All the Breast
Cancer help you
need in one
eBook.
This eBook is
well worth it in
my opinion.
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Is
Your Bra Hazardous To Your
Health?
Georgia Donovan
Breast cancer is the most
common form of cancer found
in women,
and this year alone 192,000
new cases will be diagnosed
in the
U.S. It eventually strikes
one out of every eight
American
women. Breast cancer also
causes more deaths than any
other
form of cancer in women
under age 55.
As women, we all fear breast
cancer. It is the one
disease that
sends chills down our spines
and puts a knot in our
stomachs. I
am not about to go over all
the reasons why women get
breast
cancer or who is or isn't a
high risk factor. I will
leave that
subject to those who are far
more qualified than I,
however,
there is one factor that
affects your breast health
and that is
the fit of your bra.
Right now, as you read this,
80% of all the women in
America
are wearing the wrong size
bra. Most of them are
uncomfortable
and most of them are too
small. Your breast is all
about
circulation and the flow of
lymph. If you want healthy
breasts,
follow a regular care
program, including a monthly
self exam,
routine visits with your
doctor, and a mammogram when
recommended for your age and
family history, Most
importantly,
wear a bra that fits you.
A tight, binding,
constricting, and ill
fitting bra is bad for
you and can cause major
discomfort as well as
retarding the
circulation in and around
your breast. So what can you
do to
change that? Find a bra that
fits you perfectly.
This process is very simple
but requires the help of an
"expert". When I was growing
up in Brooklyn, New York, my
mother use to call them the
"brassier ladies”. They were
mostly
European born and had worked
in corset shops in Europe as
fitters or seamstresses.
This noble group of women
worked in
neighborhood lingerie shops.
You never bought a bra
without
their expertise.
They had such a trained eye
that the minute any woman
walked in
the door they knew what size
she was. They would take one
look
and say, "34C". It was like
radar, they just knew from
afar,
and when they measured you,
they were almost always
right.
Today there is a more modern
version of these women
called
lingerie fitters. They are
in local shops (if your town
is
lucky to have one), or work
in major department stores
in the
lingerie department. So your
first step to finding the
right
bra is to go see one of
these gals. They will take
your
measurements, first under
your rib cage and all around
your
back and then across your
breast. One tells what your
bra size
is (34, 36, 38 etc.) and the
other tells your cup size
(A, B,
C, D etc.) Now that you know
this they will usually
recommend a
style for your body type
based on your needs. During
your
session, tell this person
all about your basic
wardrobe. Are
you looking for a bra to
wear under a tee shirt or a
knit, one
for sports or the gym, or a
special occasion look? Or do
you
need to establish a basic
bra wardrobe?
Believe me, one hour spent
with one of these experts
will not
only save you money in the
long run (by avoiding having
a
drawer full of ill-fitting
bras you can no longer
wear), but
you will be saved the daily
agonies of wearing bras that
hurt,
are too tight, dig into your
shoulders or are just plain
torture!
Once you have established
your size and needs, then
follow
these simple suggestions for
a long and comfy
relationship with
your bras.
HOW TO PUT ON A BRA
Bend forward, put the bra
on, and fasten.
Look at the fit and make
sure that the cup holds all
of your
breast. If you are spilling
out, it is too small. If you
have
"overhang" it is too small.
Next, take your right hand
and smooth the skin of the
left
breast into the cup. Do the
same on the other side.
Stand up straight and see
how the straps fit and feel.
They
should be comfortable
without feeling like a vice.
Adjust as
needed until perfect.
Now, look straight ahead
into a mirror and make
certain that
each nipple is in the CENTER
of each cup.
Adjust the back of the bra
so it lies smoothly between
your
shoulder blades.
Take a deep breathe, how
does it feel?
A word about brand names.
Not every manufacturer cuts
the same
way, that is true of bras as
well as clothes. You might
be a
size 34C in one brand but a
34D in another. And there
may be
some brands you can't wear
at all.
BRA DO's & DON'TS –
Do get measured again every
time you lose or gain
weight, after
a pregnancy, or if you are
on hormone replacement
therapy.
Don't ever buy a bar without
trying it on and stay away
from
the sale rack.
Unless there is a brand and
style there that you wear,
pulling
one off the rack because it
is marked down is no
bargain.
Chances are it will have a
long and happy life in your
lingerie
drawer.
Do buy an under wire style
if you are full breasted and
need
firmer support.
Do buy a minimizer if you
want to have a large breast
appear
smaller.
Do try one of the new soft
cup bras that offer
construction for
a smaller breast. (Soft cup
means sans under wire.)
Do throw away any and all
bras that hurt you or are
uncomfortable, no matter how
much you paid for them.
Important points to remember
Ask a salesperson to measure
you but let your eye and
your body
be the ultimate test. A bra
shouldn't ride up, dig into
your
back, or slip off your
shoulders.
When trying on a bra in a
store, take several, in
various
sizes, into the fitting
room. The difference between
a 34 and
36 might be one hook.
For the best fit, your bra
should be fastened with the
middle
hook.
Reevaluate your bra wardrobe
at the beginning of every
season.
If you find a bra that you
love, by all means buy more
than
one.
Never put a bra in the
dryer. |
