaths from the disease. If you are aged between 50 and 69, you will be invited to attend a special clinic or mobile screening unit to have a mammogram – an X-ray of your breasts every three years. This programme is now being extended to all women aged 65 – 70. Your GP can refer you for screening if you are over 70.

Tips on cutting breast cancer risk

1. Watch for any changes to the normal size, shape and texture of the breasts (personally and through screening) – especially if there is a history of breast cancer in the family.

2. If you have oestrogen dominance, use the minimum amount of prescribed natural progesterone cream necessary to relieve your symptoms.

3. Work with a healthcare professional to monitor your hormone balance and health. Keep a diary of what you eat, which supplements you take and how you feel.

4. Reduce your exposure to domestic pesticides, solvents and other petrochemical–based products and replace them with natural products where possible.

5. Do 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day and maintain a healthy body weight – remember: oestrogen is manufactured from fat!

6. Eat unrefined carbohydrates (eg whole grains), more fish and less meat, garlic, fruit and vegetables. Use small amounts of natural fats, rather than trans-fatty acids. Choose organic where possible.

7. Do not drink more than two measures of alcohol a day, but do drink 8-10 glasses of filtered water.

8. Reduce stress! High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can inhibit progesterone production.

9. Do not smoke!

10. If you can, breast-feed for longer.