brassire

Diary of a Breast Cancer Scare

2007-09-07T22:46:00.000-07:00

Six weeks ago, in the shower one morning, I noticed I was bleeding from my nipple. It was from one breast and it was just a small amount - only a few drops. In fact, I wasn't overly concerned until later that day I was doing my washing and found blood stains in several of my bras and even on one of my shirts. In Australia, six weeks ago was the middle of Winter and I'd been so rugged up keeping warm that I hadn't really noticed the blood stains before then.

At first I looked on the internet to find out what it could be thinking there was probably a perfectly innocent explanation and I didn't want to over-react. This is why I'm sharing my story here in the hope that it might help other women. By the way, I'm a young 34 years of age, am not pregnant and have not had a child.

There was lots of information online about 'rusty pipes' which is blood mothers who are lactating sometimes experience. And I found lots of references to runners (mostly men) who had problems with bleeding nipples caused by chaffing but I couldn't see anything that applied to me, other than very scary references to breast cancer. I don't know if it's true but some information I found suggested that bleeding from one duct was worse so I was hoping like heck that I could find it coming from more than one but nope, it seemed to be just one. Still, I refused to let myself be scared.

In the past, I've had doctors tell me very scary things about my health, diagnosing (falsely as I eventually discovered) a life threatening illness and I let it eat me up with worry thinking literally that I was probably going to die. It wasn't until years later that I was told I'd received a false positive and it all turned out to be nothing. So now I refuse to let myself get that worked up, the stress is worse!

Anyway, I couldn't get any information online about bleeding nipples so I went to my next resource - I sent a text message to my Mom and best friend, Allayne. They're full of lots of great common sense and have seen a lot of things and may have heard something that I hadn't, like the time I had blood in my urine and thought I must be bleeding internally (a result of watching too much ER). I then was very embarrassed to find out later from them it is very common and a quick trip to the drug store to pick up some Ural would soon fix it. Allayne had heard about 'rusty pipes' but nothing that would apply to me. Mom, a former nurse, told me not to be concerned but to get it checked out.

I couldn't put it off any longer so I made the appointment with a doctor who had been highly recommended by friends. I had seen the doctor give a public lecture and I'd been quite impressed by his holistic, very natural approach. By the time I saw him I had been bleeding for almost 10 days and by that time the amount of blood had lessened quite a bit. Now there was just a small amount when I gently pressed or 'expressed' and it seemed to be less bloody like there was clear liquid with just a trace of blood. I was relieved thinking that my body was healing itself and the doctor would find it was something completely normal and that would be the end of it.

Although the doctor has a strong natural approach he made it very clear that I needed to take this seriously and get it checked out. Turns out that he had a lot of young women patients who had breast cancer.

He surprised me by consulting a breast surgeon who recommended a mammogram, ultrasound and cytology (getting a sample of the blood/fluid) and she said when I got the mammogram and ultrasound, they would probably also recommend a biopsy to be sure. My doctor told the surgeon that if it turned out to be nothing that I'd probably refuse the recommended biopsy and she said that in that case I should have followup mammograms every 6 months.

The next day I tried getting the cytology done but by this stage there was just a tiny amount of almost clear liquid with no blood and I was unable to get enough fluid out to do the tests.

A few days later I was at the Xray clinic for my ultrasound and mammogram with my Mom who I'd asked to come with me for moral support. (Yes I'm a big girl and haven't had my Mom along for doctors appointments since I was a little girl but I just needed to know that I had someone there.) I was told when I made the appointment not to wear deodorant and talcum powder as it could interfere with the testing so I was feeling grateful it was winter and not a hot sweaty day!

I remembered women joking over the years about how the mammogram machine must have been designed by men and how it was quite painful. I never expected to get a mammogram, well at least not until I was 50 so I hadn't paid too much attention previously. Unlike most women, I'm not good with pain, I've actually passed out before so I was a bit concerned.

After a short wait, it was time for me to go in. Mom wasn't allowed in and stayed in the waiting room. I wasn't sure what to expect but the radiographer was terrific. I didn't feel embarrassed, it was similar to have a bra fitting. In the small room, I took off my shirt and bra and put it along with my things in the handy basket for me to carry from the mammogram to the ultrasound. I would be putting on a front closing gown to go between the two rooms. The radiographer was very reassuring, she explained exactly what was going to happen and how they needed to have as much tissue as possible in there. I had to turn my arm in weird positions for the machine to be able to get as much of me as possible in the picture. It felt like I practically had my armpit in there!

Maybe the machine that does the mammogram is different now but it wasn't as bad as I had been told. Yes, they do squash your breasts (horizontally and then vertically, one side at a time) and it does hurt if you've got lumpy breasts like me but it is for a much briefer time that I thought it would be. I felt like I was in control because the radiographer slowly lowered the plates until I told her it was enough. She then quickly stepped behind the protective screen, told me to hold my breath, click, and the plates automatically released! After the first one when I found how quickly the plates releases I felt a lot more willing to let the plates get as tights as possible.

The worst part for me was the next couple of days I felt a tiny amount of pain when taking a deep breath. Oh, that sounds worse than it was. You know when you work a muscle and it's sore a couple of days later? It was like that, more of an awareness of muscles I didn't previously know existed. So it really wasn't as bad as you hear.

The ultrasound was much better. If you haven't had one, it's just like it looks on tv, there's cold gel and a wand is rolled slowly over your skin. Actually when I see the results I don't know why they waste time doing the mammogram because the ultrasound seems to give a much clearer picture. Well, at least in my case. It found that I had lots of cysts [the technician said it's normal in women of child bearing age; my doctor later told me it happens in women who are iodine deficient] & then they found something else that concerned them.

To me, the cysts looked like oval shaped black cells. The 'something else' looked to me very similar to the cysts but a bit like an eye - an oval outline with a round black shape in the middle. She told me the grey part between the oval outline and the black solid circle indicated that there was fluid. The ultrasound technician consulted the middle aged male doctor who told me it was probably a 'fibroadenoma' and in 95% of times it's nothing but because of my relatively young age I should definitely have a biopsy.

I cheerfully informed them thank you very much, I'm happy with 95% chance that it's nothing and I won't be doing the recommended biopsy. After all, I could clearly see on the scan that it had a nice cell wall and looked very nicely contained and I didn't want anyone breaking it open. If you've heard the Texan Don Tolman talk about cancer, you'll know why. He calls tumours "rubbish cans" that the body creates to store toxins and lock them away from hurting the surrounding area but I didn't dare share that with the staff because they would have thought I was a complete nut.

They were pretty upset about me saying 'thanks but no thanks' and told me about several of the Australian celebrities with breast cancer (Kylie Minogue, Belinda Emmett etc) and how the real problem was that they were told they were too young to have breast cancer. They told me that if only those women had done something sooner, they could have been okay.

The doctor also told me how they are seeing younger and younger women come in and that they'd even recently found breast cancer in a teenage girl!

I still didn't take it or them seriously. I thought they were being ultra conservative. I opened the report that I was given to take to my doctor and read they found "an oval solid lesion, with a transverse orientation and is well defined and would be consistent with a fibroadenoma although non specific". Blah, blah, blah, didn't make any sense to me. I tried googling this too but couldn't really find anything that helped me.

My Mom and my best friend were very upset with me about my decision not to have the biopsy and pressured me to reconsider. To get them to leave me alone I told them I'd talk to my doctor thinking my REAL doctor doesn't over-react and will take a natural approach.

A couple of weeks later I had my scheduled followup appointment with him along with the results of the blood and urine tests he'd gotten me do.

He sat me down and tell me how I really should have the biopsy. I was shocked! Here's this alternative doctor recommending that I do this. I said "what about what about what the surgeon said?". He said, that's only if they didn't find anything. I was confused, I thought a 95% chance of it being nothing was pretty conclusive and believed it was only for the sake of their public indemnity insurance that they'd recommended the biopsy.

To prove his point he asked if I had a gun to my head and was told there was a 5% chance there was a bullet in there, would I let him pull the trigger? He said that he was seeing in his practice too many young women with breast cancer that could have been prevented and that our focus should be on first of all getting rid of cancer AND THEN focussing on preventing cancer, getting the body so well that cancer doesn't get an opportunity. (I am paraphrasing, can't recall his exact words.)

He then went on and went through the results of my blood & urine tests which showed a problem with my thyroid and also deficiencies in several blood levels, but that's another story. Side note: studies have linked iodine deficiencies and mercury to breast cancer. My tests showed I have a iodine deficiency and have several signs that my body is being affected by mercury in my body (most likely caused by the amalgum fillings in my teeth).

So at my doctor's strong encouragement, I conceded and had the biopsy last week. It's what is called a needle biopsy and it's the least invasive way of taking a sample. The nurse and doctor who did the test were absolutely wonderful, very patient and explained the whole process thoroughly.

What I didn't know until I was lying down was that I had to have another ultrasound (makes sense so they can find the exact location), I'd get a local anaesthetic (have I mentioned I'm really anti all drugs?) and that the needle went in through the side of the breast rather than the nipple. After waiting a while for the anaesthetic to take effect, the doctor explained they had to take 2 swabs and that I'd feel the movement of her pushing the needle up and down. A bit like vaccuming it seemed to me on the receiving end. She also said that in about 1% of cases they don't get enough tissue to do the sample and it has to be redone. I invited them to take a third swab while they were there so they could be absolutely sure they had enough but they said no, it looked fine. The good news was that it was 'behaving like a fibroadenoma' that is, like fibrous tissue which is what we were hoping it would be.

Afterwards, the nurse put pressure on the wound for several minutes before putting on a waterproof dressing. She was so caring, told me that she didn't want me getting up and I needed to stay lying down for a few more minutes, putting pressure on so it wouldn't bruise and relax the area as much as possible. She didn't want me doing anything with that arm, not even picking up my handbag and asked if there was anyone at home who could make me dinner. I think she went over the top but it was so nice to have someone be so caring, especially when I was feeling so alone. Today, a week later, the spot where the needle went in is practically healed. I'm a slow healer so it may heal faster in other people. There's no scar and at a quick glance it just looks like a small pink freckle.

I was told my doctor would have the results in a couple of days. We had a public holiday so it took a bit longer and I got the good news yesterday by email "Results showed benign fibroadenoma. No further action required."

Being the google fan that I am, I did a bit more research and found "Benign fibroadenoma tumors are non-cancerous breast tumors. They are common in young women."

Although, I was confident the whole time (well, pretty much) that it would turn out to be nothing I'm so happy to have it confirmed.

by Kerri Witt

2007-07-09T02:53:00.000-07:00

70 - 80% Of Women Do Not Wear The Right Size Bra!

Every woman knows the difficulty involved in finding the right bra. Questions like What cup Size are you now? What style do you require? Seem to never end! Well...First and foremost it is essential that you know your correct size. A badly fitting bra can lead to back problems, muscle tension, and even headaches. If you are in your teen years, the strain caused by a badly fitting bra can lead to permanent problems with posture and even back pain. So that?s why teens should be fit by a bra expert at least twice a year or even after every noticeable growth pattern. Your first consideration should be the reason you need the bra; is it for athletics, coverage, comfort or support? There are different types and styles of bras made for specific types of bodies and physical activities. Although it would be nice, no one bra can do it all; you have different bras for different jobs.

A Sexy bra for those intimate private moments or a Sports Bra for when you want to perform arduous exercise. First Bras Training bras are for younger girls who have just started to develop breasts and are not able to fit into standard size bras. Age is not the concern, rather its getting the right fit and support for your breast size. Wireless Bras Light support or wireless bras usually have no underwire and are sometimes the preferred choice for those with smaller breasts. They are less constricting and more comfortable than full support bras. As they are wireless they offer less shaping and more freedom than other bras. You can find the padded and unpadded variety; what you choose is a matter of personal preference.

Underwire Bras Full support or underwire bras usually have an underwire or plastic boning holding them up. It doesn?t matter what breast size you are, however it is a must for those with larger cup sizes. They also are available in padded or unpadded varieties. Push Up Bras Sometimes referred to as padded bras and more famously attributed to the Wonderbra. They lift the breasts and add more shape to them with extra padding. There are some more innovative versions around that use silicone inserts or water sacks to enhance your look even further. They are known to "lift and separate" the breasts, creating a full cleavage and most importantly offer lots of support. Plus Size BrasPlus size bras have finally found a home away from the unsightly bras of yesteryear to the sleek and sexy bras of today. From sports to sexy to your everyday bra, plus size bras are know available in many styles and brands.

You can get extremely feminine lacy plus size bras, or bras finished in satin, silk, lace and cotton, under wire and strapless bras. Sports Bras Probably the least flattering and sexy in the bra family but ironically the most important one for growing teens to have. As well as offering full support, they also stop the breasts from moving during strenuous activity. The tissue in your breasts is very delicate and growing tissue especially needs to be protected during high impact exercise. Nursing Bras Your breasts start changing shape from the fourth month of pregnancy. As a result, most women find their previous bra too small. Purchase a nursing bras close to your due date or shortly after your baby arrives, because your breasts will grow larger toward the end of your pregnancy and when milk comes in. Consider buying a bra that has flaps and can be opened and refastened easily.

Since milk leakage is inevitable, it also makes sense to buy nursing pads to protect both your bra and clothes. It is always better to buy 100% cotton bras, as cotton is a breathable fabric. Synthetic fabrics trap moisture and encourage bacterial growth and soreness. Mastectomy Bras These types of bras are designed with pockets in the cup area to hold a breast prosthesis. There is a wide range of styles and colors available. The silicone breast prosthesis simulates the natural breast with regards to its shape and weight. The prosthesis's main advantage of is that it provides symmetry and balance to a persons body, who has survived from breast cancer.

Wearing the right prosthesis is primarily important to your ultimate comfort level. With a superior fitting prosthesis, and a well-made and fitted mastectomy bra, you in turn will help to balance your posture and provide fortification for your chest and breast cancer scars. Now you know the importance of the bra and the many types available, you should know firstly what size you need and how to determine that size. The following article gives you an insight into how to measure your self and the importance of a well fitted bra.

By: kalwant Rana

Half Sizes in Bras Now Available

2007-07-02T03:04:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2003 - "Playtex has adopted the shoe industry's 1/2 size innovation for its Thank Goodness It Fits ® line, the only bra collection featuring 1/2 sizes," says Rivers.The collection features a patented sizing system innovation that offers half sizes ranging from Nearly A to Nearly C in addition to traditional cup sizes. It is the only bra collection that has twice as many cups sizes to choose from for a more perfect fit. "Seven out of 10 women wear bras that don't fit properly," says the marketing director for Playtex. "As news of the 1/2 size innovation spreads, we're going to change that long-standing industry figure. Women will now have more options for the proper size and style that will complement their figures."The LA Shoe Show is a fitting platform to announce Playtex's 1/2 size innovation as the shoe industry has long been offering consumers just such an option. "We wanted to pay a special thank you to the shoe industry for the innovation of 1/2 sizes," said Love. "Few things are harder to fit than bras and shoes, and we are proud to partner with our friends in the shoe industry."

Source: Playtex Apparel, Inc.

How to Buy a Bra

2007-06-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

Step One
Calculate your bra size. Using a fabric tape measure, find the distance around your rib cage. Adding five to this number gives you your correct bra size.

Step Two
Measure around the fullest part of your chest. Subtract your first number (ribs) from this new number. The difference between the two gives you a cup size. One inch is equal to a full cup size, so 1=A, 2=B, etc.

Step Three
Select a variety of bras in your size. Types include full cup, demi-cup, lifting and enhancing styles, racerback and strapless.

Step Four
Choose a bra for comfort and purpose. Determine how you'll wear this bra. It may be everyday, for special occasions, or for athletics.

Step Five
Purchase several bras of different brands that offer a good fit. Within a couple of wears, you'll find a brand and style that is ideal for you

Tips & Warnings

-Bras don't last forever. Replace those that have lost elasticity and support.
-Bras can be expensive. To maintain them wash gently and air dry whenever possible.

Read the real article here

Sexy Lingerie Sets

2007-06-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

Most women enjoy having a piece of lingerie that they can wear under their clothes to go to the grocery store, run errands, and at work for a sexy confident feeling throughout the day and a sexy surprise once the clothes come off. Many pieces of lingerie come in sets. These sets can range from bra and panty / thong / g-string sets to a sexy lingerie halter top and matching skirt or garter.

Depending on what you are looking for you can typically find a set to fit your needs. Bra sets with a flirty skirt, tube top and cheeky shorts, bra with thong and g-string sets, and many more. Also they come on just about any color, pattern, and fabric that you may want.

Sexy little sets give you a perfect opportunity to wear something a little more daring under your clothes then the traditional undergarments. Manufactures have realized that women like to feel comfortable and sexy all day long so they are made for extended use. When you are wearing something sexy that you feel good in you tend to hold yourself better and be more confident because secretly you want people to know the sexy little piece you are hiding. Men also enjoy women in sexy lingerie sets because it's like a new surprise and the perfect ending to the perfect night.

Find the sexy lingerie sets and other lingerie pieces at NiceAndNaughty

by Ja'Nice West

Bra Design & ManufacturingBras

2007-06-07T00:58:00.000-07:00

Bra Design & ManufacturingBras for the most part are highly engineered and thoughtfully designed. It’s not unusual for a bra design to be composed of as many as 40 pieces and findings. Though most bras are beautiful, they are not so much about fashion, but more about achieving a certain look by the wearer. For this reason, we women need to understand what we are looking at when we pick up a bra to try on. Knowing what design features work best for our figure type will help us more quickly identify the style of bra that will suit our needs best.CupsWhereas the underwire defines your breast’s diameter, a cup size defines your breast’s projection or cup depth. Cup sizing is alphabetical – A, B, C, D etc. After the D size, however, manufacturers do not all agree on what to name subsequent sizes. Generally, American manufacturers prefer D, DD, DDD, DDDD. European manufacturers tend to prefer D, E, F, G. If your cup size is larger than a D, it can be very confusing to determine what size bra to purchase if the manufacturer has a unique sizing convention.

HerRoom has made this easier for you. We’ve compiled a chart comparing all plus size manufacturers’ cup sizing conventions. Simply refer to our chart to determine your correct cup size in that brand. It is also a good idea to know how many sizes larger than a D cup you are. That way if you come across a bra with unusual sizing, you can tell your salesperson you are 2, 5 or whatever cup sizes larger than a D cup. She will then be able to ascertain your correct cup size in that style.

There are 2 important things to know about cup size. The first is that a cup size on one band size is not equal to the same cup size on another band size. In other words, a 32D bra has smaller cup volume and diameter than a 34D bra yet both are a D cup. So I bet you’re wondering why the industry keeps the same size on a cup when it’s not the same between band sizes. Well, cup size is a measurement of how far your breasts project from your chest wall. Each cup size denotes a 1” increase in your body’s circumference around your bust line. Knowing this fact can help you zero in on your correct bra size. For example, you try on a bra and the band feels comfortable, but your breasts are spilling out. Keep going up in cup sizes on the same band size until you find the bra that fits. Alternately, the cups fit great, but the band is too big. When you go down a band size, you now know that you need to go up a cup size to maintain the same underwire diameter and similar cup volume (Example: Go from a 40C to a 38D).

The second important point about cup size pertains to women with cup sizes larger than a D cup. Trying to find cup equivalents among brands can be very difficult. In one brand you are a DDDD, but this same cup size can be a G, F, or FF in other brands. The first thing you should know is that all manufacturers size their cups up by 1” circumference increases. They may call their sizing by different letters, but the increases between sizes are uniform. So, as mentioned above, find out how many cup sizes above a D you are. On our site, when you look at the sizes available in a particular bra, we display the cup sizes in order from smallest to largest. If you are 4 cup sizes larger than a D cup, you can count down 4 sizes from D to find your correct size in that particular brand.

The Cup Size GameFinding a bra you love and the sizing stops just before your size can be frustrating. However, you may not be totally out of luck. Say you are a 40C and the bra you have found stops at 38DD. You MIGHT be able to wear the 38D or 38DD in that bra if the band doesn’t feel too tight. Deviating from your traditional bra size is called the cup size game. Substituting bra sizes will work more successfully on women with band sizes 40 and above and D cups or larger because there is more breast tissue and body circumference to work with - a 2” band increase or a 1” bust line circumference increase is not as significant as it would be on a smaller framed person.

A final thought about cup sizes - When a manufacturer grades his patterns to create different sizes for a bra style, he moves the bust points slightly wider with each cup size increase. B cup bust points are 1⁄2" farther apart than A cups. Bust points get 1⁄4” farther apart between B, C and D cups, and 1/8” farther apart with larger cup sizes.

Source:http://www.herroom.com/lingerie-fitting-bra-design-manufacturing,210,30.html

ENELL Sports Bra

2007-06-02T02:14:00.000-07:00

Running and Jogging editor didicated an entire review to the:

Here's just a portion of what she had to say: - For most women, the sports bra is the most important piece of equipment they buy. However, many women still aren't getting what they need out of their bra. This becomes especially problematic for women with large breasts. For some women, Enell sports bras have become the solution. Bras seem to come in all the wrong sizes, whether you are very big breasted or not. Enell has fixed this problem, by having an easy-to-use size chart and more sizes than a normal bra. They have bras that fit women from 32C - 50DDD. However, they also will make custom bras! If there isn't a bra your size, they'll make you one. They are also very nice if you contact them with questions about sizing (give us a call and let us prove it! at 1(800) 828-7661). Enell bras are the best support I have ever seen in bras. There is little-to-no motion at all, even during running or jumping. Through use of both compression and encapsulation, Enell bras are as close as you can come to leaving your chest at home.

Jesslyn BassRunning/ Jogging EditorAbout.com

Heidi Klum Gets Her Own Bra

2007-05-26T03:22:00.000-07:00

CBS) Heidi Klum may just be the hardest working woman in fashion. She's a world famous model, the host and executive producer of the hit reality show "Project Runway," and she's expecting her third child. As if that's not enough, she has signed on to be the spokeswoman of the new Body Bra by Victoria's Secret and face of the campaign in her spare time. Klum visited The Early Show to talk about her new project, which involves a line of bras named after her nickname in the business, "The Body." "This is the new Victoria Secret bra they just came out with and they called it 'The Body,' which was one of my nicknames that I started having when I started work with Victoria's Secret, which was a huge honor for me," says Klum. "Now it's a big honor having a bra named after my nickname that people know in the business, 'The Body.' And this is probably one bra that every woman wants to have because it is so comfortable. It comes eight different colors, it has no seams, no stitches.

It is not the super sexy, lacy bra, but this is something functional that you want to have every day that is super comfortable and just great." Klum also shot a TV ad for the bra. "It was a lot of fun doing that because I got to tell my story a little bit, you know, how people gave me the nickname and everything, it was a lot of fun." The supermodel, who is halfway through her pregnancy, shot the ad while she was already expecting. A prop helped her hide the pregnancy on camera. "I had a chair to work with that I could hide behind a little bit. It all worked out fine," she explains. Asked where the nickname "The Body" came from, Klum says, "I don't know. It just kind of happened. I was one of the first new girls at Victoria's Secret when I started with them about seven years ago. They nicknamed me 'The Body' when I did the first Victoria's Secret fashion show with them. It was an honor for me. They put it in the paper. It was a big thing." It turns out that the nickname "The Body" replaced the nickname "Muffin." "I would eat so many muffins and brownies, but more muffins.

Like every day I would have a muffin, so they'd call me the 'Muffin' because I was always stuffing my face with muffins. I love them because in Germany we have no muffins," she explains. Her show, "Project Runway," is in its third season and Klum is up for an Emmy. Asked how the show is going, Klum says: "Very good. I mean, right now I think four or five weeks into the show. Now we know we filmed it awhile back. Now our designers, our finalists are all home working on their final collection for fashion week in September. "So this is a great thing for them because they all want to be designers and they get seen on television that can show people what their talent is about. It was a lot of fun being there and watching the whole process and seeing what they come up with every week. They are really, really talented people. I think it's fun for people to watch it and that's why they really enjoy the show because they love watching what people can do with their hands in such a short time."

Source:http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/09/people/main1878157.shtml

What To Expect After Breast Augmentation Surgery

2007-05-15T01:44:00.000-07:00

The results of breast augmentation are quite apparent immediately after surgery. However, you will need time to recover before you can start to fully and comfortably enjoy your new and improved bustline. The healing process is an important consideration when you are thinking about breast augmentation. A well-informed commitment to surgery will include taking account of the post surgical steps to achieving your body goals. Breast augmentation entails the surgical insertion of breast implants, either silicone or saline, beneath your breast tissue and possibly even beneath the muscle tissue of your chest. The surgery is typically an outpatient procedure that lasts from one to two hours.

Depending on what you want for your body and what your physical form can accommodate, breast augmentation can increase your breast size by one or more bra cup sizes. Desiring a fuller bustline and a figure with more pronounced proportions are the primary motivations for women to seek breast augmentation. Reconstruction after breast surgery or injury, rejuvenation after pregnancy and nursing, and correction of breasts that have markedly differing sizes also are appropriate reasons for breast augmentation. Your First Week After Breast Augmentation Initially after your breast augmentation Beverly Hills, you will feel tired and sore for several days, but you should be up and walking after 24 to 48 hours. Pain medication will be prescribed as necessary to help you with post-surgical discomfort. You will have to completely avoid strenuous activity and monitor for any post-surgical problems like extreme swelling or bleeding.

After a few days, your gauze dressings will be removed and your plastic surgeon may direct you to wear a surgical bra. At the end of your first week of recovery you could typically return to your job unless your occupation is physically demanding. Then your plastic surgeon would have to gauge your recovery and advise you on the appropriate time to resume working. Your Second Week After Breast Augmentation At about the 10 day point, your stitches will be removed. If you have been experiencing a burning sensation in your nipples, this can often persist through the second week. Although your fuller breasts are in place, they will remain sore and you should limit physical contact with them as you continue to heal. Your Next Six Weeks After Breast Augmentation Under the supervision of your surgeon, you will begin to resume your regular physical activities in the ensuing weeks. Breast soreness typically lasts for three to four weeks before fading. Swelling should also diminish during this period, except for perhaps minor swelling. The scars from your surgery will be pink and firm for roughly six weeks. It will take months for the scars to soften and lighten. They will never be completely gone, but the scars often will diminish to barely noticeable.

The recovery timelines described above are what you can typically expect after breast augmentation surgery. Individual cases vary depending on physical characteristics, overall health, and how well you follow guidelines for limiting strenuous activity. Although breast augmentation requires a moderate recovery time, many women are immensely pleased with the results and agree that the discomfort was worth the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of an enhanced bust.

Bras and Breast Cancer--Are You Dressed to Kill?

2007-05-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a cultural phenomenon. The incidence of breast cancer is dramatically increased only in cultures that wear bras.

How could this be?
The authors of the book, Dressed to Kill : The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras 1995 by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer examined the habits of 4700 American women, nearly half of whom had breast cancer, before writing their book.

They found that wearing a bra more than 12 hours a day dramatically increased the incidence of breast cancer, cystic breasts (also known as tight-bra syndrome), breast pain, breast tenderness and other breast issues. Women who wear bras 18-24 hours/day have over 100 times greater incidence of breast cancer than those who go bra-less. So, basically you are 3-4 times more likely to get breast cancer from wearing a bra, than by smoking cigarettes!

Bras create constant pressure which compresses and constricts the lymphatic movement to the chest area. If you are a woman who wears a bra and you see red marks and lines after taking your bra off, you are at a greater risk for breast cancer.

The role of lymph is to flush out toxins and debris from tissues. If this flow is impaired, like when wearing a bra, tissues get toxic. We also impair toxin release by using underarm deodorants--they plug up and block our pores.

One interesting study done in the UK in the year 2000, followed 100 women with fibrocystic breast disease. These women went bra-free for three months. The results of this study were astounding, showing how effective this one treatment of going bra-less was in overcoming this particular health challenge.

Singer and Grismaijer validated their own study by going to Fiji and studying the incidence of breast cancer in that country. After working with the countrys epidemiologists, they found only a small percentage of the population with breast cancer. When interviewing these women, they found that every one of them had taken jobs in the corporate world and had started wearing bras within a few short years previous.

Eight Things You CAN Do if You MUST Wear a Bra:
1)Make sure the bra has a loose fit. Remove it when it is not necessary to wear it.
2)Choose a bra with no underwires. These wires block the energy meridians from moving freely through their natural cycles.
3)Use a larger size bra around your menstrual time as increased estrogen causes tissues to retain fluids making the breasts larger and the bra tighter.
4)Discontinue use of deodorizer/antiperspirants. Wash your armpits often with soap and water instead.
5)Bathe daily. The body releases 30% of all the toxins it produces through the skin.
6)Use a shower filter that filters out chlorine. Chlorine also causes several forms of cancer. As you shower, your skin and lungs are absorbing huge amounts of chlorine.
7)Occasionally incorporate Poke Root tincture into your diet to help the lymph flow easier (especially if you have little white dots around the outside of your irises. This is known as a Lymphatic Rosary and is a sign of a slow or sludging lymphatic system.)
8)Sleep naked or in a stretchy T-shirt. Women who wear cotton or nylon non-stretchable materials while they sleep who roll over often can cut circulation off as these materials resist stretching.

Are you dressed to kill? If so, take note and DO something for your health and your life.
2005 by Dr. Denice M. Moffat

How to make millions from bras and pants

2007-05-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Polly VernonSunday September 10, 2006

The Observer
Elle Macpherson has body issues. Not of the 'I hate my arse' variety, you understand. Elle is 42 years old, but her body is as glorious today as it was when she first began regularly gracing the cover of American body-fascist bible Swimwear Illustrated, more than two decades ago. She's a long-legged, lithehipped, muscular approximation of perfection, clad in tight-fitting black denim and leather. She carries her stupendous cleavage like a weapon. No. Elle's body issues are rather more notional.

For 20 years, Elle's body has been known as The Body. In 1986 Time magazine referred to it thus, and the world accepted it unquestioningly. But last month, Heidi Klum - the 5ft 9in, blonde-streaked flibbertigibbet of a 33-year-old German clothes horse, who has carved herself a substantial profile in the swimsuit-modelling market formerly dominated by Elle herself - made a flagrant and unapologetic bid to co-opt The Body moniker. Klum appeared in an advert for a Victoria's Secret bra, which first aired in early August insisting: 'They call me The Body - and now I have a bra named after me.' Elle's public, and her people, were horrified. 'We saw that, and we were like, oh my God!' Elle's spokesperson, Melissa Edwards, responded. 'We were initially flabbergasted ... we have numerous press clippings in the office referring to her as The Body.' Elle - who has produced a skincare range called 'Elle Macpherson The Body' and a fitness video entitled The Body Workout in past years - is tight-lipped on the issue.
It seems, on the face of it, to be the kind of daft row that only a couple of supermodels could ever get embroiled in. But there's maybe more to it than that. Heidi Klum is messing with Elle's brand, and no one can be allowed to do that.

No celebrity, male or female, has ever converted into a business force as successfully as Elle. She has an estimated personal worth of £35 million. Never mind Heidi Klum and her one piffling bra. Or Kate Moss with her endless ad contracts and her ineffable cachet. Or Linda Evangelista, Elle's contemporary on the 1990s supermodel scene and the woman who once boasted: 'I wouldn't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day.' Elle blows them all away financially. Her licensing deal with New Zealand lingerie company Bendon, which produces her own-brand underwear, Elle Macpherson Intimates, is worth £40 million in Britain alone (it also sells in Australia, where it's the biggest-selling underwear brand, and the US, where it's increasing both its market share and its profile rapidly, despite the fact that it was only launched last year). The bestselling calendars and fitness video that she produces through Elle Macpherson Inc - the company she formed in 1994 after leaving Ford, her model agency - are worth tens of millions more.

She is officially one of Australia's richest women, and she was the only model to make the top 100 wealthiest women in 2006's Sunday Times Rich List. In July this year, Elle accepted an appointment as executive director on the board of Hot Tuna surfwear, thus guaranteeing herself substantial creative input and an estimated £2.5m in share options. And so it goes on. Elle makes money. Lots of it.

I'm not sure how, though. We're sitting, Elle and me, on an ornate chaise longue in a quiet corner of a vast warehouse located deep in the heart of New York's Long Island. Around us, the advertising shoot that will showcase the latest offerings from Elle Macpherson Intimates crawls along. On set, an improbably nubile young thing dressed in Elle-conceived scraps of washable silk drapes herself over a Halloween-theme fridge (edited highlights of the contents: pickle jars of eyeballs, takeaway cartons of intestines, etcetera) and moves her hips according to instructions delivered by acclaimed fashion photographer Regan Cameron. Elle herself no longer models in the campaigns. She did at first because 'it was cheaper'. Which demonstrates an unquestionably sound business instinct. But it's about the only solid evidence of one that I can find in the first instance.

Before I meet Elle, I am instructed by various powers not to ask about her personal life. About the recent-ish break-up of her nine-year relationship with Arpad 'Arki' Busson, the financier father of her sons Flynn (who is eight) and Aurelius Cy (three); about her brush with postnatal depression; or about the bust-up with Klum. And so instead, we're talking money. Elle is attempting to deconstruct her business style for me, and I am attempting to reconcile what I know about her place in the business world with her flaky, naive manner. 'I consider myself to be an "entrepreneur", you know?' she's saying. Elle has an odd way of talking; it's halting, precious - she speaks as if English is her second language, although she was born and raised in suburban Sydney. Her inflections are French, the legacy of her eight-year marriage to French photographer Gilles Bensimon, and of her relationship with Busson. She gets words wrong, she makes others up - she says she is 'passioned by business', for instance, and also that she has made 'lots of mit-sakes' - and it all lends her a cutesy, girlish, uncertain quality that is at odds with her business profile. She also speaks a clichéd, breathless kind of business rhetoric: 'I think outside the box,' she says with absolute sincerity. 'And I dare to dream, I dare to take risks. I believe that risk is the currency of the gods. You know. I don't like to think I'm a "businesswoman". "Businesswoman" conjures up this image of hard-ass, pencil-skirt-wearing control freak, and I'm not that.'

What is she, then, I ask. 'I am very passioned by what I do. I make decisions according to my heart. Business for me is very heartfelt. I go with my heart and my instincts and my intuition. And my passions and my love and my joy, and then what happens is, because there's a sense of integrity behind what I do, that often translates into dollars and cents. People recognise that, and people buy, I believe, integrity, and people buy honesty.' She thinks, moreover, that her lingerie 'empowers women ...' that it contributes to the universe because ' ...the nurturing power of femininity is extremely important to the universe ...' She thinks she could have been anything she wanted. 'A barrister - which is kind of like a performing lawyer, which is kind of what I do anyway,' or an architect, or a property developer, but what she chose to do - ultimately - was 'help other women!' How? With lingerie? 'Yes!'

Elle, in interview, strikes me as less of a moneymaking machine than an aspiring beauty-pageant winner, or maybe the devoted groupie of a motivational speaker. Elle in action, however, is a different matter. I watch her attack Regan Cameron's shoot. I watch her style and art direct and criticise and rearrange, I watch her admonish some staff members and team-build others; I watch her fire off endless, endless questions at Stuart Cameron, the manager with whom she has worked for more than 20 years; and I remember a recent quote from Mary-Ellen Field, the very senior consultant who advises Elle on her licensing deals, who claimed that Elle 'reads every document. She even sends them back with comments in the margin, and if she doesn't understand anything she asks you. She's extremely disciplined. You don't look like that unless you are.' And I get more of an idea of how she operates, and why it works for her.
'I'm not a control freak,' she tells me - again. But I'm not at all convinced.

Elle's private life is markedly less well managed, however. She's been (allegedly) involved in a series of jolly, gossip-column-worthy entanglements - with everyone from Tim Jeffries (Green Shields Stamp heir and serial romancer of the professionally gorgeous), to footballer Sol Campbell, to Hollywood's naughtiest superstar, Colin Farrell. But she's also endured painful rejection at the hands of Gilles Bensimon - a divorce that devastated her, she has said. 'I felt as if the rug had been pulled from under me.' And in June 2005 came the split from Arki Busson, after a nine-year relationship. She also developed postnatal depression after the 2003 birth of Aurelius Cy, her younger son, and that she spent some time in a clinic in Arizona receiving treatment for it. 'I have zero shame about it,' she has said, in the past. But nothing to say on the subject? 'No.'

She really doesn't want to address her personal life in any fashion. She says she doesn't see why she should, on the grounds that 'I don't seek press unless it's for my business, I don't ever really do self-gratifying or gratuitous press', which isn't actually any grounds at all. She may as well say: 'I don't like answering difficult questions that don't directly promote my commercial interests.' So when I approach the sticky territory of her non-business existence, Elle becomes flagrantly brittle and invokes the logistics of being a mother as a distracting, defensive tactic. 'I work one week and I have one week with my children. And when I'm with my children, I never work. That's just ... my rule. They are absolutely my priority. And then my children go to their father for one week and I work.'

Does she feel like a single mother, I wonder, with all the baggage that entails? She laughs, uncomfortably. She waits a while, in case I move on. I don't. She sighs. 'Ah - hum ...' she says, eventually. 'I'm a ... single parent. With two children. I'm a single parent. Yeah. My, uh ...' [Elle tries, and fails, to say the word 'ex'] ' ...the father of my children is very committed to ... you know ... we're both committed to co-parenting the children ... but ...' She trails off , and we return to the infinitely cosier territory of achieving a decent bra fit. Elle's party trick is a one-glance assessment of a stranger's bra size. I ask her to 'do' me, which she does, correctly.
The rigours of co-parenting and also life as a leading light on the business stage notwithstanding, Elle is shamelessly active on the international party scene. She's a regular fixture in the beach-club capitals of the world: St Tropez, St Barthes, upmarket Ibiza, Costa Smeralda. She knows Tory leader David Cameron. No self-respecting society-mag party page is complete without a pap snap of Elle, a terribly nice frock dangling from her glorious frame. She made number 11 on Tatler magazine's annual Hot 100 most desirable guest list - not as high as Busson, who made the top 10, but still ... Does she consider herself to be jet set? She pauses. 'I think, um, I'm quite open-minded about travel, put it that way.' She laughs. 'Uh. . I consider myself to be. .' Jet set? '. . Incredibly privileged. I have the capacity to travel, and I do. I take advantage of it. Er. And I mix in many different circles, and that's a huge gift in my life, to be able to grow and learn from all different walks of life. But, do I require a fast-paced, rich life? No! Am I happiest when I'm surfing on the beaches in Australia? I just took my sons on a surf safari, you know, camping? That's me at my best. Just a week in Western Australia with my two boys. And we built fires and we slept in tents and we surfed, and it was just ... But yes. I'm incredibly privileged, and I'm the first to say it.'

I wonder if there are limits on riches like Elle's. Does she ever have to reel herself in from a particular extravagance, for example. She responds airily, evasively. 'Oh, I'm not going to go into my finances and the way I run my life. But I try to be responsible. Responsible, and at the same time passionate. So if something moves me, I'll do it. But I don't do things for show. I'm not particularly extravagant for the sake of it. I'm extravagant, yes, in the way that some times I cringe and think, oh gosh, I shouldn't have flown first class here ... but other than that, nothing is for show, I try to be as discreet as I possibly can.' But she is, I imagine, phenomenally wealthy? 'Ha! I wish! I'm incredibly fortunate in that I have a job that I love, and that I'm still working after 25 years in an industry that says, basically, you're only valuable as long as you're young.' Is money important? 'No. Money's a by-product. That's all.'

Elle will not go as far as to admit that she has any regrets. She'll admit to mistakes: 'Lots! Yeah! Every day!' But then she says: 'But I don't believe there are any mik-stakes.' [sic] 'There are learnings. So I make learnings. Along the way. Hah!' She says that she isn't concerned with ageing, even though much of her professional existence has been dependent on her looks. She says she spends hardly any time on her appearance these days. I'm not sure. Her look is studied and high maintenance - the accessories, the hair, the jeans, the artfully scuffed biker boots. She's a smidgen over-tanned in the flesh, a cartoonish boy-pleasing variation on gorgeous that owes at least something to the signature look of Pamela Anderson. But still, she talks a convincing pitch on the not caring. 'Well, you know what, if I didn't age, where would I be? Dead, wouldn't I? I don't care. Fortunately, the people who are around me don't judge me by the way I look, but you know, I am a 42-year-old mother-of-two, so ...'
On which, does she anticipate a midlife crisis of any description? 'Well, I have had some crisises [sic] in my life already, you know!'

More than your fair share? Elle laughs. 'No,' she says. 'Not necessarily. Hah! You know, I'm sure I'll have more ... some more learnings along the way.'

· Elle Macpherson's lingerie starts from £26 for bras and £11 for knickers. For stockists, telephone 020 7478 0280 or go to www.ellemacphersonintimates.com

What types of bras should you buy?

2007-05-05T03:12:00.000-07:00

You may have a favorite bra…but you shouldn't wear it both when you go out and when you work out! Nordstrom's bra expert says one bra style will not work for all fashions and functions. You may not need a strapless bra, a sports bra and a bustier, but you should think about your lifestyle and wardrobe needs before buying a brassiere, Sandra says.

Source:Oprah.com

The Physics of Bras

2007-04-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

Overcoming Newton's second law with better bra technology

One side effect of the obesity epidemic in America is rarely noted: Women's chests are expanding nearly as fast as their bellies. Poor eating habits, as well as breast implants and the estrogens in birth-control pills, have led to an increase in the past 15 years of more than one bra size for the average American woman—from a 34B to a 36C. For many women, this has been a burdensome trend. A pair of D-cup breasts weighs between 15 and 23 pounds—the equivalent of carrying around two small turkeys. The larger the breasts, the more they move and the greater the discomfort. In one study, 56 percent of women suffered from breast pain when jogging.

"Women will limit themselves from doing exercise because of their breasts," says Deirdre McGhee, a sports physiotherapist and graduate student in biomechanics at the University of Wollongong in Australia. "They actually deprive themselves."

GHOST OF THE MACHINE
An x-ray scan of a bra reveals major structural elements, including straps, fasteners, and underwires.And the less they exercise, the more obese and buxom they may become.
For most women, a good bra is still the best remedy. According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, nearly 500 million bras were sold in the United States in 2001; last year, sales totaled more than $5 billion. As breasts have grown, so have the demands of customers, the scientific sophistication of bra design, and the competition among bra manufacturers. "Women like their bras to be sexy and sensual and comfy and supportive," McGhee says. "And to get all that is rare." Yet after nearly a century of experimentation, the perfect bra may well be in sight.

Bra designers begin with a significant handicap: The structure of breasts is still something of a mystery. Evolutionary biologists aren't sure why breasts evolved as they did—chimpanzees and other mammals develop them only when lactating—and no one knows what keeps them from sagging. An individual breast is made up of between 15 and 20 sections, known as lobes. These are composed of smaller lobules that end in bulbs that produce milk and are interconnected by a network of ducts. But breasts contain no muscles at all, and the bulbs and ducts are essentially the same in all women. Size is mainly determined by how much fat the breasts contain. Most anatomists believe the breasts' primary means of support are the Cooper's ligaments interlaced among the lobules. But others give the skin more credit.

To best support breasts, a designer has to understand how they move. To that end, McGhee's team in Australia, headed by biomechanist Julie Steele, tags women with light-emitting diodes and asks them to run on treadmills. (The women run with and without bras, so the laboratory doors are bolted to prevent uninvited people from bursting in.) Computer systems then track the breasts' motions in three dimensions by following the moving lights. "We can actually work out exactly where they're going, how they're moving, and how this movement is affected by bras," Steele says. Breasts move in a sinusoidal pattern, Steele has found, and they move a lot. Small breasts can move more than three inches vertically during a jog, and large breasts sometimes leave their bras entirely. "We have videos of women who, particularly if the cup is too low, spill all over the top," Steele says.

The larger the breasts and the more they move, the more momentum they generate. To change or stop that momentum requires a large force, usually applied through bra straps. When straps are thin, the pressure exerted through them can be so great as to leave furrows in the shoulders of large-breasted women. As the straps dig into the brachial plexus, the nerve group that runs down the arm, they may cause numbness in the little finger. In some cases, breasts can slap against the chest with enough force to break the clavicle.

"Force equals mass times acceleration," Steele says. "That's Newton's second law. You have a large mass, and it's going quickly, and the force is going to be large. If you have breasts that are slapping down and hitting the chest and having to come back up, they accelerate very quickly." No one really knows the long-term medical consequences of "excessive breast bounce," as Steele calls it. But it can cause pain and is the most likely reason for sagging breasts.
There are two ways to keep breasts from moving: encapsulation and compression. Encapsulation bras look like the old-fashioned brassieres our grandmothers wore, with large molded cups that completely contain the breast. Compression bras are more popular but less comfortable: They squash the breasts against the body, thereby reducing the amount of weight the bra has to cantilever.

Since the 1800s, when women used corsets stiffened by whalebone to support their breasts, bra designers have experimented with innumerable structures and materials. "Making a bra is like building a bridge," says Manette Scheininger, a senior vice president of design, merchandising, and research and development at Maidenform. "You have weight that has to be uplifted. You have to have support all around." Larger breasts compound the challenge, Scheininger says. "And not just by a little bit. The challenge grows dramatically."

The first sports bra was created in 1977, when two American women took a pair of jockstraps, cut them apart, and sewed them back together. They dubbed their creation the Jogbra. Other bra designs since then have used gel and water pads, silver fibers that cool the skin and dispel bacterial growth and body odor, and air bags that wearers can pump up to enhance the appearance of their breasts. This past summer, a virtually stitchless bra was introduced by Wacoal, a leading manufacturer. The bra is molded, compressed, and shaped at the same time—"sort of like a car fender," Wacoal designer Linda Hyde says. Thanks to cylindrical hosiery machines, other bras can now be knit in circular patterns with differing amounts of stretch and support.

Steele's team is taking fabric technology another step. Six years ago, her laboratory, in collaboration with the University of Wollongong's Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, began work on the world's first smart bra. It uses intelligent materials and electronic textiles to sense when breast motion increases and tighten appropriate parts of the bra in response. "When you're sitting around the office, it isn't restrictive," Steele says. "But if you need to run for a bus or something, it will sense that you've started to run, and it will give you the support of a sports bra." Steele's lab has teamed up with Marks & Spencer, a major retailer in Britain, to further develop the project.
Meanwhile, McGhee and Steele have their sights set beyond tinkering with bra straps and fabrics. They are using Steele's extensive work on the biomechanics of breasts to explore an entirely new way of designing bras. Starting in the 1970s, podiatrists and biomechanists radically redesigned running shoes to make them lighter and more stable. Steele and McGhee hope to accomplish a similar paradigm shift and correct the problem with the most supportive bras: They are also rated the most uncomfortable. "We're not testing a product but a concept," says Steele. "What we're trying to bring in now is an idea that will not be a gimmick—understanding the structure, function, and the movement and putting them all together with the science underpinning it."

New York socialite Mary Phelps Jacob is often credited with inventing the bra in 1914, but the first patent for a breast supporter was granted half a century earlier to Luman. L. Chapman of Camden, New Jersey. Bra manufacturer S.H. Camp and Company first matched breast sizes to the letters of the alphabet, A through D, in 1933.

Steele and McGhee are reluctant to divulge any details for fear of tipping off rival designers—"It's a really dirty game," McGhee says. But initial trials are under way while they stake out intellectual property rights. Given that more than 30 percent of American women now wear D cups and larger, the team shouldn't have trouble finding a commercial partner if they succeed. When it comes to bras, the usual rules of exercise are reversed: No pain, very much gain.

Source: http://discovermagazine.com/2005/nov/physics-of-bras

Avoid Bad Plastic Surgery - Ten Precautionary Steps

2007-04-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Bad celebrity plastic surgery consistently gets blizzards of media coverage. However, these mishaps are not confined to celebrities. Cosmetic surgical procedures can produce wonderful, sometimes astonishing transformations in appearance, feelings of self worth and self confidence. What the media barrage points up is that plastic surgery gone wrong has no respect for who you are.

If you are contemplating elective plastic surgery, what can you do to elude the polar opposite of a marvelous outcome? Here you'll see a roadmap to assist you in fulfilling your end of the equation to avoid what sometimes is popularly called "awful plastic surgery".

1. Ask if your doctor is Board Certified: Be sure that the cosmetic surgeon you select is board certified. The doctor you select choose be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This assures that the physician specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, has received years of cosmetic surgery training, undergone stiff examinations and established the necessary competence in the specialty.

2. Verify that your Doctor specializes in the procedure you're seeking: A plastic surgeon whose specialty is breast implants may not be the best choice to rearrange your nose.

3. Your expectations should be realistic: While cosmetic surgical procedures can deliver astounding improvements in appearance, the precise aesthetics you desire, in reality, may not be attainable. Scrutinize your motives and be realistic and levelheaded.

4. Determine that your physical and emotional health is good: A complete examination of your past and present physical health, emotional health and motives for wanting plastic surgery should be conducted by your doctor.

5. STOP SMOKING! - if you're a smoker: Smoking can lead to complications and hinder achieving the desired result.

6. Consult at least one more physician: Too many unqualified fraudsters seek to entice patients in this field. They can sound very convincing. Be wary, and check, at a minimum, that they are a Board Certified plastic surgeon.

7. Get pictures and testimonials: Any doctor who has a good track record will show you pictures of former patients and provide testimonials. It's a good idea to see if you can speak with prior patients.

8. Be certain you understand the costs of cosmetic surgery: A doctor offering a cut rate may be unqualified. If you are considering leaving the United States for cheaper surgery, bear in mind that many other countries do not adhere to U.S. standards. Do the math, including air fare, hotel, meals, etc.

9. Be aware of the risks of plastic surgery: All surgeries carry risks. Among the risks are infection, anesthesia, reaction to medications, blood clots, respiratory difficulties and death. Plastic surgery is no different.

10. Think twice about having multiple surgical procedures done simultaneously: This poses increased risks, all of which should be discussed with you by your surgeon.

A couple of additional points need to be considered:

Cosmetic plastic surgery is elective and is not covered by most forms of medical insurance. For those on a limited budget, it's well to think about whether paying for surgery for cosmetic reasons will leave you so financially strapped that the anticipated outcome will fail to outweigh the distress of financial hardship.

This raises the question of having plastic surgery performed in another country. While costs can be substantially reduced in countries like Thailand, Brazil and India, you need to take into account the costs of air fare, hotels, meals, etc. Many seemingly attractive packages are promoted, but, in the final analysis, many people report that the only justifiable rationale for exiting the U.S. is for the sake of anonymity (many celebrities do this) or simply to mix the surgery with a vacation.

Your own common sense, armed with the information you assemble following the steps suggested here, will strengthen your chances of having a wonderful new you and preclude a bad plastic surgery outcome.

by Robert G. Knechtel

One dress, two ways: Shape style director Jacqui Stafford finds the perfect desk-to-dinner dress

2007-04-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

Q I want to buy one dress that works for all occasions. What do you recommend?

A You can't go wrong with a black strapless dress. Not only can you dress it up or down, but it flatters every body type from petite to large-chested. It also draws the eye upward, to the most sensual and elegant parts of a woman's body, her shoulders and decolletage. One of the most affordable options is the silk Ann Taylor "Jillian" dress ($188; anntaylor.com), pictured below. It has an Empire waist, so it cinches just below the bustline (the slimmest area on most women) then gently flares out to camouflage a fuller middle or pear shape. Make it casual with a feminine belted cardigan, ballet flats, and a chunky bag, or complement with sparkly heels and eye-catching jewelry for an elegant soiree.

Q I'd love to find a belt that looks as good with formal pants as it does with jeans. Any ideas?

A Our secret: Shop in the men's department. A classic men's belt adds flair to even the most casual pair of jeans, and it works beautifully with a more tailored pant. (Take the pants with you when you go shopping to make sure the belt fits through the belt loops.) Choose a plain leather band in black or chocolate with a midsize buckle. A large buckle looks good only if you're petite, whereas a smaller buckle is better if you're fuller on top (it gives the appearance of a longer torso).

Q My strapless bras all pinch my skin and won't stay up properly. What's the deal?
A It sounds like they're too small. Most women think they need a tighter band to keep a strapless bra in place, but it should be the same size as your regular one. Straps simply anchor the bra; breast support comes from the underwire or under-cup support panels. To be sure you're wearing the right size, have a fit specialist in the lingerie department measure you. (It turns out that 7 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra!) Then turn the bra inside out and look for a stay-there power band that hugs the body. Another common strapless problem: color. If your top is black, pick a black bra; otherwise, the rule of thumb is to match the bra to your skin tone. Try the Lejaby Nuage strapless bra ($72; figleaves.com), which is available in five shades.

1 Milly cardigan ($472; 617-558-1855)
2 Treesje "Goleta" clutch ($150; select Bloomingdale's)
3 Rafe "Belgravia Reese" flat ($365; rafe.com)
DRESS IT UP
4 Carlos Falchi clutch ($350; at Saks Fifth Avenue stores)
5 Charles & Colvard Moissanite circle pendant ($1,740; at J.C. Penneys nationwide)
6 Stuart Weitzman "Cuando" stiletto ($375; stuart weitzman.com)
SPLURGE
$260 Gucci men's leather belt with elongated silver-knot buckle (gucci.com)
STEAL
$45 Landes toggle belt (landes.com)
One Perfect Bra
Maidenform One Fabulous Fit strapless bra ($29.50; maiden form.com)

COPYRIGHT 2006 Weider PublicationsCOPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group

Breast Feeding and Birth Control

2007-04-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Many women who have just delivered a baby want to use methods to make sure that they do not conceive again until they are ready. While not all women choose to breast feed, many women do choose breast feeding and wonder about how birth control use while breast feeding will affect their baby. Before you start taking birth control while you are breast feeding your new baby, it is important that you consider your options and the positive and negative aspects of each option before you make your final decision. There are three basic methods of birth control that are available to you, including hormonal birth control, non-hormonal birth control, and the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of birth control.

Hormonal Birth Control The first type of birth control method you may be considering is hormonal birth control. There are both progestin birth control contraceptives and combination contraceptives that consist of both progestin and estrogen. While some believe that hormonal birth control use while breast feeding can cause problems for the baby, there are no actual studies that prove this; however, this type of birth control should be used with caution. Before you decide on hormonal birth control, be sure to weigh all of your options carefully to make sure this is what you really want and need. If you decide on taking progestin contraceptives, it is suggested that you wait for about three weeks after you deliver to start taking these pills. If you decide on taking estrogen contraceptives, you should probably wait at least six weeks after having your baby to start taking this kind of contraceptive. It is important to note that while progestin can actually increase your amount of breast milk, estrogen can decrease the amount of milk you produce, which may cause problems in the future.

Non-Hormonal Birth Control Another type of birth control that many women consider after they have their baby is non-hormonal birth control. This is viewed as one of the best types birth control to use since there are no negative effects caused to the baby from birth control use while breast feeding with any of the non-hormonal methods that are available. Some types of non-hormonal types of birth control include diaphragms, spermicide, condoms, vaginal sponges, and a cervical cap. For women who choose to use a diaphragm, they need to make sure that they are fitted for a new one after having a baby. Most of the time there are changes to the cervix after childbirth and failing to be refitted may result in the failure of the diaphragm.

Lactational Amenorrhea Method of Birth Control One method of birth control that many women are unfamiliar with is the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of birth control. Using this type of birth control while breast feeding is very natural; however, it is important that you understand how it works in order for it to be effective for you. This type of birth control is specifically for women who have yet to get their period, who are providing more than 90% of the nutrition for their child, plan to nurse their baby for more than six months, and breast feed an average of every four hours. Breast feeding this much can actually provide women with natural contraception and can last up to six months. It is very important that women are meeting all of the criteria for this method, though, or it may not be effective for them.

As a nursing mother, you need to be informed about the various types of birth control available and how it can affect you and your baby while breast feeding. Once you have the facts, you can decide which method will work best for you. Birth control use while breast feeding is possible, and it can be very safe if you choose the best methods for you and your child.

by MiShaun Taylor

Stop Excessive Drinking To Protect Your Breast Health

2007-03-30T01:36:00.000-07:00

Medical experts recommend the following measures to best protect your breasts while maximizing your overall health:

Do not use underarm deodorant that contains aluminum salts or other compounds. Aluminum is a heavy metal that can enter the blood and lymph systems through the skin and severely challenge the immune system.

Eat a well-balanced diet - Include lots of fruits and vegetables, and keep your intake of fried foods, red meat, and junk food to a bare minimum. Prevent taking hydrogenated fats like margarine and vegetable shortening. (Be conscious of products that are in many store-bought crackers, cakes, and cookies - even health-store brands.) Cook with olive, peanut, sunflower, or sesame oils and butter or - better still - clarified butter (ghee) on bread.

Sensuality and sexuality are not opposed to or the enemy of spirituality. Celebrate the sensuality of your body!

Avoid excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages - Some studies indicate there may be a link between drinking alcohol and an increase risk for breast cancer. Occasional red / white wine is fine or rather it benefits your health.

Enjoy nurturing yourself. You need to massage your breasts and/or pamper yourself with a massage or your favorite spa treatment. It is a MUST survival skill.

Take in supplements such as vitamins E, C, and B-complex as well as minerals. When your stress level is high, eat mineral-rich sea vegetables or take mineral supplements.

Do exercises that involve the movements of your shoulders and build up your chest and upper arm strength regularly

Expose your breasts to sun and moonlight. It feels good to experience the sun, sea, and air on the rest of your body at topless beaches or in the privacy of your back yard!

Put on underwear that is comfortable, natural fiber (i.e. cotton). Wearing bras that have under wires or that are strapless will push the breast up and/or make red marks weaken supporting muscles and constrict lymph tissue. If they are worn often or for long periods will make the breasts sag and allow toxins to build up in your breast tissue.

The above information is found in Ms Yvonne Lee, internationally acclaimed book "To All Women Who Want To Enhance Their Breasts Naturally, But Don't Know How To Start". It describes and details the most important breast enhancement techniques from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each technique, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost, and potential impact on insurance coverage. The ebook version of the book is now available at:

http://www.breastenhancementbook.com
by Julie Walker

Cute Japanese Girl Bra Commercial

2007-03-26T00:46:00.000-07:00

The Ghost of the Silicone Implants Returns

2007-03-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

No, not poltergeists: Breast implants filled with silicone gel.
For women who've had a bad experience with implants, that news may be little better than a visit from an angry apparition. There are women around the world who hold silicone breast implants responsible for their autoimmune disease or cancer. These women must be shaking their heads in amazement: Why are silicone implants available again?

The way this question is answered says a lot about the role you think the government should play in your healthcare. Is it the role of government to minimize all danger, or is it their role to make sure we are aware of dangers, and then leave the final decision to us, the individuals?
Silicone implants still aren't "safe," depending on how you define that word. Even the Mentor company, which manufactures saline and silicone implants, acknowledges that implants can cause some health complications. These may include "hardening of the area around the implant, breast pain, change in nipple sensation, implant rupture and the need for additional surgery," says spokesperson Melissa Vayra. And the FDA is on record saying that a woman getting breast implants needs to understand that there is a significant chance she will need additional breast implant surgery in the future. Ruptured implants can go undetected and silicone can migrate in the body, even into organs. This escaped silicone can form lumps, and some of it may be impossible to remove from the body.

Sounds nasty. But none of these side effects, in isolation, represent a grave threat to a woman's health. On the question of silicone implants' role in causing autoimmune disease or cancer, the prosthetic devices fare better: the large majority of studies and trials conducted since silicone implants were taken off the open market back in 1992 have failed to show a link between silicone implants and the development of these serious diseases. While it's impossible to say that they do not have some still-undetected part to play in ill health, to quote the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (SGKBCF), "the overwhelming body of evidence does not support the existence of a link between silicone breast implants and major diseases of the body..."
If you believe that the government's role in healthcare includes protecting us from ourselves, you may want silicone breast implants to remain off the market. According to the SGKBCF, only 20-percent of breast implants are related to medical need (for example, breast reconstruction). Multiple implant surgeries, pain, loss of sensation and migrating silicone may sound like a high price to pay for a fundamentally cosmetic procedure.

But the question is, do you - or the government - have the right to make that choice for women who are willing to pay the price? The substantiated hazards of silicone implants are well-documented; information on the risks is available. And many women, clearly, think the risks are worth it.
by Kristen Kelly

The Wonders of Strapless Bras

2007-03-14T03:33:00.000-07:00

Strapless bras are one of the most dangerous bras you'll ever wear. Why is that, you say? Well, it's not because the underwire's any more likely to pop out and stab you in the side. It's not because they're made from cancer-causing materials (they're not!). It's because you just might die of embarrassment if you don't get the right fit.

One wrong move in an ill-fitting strapless--especially one with built-in padding--and you could have breasts down on your stomach. First it slides down an inch or so, making you uncomfortable. You can't adjust in public at the moment, so you squeeze your arms to your sides and hope no one can see what's happening. Then, what do you know, the bra's around your waist, leaving your assets uncovered and adding a few extra lumps to your midsection.
Why bother with a strapless, right? You can get the right fit. Then you can wear those halters, tanks, tube tops and strapless dresses with confidence and support.

Strapless bras can also be very versatile bras. If you buy a convertible bra, you can have strapless, two-straps, one strap, halter or criss-cross. A girl needs options! The straps are easily removable. You can even buy cute straps at department stores and lingerie boutiques to replace a boring set of white ones with if you think they may peak out.

Baby Doll Lingerie Emphasises And Supports Your Bust As Well As Showing Off Your

2007-03-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

A Baby doll is a short night gown consisting of a robe or loose top and matching bottoms. This lingerie is often trimmed with lace, ruffles, fur, bows and ribbons. Sometimes you can also find spaghetti straps.

The top is normally loose fitting and is usually just below the bust line and is short, ending at or just below your rear. Baby doll sets are available in a wide variety of fabrics from silk, satin to sheer lace.

A baby doll nightie with will provide support for your breasts while letting you flaunt what you got below. Baby doll lingerie is flattering and feminine and puts emphasise on the bust and takes the attention off your waist.

Baby Doll Lingerie In Pinstripe And Lace
This type of baby doll lingerie has stretch lace and micro fiber stripe and adjustable straps. This set includes matching thongs and costs around £22.47.

Baby Doll Lingerie In Chantilly Lace
This baby doll piece and thong are made from Chantilly lace. This has a lace up front and black floral lace with spaghetti straps and costs around £19.66. A really sexy piece!

Satin Baby Doll Item And Thong Panty
This item is made from stretch satin and comes with a side slit hem. It also has spaghetti straps and black lace trimmings. A thong panty is also available with this set and costs around £19.00.

BabyDoll in Lace Fishnet
This is an attractive baby doll piece with lace and fishnet. This baby doll dress has a ribbon lace up in front and costs around £13.00.

Baby Doll Dress With A G-String In Sheer Chiffon
This type of baby doll dress is made from sheer chiffon, with floral embroidered accents. It also has a sheer gathered front. This has adjustable straps and matching G-strings and costs around £21.00.

Blush Baby Doll Lingerie Pieces
This is a sheer baby doll piece which has a front ribbon fastening. The lace top fishnet holdups provide added beauty to this baby doll dress and costs around £35.
Baby doll lingerie items come in various styles and fantastic colours. You will be sure to have a fantastic time with this piece of sexy lingerie.

by Kalwant Rana

Must Read for Breastfeeding Mothers

2007-03-01T22:45:00.000-08:00

Breastfeeding mothers should watch their diets from the start of their pregnancy. Complex carbohydrates and whole-grain products, such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal are beneficial. Take lots of fruits and vegetables as they provide vitamins A and C and minerals such as iron and magnesium.It is important to drink lots of water. Water improves digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Taking at least eight glasses of water each day keep the mother hydrated and help prevent those painful leg and foot cramps that are extremely common during pregnancy.

Another point to note is that the more you nurse, the more milk you make. There is no need to give the breast a rest from nursing to produce more milk. A steady supply of milk is kept by expressing milk as regularly as you can. Breastfeeding mums should nurse at least nine to 10 times a day to ensure milk production.The main component in breast milk is medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), principally lauric acid. Lauric acid is also the main ingredient in coconut oil. The MCFAs in breast milk improve nutrient absorption for babies, aiding their digestion.The MCFAs also help regulate blood sugar levels and protect the baby from harmful microorganisms. These essential fatty acids are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasite. Thus the MCFAs protect the baby from infectious diseases.

This is critical as the baby’s immune system is still under-developed.Adding coconut oil to baby formula has been proven to increase weight gain. Importantly, the weight gain is due to physical growth, not fat storage. The MCFAs in coconut oil help infants to absorb needed fats for their cells to carry out their functions. Nutrient absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals and protein is improved in the process.The quality of human breast milk is influenced by the mother’s health and diet. It is important that the mother takes a diet rich in MCFAs. If not, the breast milk produced will not contain enough MCFAs.

As a result, the baby may be mal-nourished and become vulnerable to infectious disease.The foods rich in MCFAs include palm kernel oils and coconut oil. Pregnant women should take these oils from the beginning of their pregnancy to build up their store of MCFAs, in order to produce milk rich in MCFAs to provide maximum benefit to their babies.

By: John Goh

Avoiding the Underwear Shopping Nightmare

2007-02-24T00:03:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking of buying underwear, swim wear, sports wear, or nightwear then look no further than Figleaves.com. They sell all over the world and offer free delivery in the UK and USA. If you are a busy Mum like me this really takes the hassle out of shopping for underwear.

I must admit I mistakenly believed that Figleaves just sold ladies underwear - wrong. It also has a great range of men's underwear, swimmers and even a couple of socks options. Their prices start at just £12.00 and even in the men's range there are more than 700 items.
The women's wear range is phenomenal. It incorporates everything you would expect in lingerie, but does also have maternity bras, mastectomy bras and bras for the double D ladies. Again I assumed that it was all going to be very expensive and purely designer stuff, but there is a great variation in prices and products. Although you can search by the type of product, department or size - you don't seem to be able to search by price. This means that expensive items are mixed up with the cheaper brands. So don't be put off if the first few items you look at are over budget.

Alternatively you can just start by clicking on Fig leaves "Sale" button where there are some really generous reductions of up to 50% off

The thing I really liked best about Figleaves was how much I have learnt about women's underwear. Searching under the "Search by Size" option takes you to their "Fitting Room" which is a mind of information. There is a ten point fitting guide along with pictures so you can understand what Figleaves are referring to. Tips on measuring yourself, and then when you have carried out the dreaded deed even an online size calculator. Fantastic -for the first time in years I know what size I am!!

This is all so much less embarrassing than having the challenge of standing in a changing room, with a middle aged woman tutting disparagingly at your boobs like they are some unfortunate appendage. Too big too small - it doesn't matter whether you are equipped with melons or poached eggs, for most of us being fitted out for a bra is up there with going to the dentist! Which is why of course that most women are wearing the wrong size bra?

Clearly to invest in education, sizing and how to try on Bra's is in the best interest of Figleaves, as it is likely to cut down on returns, (which are free in the UK and US). But this site goes further than that - it tells you about styles of bras. What they look like, the terminology and what it means, and in some cases what the bras do with the storage of your boobs. All incredibly interesting for us girls and means that we are more likely not only to choose the right size bra but the right style of bra for the clothes we are wearing. I am sure you know the sort of thing. I have a bra that makes me look a bit "nippy" as my teenagers would say, or the bra that makes me look a rather peculiar shape. I've discovered it's a balcony bra and I have been trying to wear it with all the wrong clothes!

The other thing about buying from Figleaves is that you don't have all that messing around in the shop or the changing cubicle trying to find out whether the colour, size and the style you are after is in stock. This is where I think most underwear catastrophes take place. Once you have selected the style bra, you can check whether it is in stock and the colour you want it in is available, in just a few clicks. Simple.

I also really liked the fact that you do not get just one view of the product. You can zoom in to see an enlarged view, what it looks like from the back (it does this with pants too) and you can get an image of it in other available colours. This facility is available across the whole range of the Figleaves site whether you are looking at the swimwear, sportswear or men's wear and must save many save costly mistakes.

Figleaves started up in 1998 so they have been around a long time in internet terms and that professionalism and maturity is well reflected in their website which has won many awards for best fashion, lingerie and "ease of use" sites in the last two or three years.
This website will save you time and money, because you are less likely to make bad underwear decisions. - If you follow their style and fitting guides you will probably end up with a range of underwear to die for and that special person in your life will love!

Gift Boxes
Figleaves will provide a gift box for £3.50 and you can even organise to send it on their "virtually anonymous service" which of course is ideal for Valentines Day.

Navigation
Although there is loads of products this site is really easy to use, you can search by size, department or even the brand you are after. I would really recommend at some point though going to the "Fitting Room" which you get to by clicking on "size".

Payment and Delivery
Payment online is by the standard credit cards (not Amex) and debit cards. Payment is taken on despatch of goods. They also have their own gift vouchers which you can pay with. Figleaves is registered with the shopping is safe ISIS programme so be assured that this is a secure site.
Standard delivery charge is £2.00 and 3 to 5 days from date of despatch. Express delivery is £4.00. For the rest of the world standard delivery is £6.00 and delivery will be in 5 to 10 days or express delivery is £20.00. For orders over £300 express delivery is free. It is not clear whether this is just for UK or worldwide.

If you are in the UK you can also elect to collect your Figleaves parcel from a Post Office.
Diana Groves

6 Benefits of Breastfeeding

2007-02-20T05:27:00.000-08:00

Giving your baby breast milk is the most natural form of feeding there is, and offers an unequalled way of providing the ideal food for your baby, helping your baby to grow healthy and naturally.

The World Health Organisation and most government agencies recommend that babies are breastfed exclusively for the first six months of their life, continuing with breast milk as part of their daily diet until around the age of two years. But that's not the only reason why you should breastfeed your baby; here are 6 others.

Cost
Breast milk is totally free. Although it seems obvious, this is often overlooked by mothers who are considering not breastfeeding and switching instead to formula milk. When you breastfeed you save money by not having to buy such items as, baby formula, bottles, nipples, sterilizers and special travel bags to keep formula either warm or cold. When breastfeeding, you also don't have to eat for two; just eat as you normally would, so there's no additional expense there either. Finally, you save on buying clothes. Milk stains left behind on clothes after breastfeeding do not leave permanent marks the way that formula milk does. You can simply wash your clothes to remove milk stains; no need to buy new ones.

Convenience
Your baby will let you know when he or she is hungry. Breastfeeding mothers can simply sit down and relax and get on with nursing their baby. Your breast milk is instant nourishment, always at the right temperature and consistency. No so with feeding your baby formula. Also, breastfeeding in public is getting easier, with many shops, restaurants and other establishments providing a private place in which to feed your baby. Modern nursing bras are so comfortable and well-designed that you can easily, discretely and confidently feed your baby in public places.

Weight Loss

During pregnancy it is quite normal for expectant mothers to put on weight. Breastfeeding helps use up the fat that was stored up during your pregnancy. In fact, breastfeeding can burn up to 500 calories a day, which will help you regain your pre-pregnancy figure.

Health Benefits to Your Baby

Research has proved that babies who are breastfed have a lower occurrence of obesity, diabetes and long-term heart disease. There is also a reduced risk of gastro enteritis, childhood allergies (such as eczema and asthma), and of developing painful infections in areas such as the respiratory systems, urinary tract and the ear. Your breast milk is full of antibodies, which are passed on to your child when you nurse; even the best formula can't offer this protection.

Health Benefits for You
Women who breastfeed are at less risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, hip fractures and problems with bone density (which can lead to the disease osteoporosis). Women who breastfeed are also less likely to be overweight.

Bonding
In recent years the medical professional has realised - something mothers always instinctively knew - that bonding begins right at birth. Nowadays, mothers are encouraged to start breastfeeding almost immediately after the birth of the baby. This helps the bonding between mother and child. Hormones are released when you give birth and hold your baby close - these hormones are further increased by breast stimulation and feeding. The release of these hormones eases the pain felt during and after birth and also help to relax you, thus letting you get on with taking care of your baby.

Breastfeeding is totally natural; however it does need to be learned - by both mother and child. Therefore, you should bear in mind that it might take two or three weeks before you and your baby have sorted things out. If you are having difficulties, don't stop breastfeeding; instead talk to your midwife as she will have the expertise to help you during this time. Also, talk and ask for support from family, friends and your partner.

Robin OBrien

Today's Lingerie - Just Not Women's Underwear

2007-02-15T23:11:00.000-08:00

The modern dictionary definition for lingerie is omen underwear or linen articles, especially garments.? Today our choices of lingerie are not so limited. Some women think of lingerie as only sexy panties, sleepwear, teddies, bustiers, or thongs. Lingerie also includes bras, comfy panties, slips, camisoles, girdles, robes, nightshirts, pajamas, nylons and more.

Women lingerie is made of many different fabrics including cotton, nylon, satin, silk, lace, etc. We can also choose from an array of colors ?from pastel pink and lavender to more bold red and black. So, with all of the choices and styles in women lingerie, any woman can find something to fit her taste. Whether your lingerie of choice is thong underwear and teddies or cotton briefs and nightshirts, youe sure to find lingerie for women that is both comfy and flattering.

by: Wendy Yeager

Get your bust under control

2007-02-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

Article brought to you in association with realrunner.com

Research has shown up to 56% of women experience breast pain when exercising. This is due to the large displacement of the breasts, which in addition to the discomfort can cause embarrassment.

Breast motion is hard to reduce, as the breast does not contain strong intrinsic structural support. The primary supporting structures in the breasts are the Coopers Ligaments. With secondary support only from the skin. These can easily be stretched if repeatedly loaded, as occurs during physical exercise. This can cause the breast to sag. It is therefore important to reduce breast movement to limit breast pain and irreversible stretch of the Coopers Ligaments.

An Australian study tested a sports bra against a fashion bra, a crop top and bare breasted and found that the sports bra reduced pain and vertical movement by 50% compared to bare breasted exercise. The crop top and fashion bra reduced vertical movement and perceived pain but only by the half the amount of the sports bra.

Research to date suggests to reduce pain and motion of the breasts when exercising, adult females should wear a well-fitting sports bra.

Breakthrough in Breast enhancements

2007-02-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

One of the most promising developments in breast enhancement is Breast Gain Plus, a natural breast enhancer, which is an herbal supplement containing a variety of powerful extracts from herbs such as dong quai, kelp, watercress, fennel seed and dandelion as well as vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. All of these natural herbs contain high levels of compounds called phytoestrogens, which can bind to estrogen receptors in mammary tissue and stimulate new growth. All of the ingredients in the formula have been used for centuries and are regarded as safe by the FDA.

Having nicely shaped, rounded breasts can make a woman feel sexier and confident. However, with surgical breast enlargement procedures (such as breast augmentation and breast lifts) having a number of alarming side effects, more and more women are turning towards natural breast enhancement.

Most women would like to change the size and the shape of their breasts. And while the cosmetic changes are easy to achieve and reverse, if needed, breast augmentation surgery is not for everyone.

Surgical breast augmentation is a substantial investment of time and money, it has a lot of health consequences and the results can never be fully predictable. All together, these factors can make breast augmentation a last resort for those who want to change the size and shape of their breasts.

There are several alternatives that women can try to improve the shape of their breasts before resorting to surgery. These breast enhancement techniques range from breast enhancement creams and pills to easy breast enhancement exercises that tone all of your upper body.

THE FOOD and Drug Administration recently approved the use of silicone gel implants for use in breast augmentation. However, the FDA's stamp of approval doesn't mean implants are safe. There remain considerable risks that women must consider before walking into the operating room.

For those women looking for an alternative to painful and costly augmentation surgery, natural breast enhancers might just be the solution. Some of the latest products to hit the market have yielded positive results, welcome news for those unhappy with their current bust size.

http://www.enhancebreastnaturally.info

How To Make Your Breasts Look Bigger

2007-02-02T04:34:00.000-08:00

Having a well-filled breast is almost every woman's dream. In a society like ours where having big breasts is adored and given such emphasis, it is not surprising that every flat-chested woman desires to be well-endowed. Various breast enhancement products have come to the forefront that promise to give fuller breasts. But there's no proof that they really work. "If these estrogens were powerful enough to be effective, the creams wouldn't be available over the counters," notes Seth Matarasso, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco.

"No pill can safely increase your breast size," says Kelly Shanahan, ob/gyn and author of "Your Over-35 Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guide". While nothing short of surgery will make your boobs look like that of Pamela Anderson's, there are less invasive options that can make a difference. Here's the ultimate guide to beautiful breasts at any age.

1. ExerciseOkay, so exercise won't add inches to your breasts. Breasts are largely fatty tissue and there's no exercise to grow fat. But exercise can make your breasts sit higher and more even on your chest because it builds up pectoral muscles directly below the breasts. This pushes the breasts outward giving them the appearance of being a bit larger. If you strengthen your back muscles, you can also improve your posture and make your chest look a hundred times better. Try to do the following exercise everyday to increase your breast size naturally and to firm them up:a.

The Push-ups:
This will help keep your chest muscles firm and toned. To do this, put your hands and knees on the floor with your back flat. Align your hands with your bust. Bend your arms and lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor. Then push yourself back up to the starting position. Hold this pose for a few seconds and then bend your arms again bringing your torso down a few inches to the floor. Repeat this ten times. On the second week, perform two full sets of ten repetitions. And on the third week thereafter, do three full sets every other day.

b. Modified Push-ups
This is akin to the push-ups mentioned earlier. The only difference is that instead of the hands and knees on the floor, the lower arms, the elbows and toes are placed against the floor. The torso is raised up but your lower arms and elbows and toes are kept on the floor.c. The back extensionBack extensions strengthen your upper and lower back muscles, thus improving posture. To do this, after each set of push-ups, lie facedown on the floor, lift one arm and the opposing leg a few inches straight in the air simultaneously, and hold on for a count of ten. Do the move twice on each side.d. Bench Press:This is the best exercise for shaping and firming your bust line because aside from shaping and firming the bust line, it also sculpts the shoulders and tightens the triceps. To perform this exercise, lie flat on a bench, with one foot on each side of the bench touching the floor. Firmly press your head, shoulders, back and butt on the bench while sticking up your chest. Keep the dumbbells about 18-20 inches apart and parallel to the floor with your palms facing upwards. Slowly push the dumbbells straight up, away from your chest. Fully extend your arms but don't lock your elbows when arms are fully extended. The dumbbells should now be approximately a few feet above your chest. Pause slightly at the top of the movement then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Inhale and hold your breath as you lower the dumbbells. When they reach the chest, begin to move the weight upward again. Exhale as you pass the point of greatest resistance.

Repeat this 8 to 12 times to complete one set. You can perform about 1 to 3 sets at a session and about 3 sessions per week with a day's rest between sessions.e. Breast PressUsing two three-to-five pound dumbbells, sit on the edge of a chair with your back straight, arms at your sides. Lean forward slightly at your hips, and bend your elbows to 90 degrees, keeping the palms down. Raise your arms from the shoulders so your elbows reach shoulder level, your hands in front and to each side. Hold this position for a count of four, and then return to your start position. Repeat this ten times.f. Arm SwingsWhile standing erect, swing your right arm clockwise for eight counts while the left arm rests at your side. Then let your right arm rest at your side and swing your left arm clockwise also for eight counts. Repeat this exercise on both arms only this time the movement is counterclockwise.g. Stand-up Push-upsStand facing a wall at arm's length. Place palms on the wall. Push against the wall as if you were pushing it away, without bending arms at the elbow. Hold for eight counts and relax arms for eight counts. Repeat this eight to twenty times a day.h. Apply PressureMassage the upper and outer area of your bust in circular motions applying gentle pressure. This helps stimulate circulation on the muscles and help tone the fatty tissue of the breasts.

2. The Perfect Boosting BraIf
your boobs appear sacked out on your rib cage or distinctively lopsided, maybe the problem is your bra. You'll get the sexiest support if you look for the following features:a. Supportive cups"If your breasts are saggy, they'll sit in the bottom of the sheer cup," says Stacey Ellis, a bra-fit specialist for Nordstrom. Look for a bra with lined cups that are slightly firm to touch.

b. A firm, solid backFlimsy cotton and lace may not be strong enough to pull your breasts up. A bra with a wide, tightly woven back will help hoist you up in front.

c. UnderwireUnderwire bras give a good lift to your busts because they provide good support underneath. Just make sure the wire surrounds the breast tissue and is a perfect fit to your breasts otherwise you'd be uncomfortable to wear them.

d. Padded braPadded bras don't just make your breasts appear bigger but they also provide added protection to your breasts from accidental nudges in public and crowded places.

3. NutritionNutrition is one of the factors that influence the growth of breasts. How you look reflects the things that you put in your body. If you want your breasts to look good, I recommend you exercise healthy food choices. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Women with poor diets tend to have smaller breasts while women who are overweight tend to have larger breasts. Also add Til or sesame seeds in your intake. They are known to be effective in firming the breasts of women because they contain calcium, protein, iron and phosphorous. The oil also can be applied on the breast to make it look less droopy.Although having well-filled breasts makes a woman feel more confident about herself, the lack of breast tissue does not make her less than a woman. Beauty is not gauged on breast size alone. The truth is, most women look pretty in their own ways. But one of the biggest things that makes a person attractive is a positive attitude towards oneself and other people. People are easily drawn to women who exude such compelling influence, no matter what size of breasts they have. So, if you wanna attract more people, don't just focus on having bigger breasts and wanting what you don't have, instead work your way up with your self-esteem. At any rate, you will realize that you will be happier with a bigger self-esteem than a bigger boobs.
http://www.rachelle.co.nr

Brassiere types:

2007-01-30T06:49:00.000-08:00

Brassiere types:

full cup - a full-cup bra covers the whole of the breast. Available for all breast sizes, but will be the best (and often only) choice for women over a D cup as they offer a lot of support. For those of whose SO is well-endowed (D and over) you've probably heard occasional long rants about how difficult it is to find bras. Well, sorry to break it to you, but it is. There is good stuff out there that is very beautiful indeed, but it's expensive. A-D cups are easily catered for by the majority of clothing stores and labels, but above a D cup are specific labels.

half cup - a half-cup bra usually offers nearly the same support as a full-cup, but only covers half the breast; again, available for all breast sizes. The advantage of a half-cup over a full-cup is that she will be able to wear lower-cut tops with it, and it looks and feels just a little more sexy because more of the breast is exposed. For this, she is only sacrificing a little of the complete support that a full-cup provides her.

balconette - a balconette bra is as it sounds; a balcony for the breasts. It's a half cup bra with wide-spaced straps, but it also pushes the breasts up to create cleavage. Not recommended for anyone over a D cup (unless manufactured by a company that specialises in +DD bras, and even then be careful).

plunge bra - a plunge bra is merely a bra where the band that connects the cups is a thin strip below the line of the nipples, allowing the woman to wear very low-cut tops. Plunge bras can usually be found up to quite large sizes.

push-up bra - a push-up bra pushes the breasts up and in, making them look fuller and creating a lot of cleavage. The Wonderbra is a type of push-up bra. Often a push-up bra will be combined with a plunge bra making a...

cleavage bra - a cleavage bra is the kind of thing that haunts men's dreams. Depending on the manufacturer, you can get these made up to an F cup (Wonderbra only goes to C or D at most).
triangle - a triangle bra is strictly for pert C cups and under only. Offer practically no support (as they usually aren't underwired), and are pretty much there for decoration... which is why they can be so very luxurious.

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1825498&lastnode_id=0

How to Buy The Right Lingerie For Your Sweetheart And Stay Put Of The Doghouse

2007-01-25T04:12:00.000-08:00

Okay guys, I know you don't want to hear this but here it goes, when you are shopping for lingerie for your lady it isn't for you. I know it's a shocker but it's true. If you want to make her happy and you want her to think that the lingerie gift you buy her is great, remember you are buying it for her.

We all know as men what we like and what we want to see when it comes to lingerie, but what we think is sexy and erotic may be something she has no desire to wear. This is especially true if your lady is shy about her body, and you know if she is. If you go and buy something that is super revealing and she wouldn't be comfortable in it, it doesn't matter what you think. She will put the garment in a dresser drawer and never take the tags off.

You know your lady, if you don't you shouldn't be buying her lingerie. When you are shopping for her, think about the things you know she likes. Would she really feel comfortable in this, or not? Educate yourself on the different types of lingerie available and peek in her lingerie drawers to get an idea of what she likes if you have never bought any for her before. While you are at it, make sure you take note of her size. Nothing can cause a lingerie gift to backfire faster than to buy the wrong size, whether it is too big or too small.

If you have never been to the lingerie department or a specialty store that sells lingerie you will be totally amazed by the diverse selection of lingerie products on the market. Take it up a notch from just bras and panties and look at things like bustiers and corsets. If your girl is more conservative and shy about her body you should consider a chemise which is a little longer than the Baby Doll nightie that you may have been fantasizing about. Baby Dolls are really short and because of this they usually come with matching panties or G-strings. Don't buy your woman something like this unless you know for a fact that she is into it.

Now that you are aware of some of the basic styles available you need to be sure that you know her size in all of them. For men this is the defining moment that determines whether your gift is welcomed and appreciated or thrown back at you! There is no excuse in her eyes for you not to know, therefore most of us have to cheat and peek at the items she already has. If you buy your woman the wrong cup size it will probably tick her off just as much as it would if you buy her a large negligee when she wears a medium, so be sure. You need to know her number size, such as 6, 7, 9 as well as the standards of small, medium, or large.

Now that you have all this down pat you need to decide on colors. Pick colors that enhance her hair, eyes, and skin tone. Take your time and do a little research and you will both be happy.
Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as fine lingerie at http://www.lingerie-plus-more.com

Surgery: Deciding About Breast Implants for Reconstruction

2007-01-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

When thinking about surgery for breast cancer you will have many important decisions to make. One decision is whether to have surgery for breast reconstruction at all. As expected, women have different opinions and views about reconstruction.

A few reasons why some women decide FOR reconstruction with breast implants:
-to restore body image following mastectomy surgery for breast cancer
-to replace an external breast form (prosthesis)
-to avoid being constantly reminded of their breast cancer diagnosis
-to avoid embarrassment in public dressing areas
-to help create a look that makes them feel more comfortable with or without clothes

A few reasons why some women decide AGAINST reconstruction with breast implants:
they understand that breast implants are not lifetime devices, that they may have to undergo multiple surgeries and they want to avoid more surgery

-they feel the risks of surgery and anesthesia are greater than the benefits
-they are concerned about potential known and unknown risks from breast implants for themselves and their children should they become pregnant
-they feel they are able to adjust to a new body image without reconstruction with breast implants
-they prefer to wear an external breast form (prosthesis)

If you decide on breast reconstruction, there are currently two surgical techniques:
The "flap" technique. This surgery rebuilds the contour of the breast by taking tissue from other areas of the body. The TRAM (transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous) flap technique may be used to reconstruct one or both breasts at the same time. The flap technique involves moving skin, muscle and fat to the breast area from the abdomen, back, or buttock to rebuild the breast. There will be a scar in the area where the flap was lifted. The flap technique is considered a major operation and, for medical reasons, is not suitable for everyone. This, like all operations, should be discussed carefully with your doctor. In some cases, breast implants may be used in addition to the flap procedure.

It is important to note that the TRAM flap operation can be done only once. The TRAM flap can be used to reconstruct one or both breasts, but only in one operation. If the TRAM flap is used to reconstruct one breast, and a mastectomy is later required on the other breast, reconstruction of the second breast must be done through other means (i.e., insertion of a breast implant).

Insertion of breast implants. The surgeon inserts the implant into a pocket created under the skin. The pocket may be located either behind (submuscular) or in front (submammary) of the chest muscle.

Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of each implant technique. If you decide to have reconstruction for one breast, you may need to think about surgery on the other breast to achieve a similar appearance.

Special Concerns for Women with Breast Cancer
Here are some of the known risks or problems with breast implant surgery for women with breast cancer:

The physical and cosmetic results with breast implants may be affected by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or any other factor which significantly alters the healing process.
Skin necrosis (dying skin) may occur because circulation to the remaining tissue has been changed by a mastectomy or other trauma to the breast area. Also, skin necrosis may be increased as a result of radiation treatment.

It usually takes more than one operation to achieve the desired cosmetic outcome, especially if this procedure includes rebuilding the nipple. Timing for Reconstruction with Breast Implants
Reconstruction can be done either at the time of breast cancer surgery or at a later date. If breast surgery and implant surgery are done at the same time, the surgeon usually uses the same incision to insert the implant. Another option is to insert a temporary tissue expander. In this case, in a second operation after the skin has stretched sufficiently, the surgeon will remove the expander and replace it with an implant. Another option is to insert the implants at some time after the mastectomy. With delayed insertion, the surgeon may still be able to use the mastectomy or lumpectomy scar to insert the implant. The surgeon should discuss with you which approach is the most desirable for you, and the associated risks.

Recreation of the Nipple and Areola following Reconstructive Surgery
After your breast has healed from the original implant surgery, you may want your nipple and areola (darker skin around the nipple) rebuilt. This procedure can usually be performed on an out-patient basis. Ask your surgeon to explain the various ways this can be done.

Your Expectations -- Reconstruction or Augmentation
Your consideration of breast implants, for reconstruction or for augmentation should be based on realistic expectations of the outcome. To help you get an idea of what results may be possible, look at before and after pictures of patients who have had this surgery. Your doctor may have some to show you. You may also want to talk with other women who have had this surgery at least a year before with the same surgeon. Keep in mind, however, that there is no guarantee that your results will match those of other women.

Your results will depend on many individual factors, such as your overall health; chest structure and body shape; healing capabilities (which may be hindered by radiation and chemotherapy, smoking, alcohol and various medications); bleeding tendencies; prior breast surgery(ies); infection; skill and experience of the surgical team; the type of surgical procedure; and, the type and size of implant.

Scarring is a natural outcome of surgery, and your doctor will try to keep scars as subtle as possible. She or he can explain the location, size, and appearance of the scars you can expect to have. For most women, scars will fade over time to thin lines, although the darker your skin, the more prominent the scars are likely to be. Usually the body will develop a fibrous capsule which can be thick or thin around the implant which is a normal physiologic response to a foreign object in the body.

It is important to remember that implants age over time and may need to be replaced. Although your implant may last for many years, you should not expect it to last indefinitely.

General Description of the Surgery
Breast implant procedures can be performed on an outpatient (not hospitalized) basis or at a hospital. Breast implant surgery can be done under local anesthesia, or under general anesthesia.

Breast implant surgery can last from one to several hours depending on whether the implant is inserted behind or in front of the chest muscle, and whether surgery is performed on one or both breasts. Prior to surgery, the doctor should discuss with you the extent of surgery, the estimated time it will take, and the choice of drugs for pain and nausea.

Postoperative Recovery

The doctor should describe to you the usual postoperative recovery process, the possible complications that can arise, and the expected recovery period. Following the operation, as with any surgery, some pain, swelling, bruising, and tenderness can be expected, but they should disappear with time.

Medications for pain and nausea can be prescribed. Some women may experience fever, bleeding or other symptoms of infection; these should be reported immediately to the doctor. Patients should be instructed about wound healing and appropriate wound care.
If the surgery is done in a hospital, the length of the hospital stay will vary according to the type of surgery, the development of any postoperative complications, your general health, and the type of coverage your insurance provides.

Follow-Up
Ask your surgeon about follow-up care, including a schedule of follow-up examinations, advice about limitations to your activities, precautions you should take, and when you can return to your normal routine. (If you are enrolled in a clinical trial, your surgeon should give you a schedule for follow-up exams set by the study plan.)

Source: Food and Drug Administration

How Breastfeeding Benefits a Daddy

2007-01-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

You know that breastfeeding is best for mother and child, but what's in it for Dad? Isn't he going to miss out by not getting to share in the joy of feeding the baby? Let's see how Dads benefit when a Mom chooses to breastfeed their child.

Cost Savings This is a big one for Dad! Whether he's the sole income provider or not, adding a new member to the family can be a source of worry for him. Let him in on the fact that one year of breastfeeding can keep over $1,000 in the family budget. That's just for bottles and formula, that doesn't include extra Doctor visits and prescriptions that happen when baby is formula fed.
More Sleep Let's face it. He doesn't have the equipment to handle the job of night feedings. While some Moms choose to pump and let Dad offer a bottle at night, for many Moms, snuggling up with baby at night to nurse is the norm. In a lot of families, this means Dad can head off to work with a full night's rest.

Proud Papa When Dad sees how baby's cheeks and thighs are filling out on Mom's milk alone, he tends to view her as some kind of Dairy Queen. What an amazing capacity she has to help his child grow and thrive! Many Dads become huge proponents of breastfeeding when they see how healthy their babies are.

Health Benefits Dads are especially impressed by the fact that breastfed babies gain an average of 8 IQ points over their formula fed counterparts. Breastfeeding also means that Mom is less likely to get ovarian or breast cancer. The extended nonfertility that many nursing Moms experience is also a plus in Dads book.

Focus on Mom Since Mom is breastfeeding, Dad can find other ways to bond with baby and be a support to Mom. Some ideas: take baby for walks, burp and bathe baby, sing baby to sleep, massage baby and read to baby. He can also be in charge of helping Mom stay fed and hydrated in the early weeks while she recovers from the birth. And since Mom is handling the "input", Dad can be in charge of "output". Dads are far more likely to be willing to change diapers since a breastfed baby's poop doesn't have an unpleasant odor (until solid food is added!).

Can I Breastfeed My Husband Or Partner

2007-01-16T02:02:00.000-08:00

With approximately 93% of women resuming intercourse 4 months after giving birth and the increase in new mom's breastfeeding it is only natural that couples ask questions regarding breasts and breast play during lovemaking and research has shown that a number of women ask questions like 'Can I Breastfeed My Husband'

There are 2 areas of concern with respect to this and this article will address them both.
If this is your first child that you have breastfed then one of the first concerns may be that your partner may take milk (or colostrum) away from your new baby and thus leave them going hungry. There is no need for concern over this as other moms who have breastfed will be able to tell you. You will produce the amount of milk required, on a kind of supply and demand basis.

What may be practical is for you to commence your lovemaking activity a short time after breastfeeding your child for a very good reason. You will probably now be aware that breastfed children feed more frequently than formula fed babies, as natural milk is digested more quickly than formula and so this should give you and your partner more of that special time together without your child wanting to be fed. This will also help alleviate your worries about the amount of milk you produce for the first few times together.

The hormone that is released during orgasm, oxytocin, also causes your milk to eject and therefore milk can spray or leak during lovemaking. By feeding your child prior to lovemaking you can lessen this effect substantially.

The next concerns that you should have with respect to breastfeeding your husband or partner are for the safety of your child. Generally lactating breast play will be safe for you, your baby and partner or husband except in a few special circumstances which I cover below.

The first of these circumstances is if any of the 3 of you has an active yeast infection. If this is the case then it will need to be treated prior to initiating breast contact. Babies commonly develop a yeast infection in their mouths called thrush and this can be passed to the mothers' breasts during breastfeeding. This can cause a lot of pain for mom during breastfeeding or breast pumping and normally causes cracked, sore nipples but may cause persistent nipple pain.

Yeast infections are extremely common and are very easily spread often manifesting themselves as oral thrush or diaper rash in your child, vaginal infection or breast infection in mom or athletes foot in any family member or groin itch in the father. Thrush is the most common affecting the mucous membranes of the body.

Yeast infections are unfortunately quite difficult to eradicate completely, as they can survive on a lot of surfaces such as breast pump equipment, bathroom surfaces and on toweling products. Once any infections are clear then breast contact by your partner can resume safely.

The second of these circumstances that is worth noting due to it being common is having an active herpes infection, whether that is type 1 or type 2 as there can be a lot of crossover between the two types. Type 1 is associated with cold sores and type 2 causes genital herpes. Herpes can be transmitted through close human contact, especially contact involving the mucous surfaces, like kissing or intercourse. There have been cases of infants with cold sores passing the infection to the mothers' breast through breastfeeding.

If your partner or husband has cold sores or lesions on his mouth then oral contact with your breasts should be avoided until they have completely disappeared. Herpes can cause serious infections in newborns because their immune systems are still developing. Wash your hands frequently and carefully, because herpes can be spread from hand to mouth.

Obviously during lovemaking or any intimate physical contact there is the potential to share disease and if you have other less common medical conditions you should consult your physician for real medical advice. The conditions above I have specifically mentioned as they are likely to affect a large percentage of the population.

However, these circumstances and less common disease aside there are no reasons why you and your husband shouldn't enjoy, if you so wish, the added dimension to your lovemaking that your lactating breasts can bring.

http://www.notjustbasics.com/breastfeed
http://www.notjustbasics.com/breastfeed

A Plus Size Bra Will Make Your Naturally Curvy Body Look Even More Tempting

2007-01-08T20:19:00.000-08:00

As a woman, I have faced the difficulty of finding the right bra many a time. But what makes it even more tedious is the fact that I have a naturally curvaceous figure. To find a bra that is both supportive and comfortable is a monumental task and this is where plus size bras come to the rescue. With todays ever increasing market there are plus size bras available for the support you need and the comfort you want, as well as that extra added beauty. Plus size bras have done away with all the trials we women had to put up with in the past. With all the brands and varieties available, you can not only find plus size bras that you will love wearing, but bras that will accentuate your naturally curvaceous figure.

When we think of plus size bras, automatically we may picture two huge domes with hulking thick straps, digging uncomfortably into our shoulders. This picture is a thing of the past, sexy plus size bras are the future and are here to stay! You can get extremely feminine lacy plus size bras, or sultry satin, silk and lace bras with under wire for extra support, strapless plus size bras, and even minimizer full figure bras. The companies have realized that a large portion of women have been endowed with naturally voluptuous and exotically formed figures and that this is what a woman should look like!

During pregnancy and your life span, your breasts can change size and sometimes dramatically, and having a quality plus size bra will make all the difference. You can make your figure look even more tempting, develop even more confidence and feel exceptionally comfortable in a plus size bra that fits just right. A full figure bra that fits properly will help improve your posture. Nursing Plus Size Bras Nursing bras are very comfortable if you are a breast feeding mother. You have to feed your baby periodically and the process is very cumbersome when you have to do it wearing regular bras. These bras have provisions to feed the child easily and comfortably. Look for plus size nursing bras that have a braiding support instead of wiring, which will give you a lot more comfort if you need to sleep in it. Most nursing bras are either made out of cotton / lycra for gentle support, but you can also get these plus size bras in very sexy designs too.

You can buy a Nursing bra for just around £22.99. Plus Size And Push Ups Plus size bras are bras meant for full-figured women. These bras come with minimizers too, which help to minimize the projection of your bust. Push-ups have the opposite effect of the plus size bras and are commonly used by smaller structured women. This type of bra will give your appearance an even more heightened appearance, which is sure to get your partner's attention away from the footaball game or whatever else he is doing!. Sports Bras You have to feel comfortable when walking or doing exercises.

Wearing a regular bra just doesn't provide the support we need, but also gives us the much needed comfort we deserve. I mean can you imagine running on a treadmill with a poorly constructed bra, not only will it have long term effects on your back but can also damage your breasts. You can buy a sports bra for around £19.99. You should experience comfort and support while wearing a bra all day long. You have to be specific about which one suits you the most. You have to very careful about your size, which is often subject to change. It is necessary for you to check your size before buying one. Plus size bras have finally come left that unattractive image of the past behind and become hugely sexy bras for today and tomorrow. Whether its a sports bra or an everyday sexy bra, we fuller figured women have finally been given a choice that is both comfortable and sexy. A click on your mouse is all it takes and the dazzling array of plus size bras will be at your fingertips.

About The Author
Kalwant Rana is A Freelance Writer For http://www.sexy-plus-size-lingerie-org.uk. You Can Find Lots Of Useful Information And Reviews About All Kinds Of Plus Size Lingerie From Simple Bras To Sexy Costumes.

Some Herbs Boost Breast Cancer Risk

2007-01-07T21:18:00.000-08:00

March 26, 2002 -- Alternative remedies are more popular than ever, and women are now seeking "natural" solutions for the unpleasant symptoms of menopause. But natural doesn't always mean safe. In fact, researchers have found that certain herbs may increase a woman's risk of breast cancer.

"Our studies show that dong quai and ginseng stimulate the growth of [breast cancer] cells," write Paula Amato, MD, from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine, and colleagues. Their findings appear in the most recent issue of Menopause.

The team tested four herbs commonly used to fight hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms: dong quai, ginseng, black cohosh, and licorice root. They looked at what effect each of the herbs had on samples of human breast cancer cells and whether they had any estrogen-like properties either in a test tube or in live mice.

None of the herbs exhibited estrogen-like effects, but the dong quai and the ginseng both "significantly induced growth" of the cancer cells, the researchers write.

Besides the fact that the effectiveness of these herbs has not been scientifically proven, there's also the potential for dangerous herb-drug interactions, the researchers write. There have already been reports of uterine bleeding problems from the combined effects of dong quai and blood thinner medications.

Right now, without FDA regulation, there is little if any guarantee of what these preparations contain -- there's no standardization for formulas, dosage, or labeling accuracy.
"Despite their widespread use, little is known about the safety and efficacy of these herbs. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials assessing the safety and efficacy of these treatments are needed. Use of these herbs in humans warrants caution pending further study," they write.

Must Read for Breastfeeding Mothers

2007-01-05T05:35:00.000-08:00

Breastfeeding mothers should watch their diets from the start of their pregnancy. Complex carbohydrates and whole-grain products, such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal are beneficial. Take lots of fruits and vegetables as they provide vitamins A and C and minerals such as iron and magnesium.It is important to drink lots of water. Water improves digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Taking at least eight glasses of water each day keep the mother hydrated and help prevent those painful leg and foot cramps that are extremely common during pregnancy.Another point to note is that the more you nurse, the more milk you make.

There is no need to give the breast a rest from nursing to produce more milk. A steady supply of milk is kept by expressing milk as regularly as you can. Breastfeeding mums should nurse at least nine to 10 times a day to ensure milk production.The main component in breast milk is medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), principally lauric acid. Lauric acid is also the main ingredient in coconut oil. The MCFAs in breast milk improve nutrient absorption for babies, aiding their digestion.The MCFAs also help regulate blood sugar levels and protect the baby from harmful microorganisms. These essential fatty acids are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasite. Thus the MCFAs protect the baby from infectious diseases. This is critical as the baby’s immune system is still under-developed.

Adding coconut oil to baby formula has been proven to increase weight gain. Importantly, the weight gain is due to physical growth, not fat storage. The MCFAs in coconut oil help infants to absorb needed fats for their cells to carry out their functions. Nutrient absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals and protein is improved in the process.The quality of human breast milk is influenced by the mother’s health and diet. It is important that the mother takes a diet rich in MCFAs. If not, the breast milk produced will not contain enough MCFAs.

As a result, the baby may be mal-nourished and become vulnerable to infectious disease.The foods rich in MCFAs include palm kernel oils and coconut oil. Pregnant women should take these oils from the beginning of their pregnancy to build up their store of MCFAs, in order to produce milk rich in MCFAs to provide maximum benefit to their babies.

Can Wearing a Bra all the Time Cause Cancer?

2007-01-02T22:22:00.000-08:00

Question: Can you get breast cancer from things you do to your breasts, like wearing a bra all the time, or when your partner caresses them?

Answer: No, you cannot get breast cancer from these things. What you wear and how your breasts are touched do not affect your risk for breast cancer.

But if you feel uncomfortable with the way your partner handles your breasts, you need to share that with him or her. It's important for you to be intimate in ways that feel good for you.

http://www.breastcancer.org/faq_breasts.html

Expressing Breast Milk

2006-12-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

You know breast milk is best for your baby, yet sometimes you need to use a bottle. Expressing milk from your breasts and storing it in baby bottles can be difficult for many mothers. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be. Following the preparations below may aid you in this process:

1. Choose the time of the day when your breasts are at their fullest to express your milk. Morning seems to be the best time for most women. Expect to collect milk about every 3 hours for about 30 minutes each time.

2. Thoroughly wash all of your breast-pumping equipment as per the manufacturer's instructions. Make it a habit to clean the equipment immediately after each use. This helps keep the items easier to wash each time.

3. If you are new to expressing breast milk, it may help to select a quiet and comfortable place that has few distractions. You will want privacy, so, if you are at work, be sure that you have a private room that you can use.

4. Drink a full glass of liquid before beginning each time. Milk, water, soup, tea -- all of them work fine. Warmer drinks may more beneficial in stimulating your milk to let-down. Although alcoholic drinks are not indicated for use before expressing, if you need help relaxing they may be an option for you. If this is the case, then be sure to consult your doctor.

5. Meditation or a relaxation technique of your choice can help relax your body. It is helpful if you do it immediately before extracting the milk. Even watching TV or listening to calming music is helpful.

6. If you are having trouble stimulating a let-down, then you may want to view something that puts you in mind of your of your baby. Look at a photo of your little baby, have your baby in the room with you, etc.

7. Some women have difficulty in getting pumping results. If this is the case for you, ask your doctor about an nasal spray containing oxytocin. This spray helps to induce a let-down.

Expressing your breastmilk does not have to be an ordeal. Just follow these simple steps. If you still have trouble expressing breastmilk after you've given these a try, consult your physician or a trained breastfeeding consultant.

Robert Miller contributes articles to several popular web sites, on wellness and health and health tips themes.

Bra Fitting Tips

2006-12-23T21:08:00.000-08:00

The perfect bra does not only make you feel good on the inside, but also look great on the outside. What type of top your wearing doesn’t matter. Having the right bra that fits, and looks good underneath is what is important.

Sweaters and BrasIt is easy to lose your figure when you wear large sweaters. To create a distinguished bustline (your bra under your sweater look), when wearing loose or bulky sweaters, look for a bra style that lifts and projects rather than a look that flattens around your breasts.

Wearing a knits will tend to be more clingy and show every seam, line or wrinkle of your undergarment or bra. Seamless bras are a great option because they do not reveal any lines or seams when wearing knits. These bras are a wonderful innovation.

Low Cut Tops and BrasWhen wearing that low-cut/plunging necklines, you want to get a little extra lift and cleavage from your bra, while at the same time making sure your bra doesn’t show. One way to achieve this look is to select a demi-cup bra style. To get that little extra cleavage, you could try one of the original pushups bras.

Tight Tops and BrasMany lingerie fashions are now tending toward body clinging fabrics like microfiber, spandex and lycra. The answer for this lingerie fashion would be lined seamless bras to padded seamless bras. Both lined and padded seamless bras allow a round smooth look, which is perfect when wearing these tighter hugging fabrics.

Backless TopIt doesn’t matter if your wearing a formal backless gown or a casual open back top. To find a bra that doesn’t show while offering support can be a challenge. There are two options for going backless; you can either wear a longline strapless-backless bra or a convertible backless bra. This will depend whther you can wear shoulder straps. One more possibility would be an adhesive bra that has underwire support.

http://www.cowgirltshirt.com/bra_fitting_tips.htm

List of Breast Enlargement Food, & Breast Enhancement Soup Recipe

2006-12-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

Although there isn't proven studies relating consumption of certain kind of food and breast growth except though overall weight gain, there are certain food which are believe to help promote breast enlargement.

Such food includes, tomatos, green pepper, papaya (green unripe papaya gives the best results, must be cooked before consumption, papaya, red carrots, potatoes, celery, pumkin.

Protein laden food such as fresh milk, fish, soy product, nuts and seafood also help in breast enlarging. Some food mentioned above aids production of estrogen hormones. This hormone is known for building the body curves that create a woman's hour glass shape and activating and overseeing the female organ system that produces offspring.Soy is a good source of phytoestrogens, estrogen-like compounds from plants. Phytoestrogens are not estrogen; in some ways and in some tissues of the body, they act like estrogen.

The best time to increase the intake of the above mentioned food is from day 10 to day 14 and also from day 18 to day 24. From day 10 to day 14, our body produces 8 to 10 times more estrogen then normal, and from day 18 to 24, another surge in production of estrogen occurs, but in lesser amount, about 4 to 6 times more.

However, You should not take any form of estrogen if you are pregnant or have or have had breast or ovarian cancer, abnormal uterine bleeding of an unknown cause (until the cause has been determined), a very high triglyceride level (in this case, some women can take ERT via a patch) , or active liver disease.

A Sample of Breast Enlargement Soup Recipes:

Herbal Pork Tendon Soup Huang qi which aids tissue regeneration and improve liver functions. Combine with pork tendon gives good results for breast growth. It can be found in medical stores in Chinatown.

For exact proportion of ingredients, get advice from chinese physician or pharmist behind counter.

Ingredients includes Pork Tendons, and Huang Qi (Astragalus root).

Instructions: 1. Clean and blanch tendons then boil for 30 min. 2. Add in huang qi. Boil under medium heat till tendon turns transparent and soft. 3. Add salt and pepper to season

The above information is contributed by Ms Yvonne Lee, author of the internationally acclaimed book "To All Women Who Want To Enhance Their Breasts Naturally, But Don't Know How To Start". It describes and details the most important breast enhancement techniques from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each technique, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost, and potential impact on insurance coverage. The ebook version of the book is now available at: www.breastenhancementbook.com

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Victoria's Secret, A Brief History

2006-12-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

Victoria's Secret is the leading specialty retailer of lingerie operating more than 1,000 stores across the United States.
Victoria's Secret has helped, perhaps more than any other brand, attract attention to the lingerie industry. Their advertising campaigns, including the Victoria's Secret Catalog and Victoria's Secret Fashion Show are visually appealling and controversial. The attention received by Victoria's Secret for their aggressive advertising campaigns has generated priceless word-of-mouth and media bytes to further enhance the Victoria's Secret brand.
Victoria's Secret sales in 2003 were a reported $2,822 million across 1,009 stores. Selling square feet were 4,735,000, equivalent to an average sales per square foot of approximately $600, up almost 3% from prior year. Overall, same store sales were up almost 4% from prior year.

A Brief History of Victoria's SecretVictoria's Secret was established in San Francisco during the early 1970's by Roy Raymond. The concept was to establish a cozy, inviting atmosphere similar to that of a victorian boudouir.

Roy's Victoria's Secret, consisting of three stores and a catalog business, was acquired by Limited Brands, among some controversy, in 1982. Many incorrectly believe that Victoria's Secret was of British heritage. An image which some say was perpetuated by its parent company.

Today, Victoria's Secret lingerie is the top performer for the congolomerate. Victoria's Secret, under Limited Brands, has a history of being sexy, youthful and romantic. Men and women have come to recognize Victoria's Secret as the place to buy a lingerie gift.

Victoria's Secret collections include:
Angels by Victoria Secret Body by Victoria Glamour by Victoria's Secret The Miracle Bra Victoria's Secret Pink Such a Flirt Signature Cotton, Very Sexy Second Skin Satin
Victoria's Secret operates three distinct units, or vehicles to reach its market:
Victoria's Secret Stores Victoria's Secret Catalog Victoria's Secret Beauty Products
Together, these three vehicles to market combined with Victoria's Secret aggressive marketing has made Victoria Secret the best known lingerie brand and brought greater attention to the lingerie industry.

Much of Victoria Secret's success is attributed to Grace Nichols. Nichols joined Victoria's Secret in 1986 as vice president, general merchandise manager. In 1988 she was promoted to executive vice president. In 1991, Ms. Nichols was named President and CEO of Victoria's Secret. Under Nichol's leadership, Victoria's Secret has become one of the top 10 recognized brands in the world and the leading specialty retailer of lingerie.

Victoria's Secret TodayVictoria's Secret's phenomenal success has brought much revenue growth and controversy. Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows, Victoria Secret Catalogs and Victoria Secret models have become more revealing, more voluptous and more controversial.

Victoria's Secret announced last month that it is dropping its nationally televised fashion show this year, at least partly because of criticism following Janet Jackson's breast-baring faux pas at the Super Bowl. The televised fashion show has generated criticism in the past from groups complaining about supermodels strutting down the runway in skimpy underwear. Recent confusion surrounds the inclusion of Bob Dylan in Victoria's Secret ads.

Breast-Cancer Survival Predicted By Protein-Based Tumor Biomarker10 Dec 2006

2006-12-11T05:25:00.000-08:00

The first and largest clinical trial of its kind confirms that a protein called p27 may be a valuable tool for predicting survival after a diagnosis of breast cancer. The findings, by lead author Peggy Porter, M.D., of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in collaboration with colleagues from nine other institutions, appear in the Dec. 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. More than a decade ago, Porter and colleagues at the Hutchinson Center identified p27, a protein that prevents cells from dividing. Since then, several population-based and clinical studies at the Hutchinson Center and elsewhere have indicated that abnormally low levels of this protein in tumor cells are associated with poor prognosis for breast and other cancers. This link suggests that p27 may be a useful clinical biomarker, or predictor, of breast-cancer survival. However, such attempts to determine the prognostic value of p27 have been limited by the fact that the women studied have not received uniform treatment, so it has been unclear whether certain treatments may impact the strength of p27 as a predictor of outcome. Now, for the first time, researchers have confirmed the link between low p27 expression and decreased breast-cancer survival in a large randomized, controlled clinical trial of two standard chemotherapy drugs. "Being able to look at the impact of p27 on breast-cancer outcome in a clinical setting in which all the women were treated similarly allows us to tease out the relationship between the expression of this protein and breast-cancer mortality. Until now, we haven't been able to look at this," said Porter, a member of the Hutchinson Center's Human Biology and Public Health Sciences divisions.

The researchers found that low p27 expression is associated with poor breast-cancer prognosis, particularly among women with hormone-receptor-positive tumors, which depend on the hormones estrogen and progesterone to grow. Specifically, they found the five-year survival was 91 percent in women whose tumors had high p27 expression, as compared to a survival rate of 85 percent in women whose tumors exhibited low p27 expression. The researchers found no association between p27 expression and decreased survival among women with hormone-receptor-negative tumors.

The multicenter study involved more than 3,000 women nationwide (median age 47) with newly diagnosed moderate-risk, primary breast cancer who underwent treatment with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. The trial was designed to assess the effectiveness of giving the drugs together (concurrently) or one after the other (sequentially). The study was conducted through the Southwest Oncology Group, one of the largest cancer clinical trials cooperative research efforts in the United States. Tissue samples for the study were provided by several SWOG clinical-trial groups (the Eastern Cooperative Group, North Central Cancer Treatment Group, and Cancer and Leukemia Group B). "The collaboration among these groups enabled us to gather enough data to produce statistically significant results," said Porter, whose Hutchinson Center team analyzed more than 2,000 breast-tumor samples for p27 expression. The specimens were analyzed via tissue microarray, a relatively new technique that mimics high-throughput methods originally developed for large-scale genetic analysis.

Using this method, many tumor samples can be analyzed for protein expression at once. While the findings suggest that p27 may be a useful clinical tool for predicting breast-cancer mortality, more work needs to be done before it sees widespread use, Porter said. "I think p27 has clinical potential, but we still need to define which patient populations are going to benefit most. Right now it looks like it may be most useful for predicting outcome and tailoring treatment in women whose tumors are hormone-receptor positive," Porter said. ### The National Cancer Institute, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Expedition Inspiration Fund for Breast Cancer

Research funded the research. At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world.

For more information, please visit fhcrc.org. Contact: Kristen Lidke Woodward Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Are You Wearing Your Bra The Right Way? Be Surprised

2006-12-11T05:10:00.000-08:00

Wearing your bra the right way is very important. The following technique may sound confusing and complicated, but it isn't as it is simply a break down of the steps. After a few tries, the process will eventually become a habit when you wear your bra.

Step 1: You start by slipping your hands through the shoulder straps

Step 2: While holding the under-bust bands of your bra, lean your upper body forward and bend downwards allowing your breasts to fall into the cups of the bra.

Step 3: Return to normal standing position and fasten the hooks of the under-bust band.

Step 4: Now, adjust the shoulder straps to comfortable length, so that they do not cut into the flesh or keep falling off.

Step 5: The next step is what I call the 'scooping' action. With one hand holding the side of the bra, insert the other hand in between the breast and the bra cup and gently pull the excess flesh from the underarm area into the breast cup.

Step 6: Repeat for the other side.

Step 7: Make sure the breasts fit snugly into the bra cups. Adjust bra to ensure that the nipples are in the centre seams of the bra cups.

Step 8: Stand up straight to see if the front under bust band and the back band is at the same level. Lift your arms up and a well-fitted bra should not move up.

When you wear the right bra, you should feel comfortable. An ill-fitting bra can cause

1. red imprints on your skin,

2. ride up the back,

3. dig into the back, result in flesh bulging from the sides and back and

4. also cause pain.

A cup size that is too small can pinch and be uncomfortable. Well-endowed women should wear bras with full cups and the breasts should not be "overflowing" from their bra cups.

Sore Nipples - Weaning Baby Off The Milk Nipple Tipple

2006-12-05T04:32:00.000-08:00

Sore nipples are a condition that is the cause behind discomfort and stress for most women and especially more so for the mother who has a baby that enjoys a tipple from mummy's nipple. Babies love their mums to nestle - and not wrestle with them at feeding times.In the early days of breastfeeding sore nipples is sometimes unavoidable. What you need to remember at this stage is the difference between the meaning of sore and painful. Pain at feed times could be a sign that you need to make changes so that feeding sessions is more comfortable for both you and your new born baby.Babies have an unbelievable strong suction - which therefore can result in the nipple area becoming tender. When baby comes in contact with the nipple it stretches the breast tissue.

Experience from this may feel like a pulling sensation which evidently points to why the discomfort. When the infant sucks and the milk begins to flow, breastfeeding becomes more bearable i.e. easing the sore nipples. You may notice after time (2-4 days) breast soreness will ease. If the baby is not positioned right during his or her feed then this can be the cause of the discomfort. Help and advice is available for those unsure as what is the correct way for breastfeeding.Pain felt at feed time that persists longer than seven days or more can indicate another problem other than what would be expected from the way the infant is latching-on or sucking.

Do not ignore this condition because nipple soreness can worsen where the nipple develops painful cracks. Breastfeeding is an experience you should look forward to - not one you dread.Do not suffer in silence talk to your midwife or doctor about your concerns. Thinking about weaning your baby off the breast, if so, then it is good idea to test baby formulas to see which one your baby is satisfied and content with. If you are counting the pennies why not collect free baby samples of baby formula from the free baby products being offered online. Find out what baby freebies are up for grabs below.Success in breast feeding results in more content babies. Sore nipples do not normally have to relate to breastfeeding. Persisting symptoms that continue to go beyond the early weeks or develop after months of pain-free breastfeeding can be the result of something other than that of the baby not positioned comfortably.

Another known cause for sore breast nipples is the Candida infection. A good way to help prevent sore nipples is to pay more attention to how your new born baby takes to the breast. Babies can develop poor nursing habits if this matter is not corrected. When you nestle (position) you're baby onto the nipple - double check on how the infant is latching on. If this is correctly done then you will feel the sucking pressure of his or her tongue/gums is on the areola (the pigmented area around the nipple), rather than on the sensitive nipple itself. There is also a possibility that your baby is not getting enough breast tissue into his or her mouth if not comfortable. Certain signs that show the nipples are not far enough back in the baby's mouth during sucking is that of a horizontal red stripe across the tip of the nipple or a temporary indentation at the base.

Babies are too young to let you know if their bellies are filled. What you do not want is the baby's gums chomping at the base of the nipple instead of on the areola over the milk sinuses because they may have difficulty in getting enough milk. Try feeding baby on the side that is least tender. If you need to release the breast that is painful then switch the infant over to that nipple after you have had a milk-ejection reflex. Women say the pain eases after the milk is flowing. Sore nipples do not last forever. Remember by varying the positions from one feeding to the next - changes the distribution of pressure on the areola and nipple during sucking - therefore leaving you bonding with a well fed content baby.

Breast Cancer Causes

2006-12-02T00:54:00.000-08:00

Many women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than age and sex.
Gender is the biggest risk because breast cancer occurs mostly in women.
Age is another critical factor. Breast cancer may occur at any age, though the risk of breast cancer increases with age. The average woman at age 30 years has 1 chance in 280 of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years. This chance increases to 1 in 70 for a woman aged 40 years, and to 1 in 40 at age 50 years. A 60-year-old woman has a 1 in 30 chance of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years.

White women are at the highest risk for breast cancer in the U.S. In descending order of risk, women affected are African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American. Genetic causes
Family history has long been known to be a risk factor for breast cancer. Both maternal and paternal relatives are important. The risk is highest if the affected relative developed breast cancer at a young age, had cancer in both breasts, or if she is a close relative. First-degree relatives (mother, sister, daughter) are most important in estimating risk. Several second-degree relatives (grandmother, aunt) with breast cancer may also increase risk. Breast cancer in a male increases the risk for all his close female relatives.

There is great interest in genes linked to breast cancer.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are abnormal genes that, when inherited, markedly increase the risk of breast cancer to a lifetime risk estimated between 40 and 85%. Women with these abnormal genes also have an increased likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. Women who have the BRCA1 gene tend to develop breast cancer at an early age.

Testing for these genes is expensive and may not be covered by insurance.
The issues around testing are complicated, and women who are interested in testing should discuss this with their health-care providers. Hormonal causes
Hormonal influences play a role in the development of breast cancer.

Women who start their periods at an early age (11 or younger) or experience a late menopause (55 or older) have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Conversely, being older at the time of their first menstrual period and early menopause tend to protect one from breast cancer.
Having a child before age 30 may provide some protection, and having no children may increase the risk for developing breast cancer.

Oral contraceptives have not been shown to increase or decrease a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer.

A large study conducted by the Women's Health Initiative showed an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who were on a combination of estrogen and progesterone for several years. Therefore, women who are considering hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms need to discuss the risk versus the benefit with their health-care providers. Dietary causes

Breast cancer seems to occur more frequently in countries with high dietary intake of fat.
This link is thought to be an environmental influence rather than genetic. For example, Japanese women, at low risk for breast cancer while in Japan, increase their risk of developing breast cancer after coming to the United States.

Several studies comparing groups of women with high- and low-fat diets, however, have failed to show a difference in breast cancer rates. Benign breast disease
Fibrocystic breast changes are very common. Fibrocystic breasts are lumpy with some thickened tissue and are frequently associated with breast discomfort, especially right before the menstrual period. This condition does not lead to breast cancer.

However, certain types of benign breast changes, such as those diagnosed on biopsy as proliferative or hyperplastic, do predispose women to the later development of breast cancer.

Environmental causes
Radiation treatment seems to increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer but only after a long delay. For example, women who received radiation therapy to the upper body for treatment of Hodgkin disease before age 30 have a significantly higher rate of breast cancer than the general population.

11 Feng Shui Tips for Creating Romance and Passion

2006-11-23T23:22:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day or any day - romance and passion are important. Whether you're looking for a new relationship or looking to enhance an existing one, Feng Shui will power your intentions.
Your environment is either supporting you or working against you. If you are in a relationship these tips will support you in creating the relationship you want. And, if you are looking for a new partner, these tips will set the scene.

1. Create an inviting sanctuary
What is your bedroom saying? Does it reflect who you are, and set the scene for the relationship you want, or is it a room you don't think too much about because you only sleep - or try to sleep there. Want more to happen in there?

2. Let go of past associations
You are affected by the energy of everything in your surroundings. Does your furniture remind you of the past?

Do you have photos of past partners? Yikes! Let go of anything you don't want to bring into your present or upcoming relationship.

3. Make your bed the primary feature
What's in your bedroom with you? Exercise equipment, desk, computer? This energy will conflict with the purpose of the bedroom - serenity, romance and renewal. If necessary, use a screen to separate these different functions.

4. Remove the television from your bedroom
A television will affect your relationships, and your sleep. The television is a more vibrant, yang energy, which can make it less relaxing for sleep, and take your attention away from your partner.

5. Position your bed
The ideal bed position is as far away from the door as possible, and with a clear view of the door from where you lie. If you cannot see the door easily, this will set up an unconscious vulnerability that will affect the quality of your sleep and other aspects of your life. A solid headboard will support a strong relationship.

6. Who are you sleeping with?
Your bed holds the energy of anyone who has slept in it. Support the beginning of a new life with someone by replacing your bed. And, considering you spend a third of your life in bed, invest in the best possible.

7. Don't let Clutter Bog You Down!
Clutter affects all areas of your life more than anything else, and your bedroom is no exception. Clutter here will be affecting your health, your prosperity, and both existing and potential relationships. Clutter will prevent you from creating your dreams.

Don't underestimate the importance of clearing your closet. Clients report this gives them an immediate increase in energy and improved feelings about themselves. Give away anything that doesn't make you feel your best. One client found herself writing her autobiography after procrastinating for 4 years. The more you express of yourself, the better your chance of having a relationship that works for you.

Clutter is anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, tolerated, or disorganized. So, this could be physical clutter, or unresolved issues with your partner or an ex partner.

8. Get a fresh perspective on your art
Art work is a powerful enhancement in creating your life. If you're a single woman, having a picture of a lonely woman walking along the beach will not be helping you create someone new in your life. Make sure your art is sending the right messages. Position images of pairs of things in your bedroom and relationship areas of your home.

9. Make space for a relationship
One client set the intention for a new relationship in her life, and made space for it by making space in her closet and in her bathroom for the person who would come into her life. She added a second pillow on the bed. Within a very short time she was in a new relationship.
Set your bedroom up for two if you want to create a relationship. Have matching bedside tables and lamps. What represents romance to you? Have pairs of things such as two dolphins, two roses, two candles.

10. Nurture your number one relationship - the one with yourself
Treat yourself as the god or goddess you are - the one your ideal partner falls in love with. Are you fully expressing your unique gifts? Nurture yourself with your favorite scented candles, music and sensual fabrics. Write poetry, buy flowers and be wildly sexual.
11. Always, and especially on Valentine's Day, celebrate he love you have in your life, whether it's with a Partner, friends or family.

Importance of Wearing the Right Bra

2006-11-17T02:20:00.000-08:00

Do you know a good bra of the correct fit is essential to a woman's breast? Majority of women are still unaware that they are not wearing the right bra.

Women today should be aware that wearing the wrong bra size could cause all sorts of medical problems. Some of these symptoms includes backache, shoulder pain, neck ache, tender, aching bust, soreness under bust, grooves in shoulders, and bad posture.

Because you either have too much bust or not enough. 'We are never happy with our lot.' These are just a few of the very real problems that can be put right with a good bra. There are so many women out there buying their bras assuming that their size is the same or some guesses their bra size and without trying them on or seeking expert advise. The result is usually more discomfort.

The most common complaints are
1. the back riding up,

2. straps slipping off the shoulders,

3. wrinkled cups,

4. unsightly bumps and ridges.

Better fitting bras not only feel comfortable but also help your clothes to look better. A well-fitted bra is similar to a pair of well-fitting shoes. Women should re-measured regularly especially during pregnancy, following childbirth, weight loss or weight gain - as the breast size can change dramatically.

The advantages of a correct fit bra includes no more soreness under the bust, pulling the back down, lifting the shoulder swaps and popping back in what has flowed out, making four boobs.
It takes an expert eye to find the size and style that will make the very best of each woman's figure. It also required in-depth knowledge of the wide variety of bras now available. Although manufacturers use what appears to be standard sizing on their labels, every bra is in fact slightly different. This means that a particular cup size in one style may not give you the right fit with another style or manufacturer.

Measuring your bra size and bra cup of exact fit is not difficult, however most women find it unnecessary and a nuisance. This is the major mistake as a good fitted bra brings about many benefits and eliminates unnecessary aliments. The following is some information for you while taking the measurement for yourself.

Your bra size consist of two figures; your back size and your cup. You will need to take two measurements using a tape measure.

Back Size : The measurement is taken around the body directly under the bust or your breasts (over your present bra).

Especially when buying a strapless bra, the bra has to fit slightly tighter but not too tight otherwise unsightly bulges would be formed. Use the following table to find your exact bra size.
Back Measurement (cms) Bra back size 63 - 67 30 68 - 72 32 73 - 77 34 78 - 82 36 83 - 87 38 88 - 92 40

Cup size: this is determined the difference between bra back size and the measurement around the fullest part of the bust.

Calculate the difference of the 2 measurements, rounding it off to the nearest inch. Use the value to find out its corresponding cup size in the table below.

Difference Cup size 1" A 2" B 3" C 4" D 5" E 6" F

After you have obtained both values, combine the two to get your exact fit size.

The above information is found in Ms Yvonne Lee, internationally acclaimed book "To All Women Who Want To Enhance Their Breasts Naturally, But Don't Know How To Start". It describes and details the most important breast enhancement techniques from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each breast enhancement techniques, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost involved and more. The ebook version of the book is now available for 56 days review at: http://www.breastenhancementbook.com/

New Study Sheds Light on Lower Breast Cancer Survival Rate for Black Women

2006-11-13T01:35:00.000-08:00

October 24, 2006
A new study has found that African-American women are more likely to suffer from larger, faster-growing, and harder-to-treat breast cancer tumors than white women. The study of 2,140 breast cancer patients was conducted by researchers at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and published yesterday in Cancer, the American Cancer Society’s peer-reviewed journal. The researchers found that race is a factor in survival rates for women with breast cancer in addition to access to health care and breast cancer screenings, differences in treatment, socioeconomic status, and racial bias.

Though black women are less likely to develop breast cancer than white and Hispanic women, they are more likely to die from the disease. The 10-year survival rate for African Americans is 52 percent, compared to 62 percent for Caucasians and Hispanics, according to the study.

"These findings should prompt additional research on how we can improve outcomes for African-American patients by understanding and addressing tumor biology," said first author Wendy Woodward, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of radiation oncology at M. D. Anderson. "It's important to identify unique features in different populations and subgroups of all women with breast cancer so we can understand a woman's risk and factors that affect her care on an individual level."

How To Do Your Breast Self-Exam (BSE)

2006-11-12T02:57:00.000-08:00

Breast self examination (BSE) is to be performed in addition to an annual mammogram or a professional exam. Knowing your cyclical changes, what is normal for you, and and what the regular monthly changes in the breast feel like is the best way to keep an eye on your breast health.Your breast is more than the part of you that fits into a bra cup, although that is where the largest part of the breast is. Breast tissue actually extends up under each arm towards the area of the armpit.

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 15 minutes a month

Here's How:
Make a regular date for your BSEIf you are pre-menopausal: Set a regular time to examine your breasts a few days after your period ends, when hormone levels are relatively stable, and breasts are less tender.If you are already menopausal: (have not had a period for a year or more), you can pick a particular day of the month to do the exam and then repeat your BSE on that day of each month.

Do a Visual ExamIn the privacy of your bathroom, strip to the waist and stand before a mirror. You will need to see both breasts at the same time. Stand with your hands on your hips and check the appearance of your breasts. Look at size, shape, and contour. Note changes, if any, in the skin color or texture. Look at the nipples and areolas, to see how healthy they look. Raise your arms over your head and see if your breasts move in the same way, and note any changes.
Do a Manual Check on the NipplesStill facing the mirror, lower both arms. With the index and middle fingers of your right hand, gently squeeze the left nipple and pull forward. Does the nipple spring back into place? Does it pull into the breast? Note whether or not any fluid leaks out. Reverse your hands and check the right nipple in the same way.

Stand and StrokeRaise your left arm overhead, and use your right-hand fingers to apply gentle pressure to the left breast. Stroke from the top to the bottom of the breast, moving across from the inside of the breast all the way into your armpit area. You can also use a circular motion, being sure to cover the entire breast area. Take note of any changes in texture, color, or size. Switch sides and repeat.

Recline and StrokeClose your bedroom door and place a pillow on the bed so that you can lie with head and shoulders on the pillow. Lie down and put your left hand behind your head, and use your right hand to stroke the breast abd underarm, as in Step 4. Take note of any changes in texture, color, or size. Switch sides and repeat.

Tips:
1.Doing Step 4 in the shower is easiest, as wet skin will have the least resistance to the friction of your fingers.

2.Mark your calendar, to remind yourself to be regular about the BSE. This is a good way to prevent a panic attack, if you get off-schedule and find a normal cyclic change. Know your regular, normal changes.

3.Stay relaxed and breathe normally, because becoming tense will itself produce some knots.
Report any changes or unusual pain to your doctor or nurse practitioner. Keep a log of changes, if that helps you remember.

Remember to have a regular clinical exam and a mammogram.

What You Need:
*A mirror which lets you see both breasts
*A pillow for your head and shoulders
*Privacy and time for your BSE

Top 2 Ways To Look For Breast Augmentation Info Online

2006-10-30T01:36:00.000-08:00

Be honest- are you one of those people who wants all the work done for them? I am too. Given the shear volume of content that is produced every single day, looking for news and information is getting more difficult. Well, don't worry. Because, we've done a lot of the basic research on breast augmentation for you. And the best part is, we've boiled it down to the 2 best ways to go about looking for the information that you need. Also, we are not medical professionals of any sort, so you always want to get an experts medical opinion before proceeding with any procedure.

1)Search multiple search engines for the same thing. All search engines are not created equal. Google seems to be excellent for scientific based searches, while Yahoo seems to be much better for popular media searches. (Note: there is no concrete evidence on this issue, it's mainly just what we've noticed.) So Googling 'breast augmentation' or 'breast enhancement' might yield some amazing search results in Google due to the shear volume of scientific content that seems to be indexed in Google.

2)Make sure you look for the right stuff. Try searching for 'breast augmentation problems,' 'breast augmentation faq,' and even 'breast augmentation reviews.' Repeat this substituting 'augmentation' for 'enhancement.' These searches should yield you an impressive amount of information that you might not normally find than by just searching for 'breast enhancement.' Also try searching with quotes- you'll get a whole different set of results. You aren't the first person who's thought of getting breast enhancement, read up on what other people are saying about it and what their experiences have been. Find out all about it from other people, not just the people offering this service.

While this bits of info are clearly useful, they are really just the tip of the iceberg. Learn all about breast augmentation before making any major decisions, there are a lot of things that should go into your decision making process.

Breast Augmentation From Another Side

2006-10-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

Whenever I brought up the subject of breast augmentation, I could hear my partner begin to grumble. She'd always been against it, opposed to it and happy to say no to it. Her point was that cosmetic surgery should be used for reconstruction, except in extreme cases. She couldn't see the point of trying to make one's self appear more attractive, primarily according to what OTHER people thought was attractive. As far as she was concerned, it was far more important that the individual themselves be concerned about their body image.On the other hand, this was coming from someone who managed to attract the occasional stare of both genders whenever we went out. Her body was something that made her overly self-conscious as a teenager, due to its beauty in shape and form. However, by the time she left high school and started working, she soon got over it. And besides, she could deal with anyone's ogle if it ever got to be harassing.I, on the other hand, didn't have the serious self-image issues she had as a teenager. And in some ways, that was the problem.

I was always looking at ways of improving my appearance, like make up, clothes, new hairstyles, etc. It was like an unending metamorphosis. Unfortunately, the caterpillar kept coming out of the chrysalis instead of the butterfly, or so I thought. Then one day, after having done some research, I began shopping around for a doctor and/or clinic that could perform breast augmentation surgery. The sane ones basically said, that I wasn't ready. (The other ones just wanted my money.) I simply couldn't understand nor fathom why they said that to me. It sounded ridiculous. I was generally physically healthy, had the resources, and had a reliable partner that could help me as I recovered.

It was then that I realized that I needed to deal with WHY I really wanted to get this done in the first place.It had to be for me. It wasn't for anyone else, not even my partner. If she left me because of it, so be it. I wanted to do this for myself. Ultimately, this is what I told her. She was shocked at first. A few hours - and tears - later, she finally understood WHY I wanted to do this.So it was after getting across this initial hurdle, that I finally went back and arranged another consultation. After that, it was to arrange the appointment for the procedure

Breast Reconstruction Decision

2006-10-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Breast Reconstruction Decision

With today's advanced surgical procedures, most women who undergo surgery for breast cancer are candidates for breast reconstruction. There are various types of reconstruction, and they are available to women who have had a mastectomy, partial mastectomy, or lumpectomy.
The decision of whether to have breast reconstruction arises at a very emotional time usually at the same time a woman learns she has breast cancer and needs surgery. It is a time when many questions come up about reconstruction, the most common of which are answered here briefly:
Is age a factor? As long as a woman is in good general health and chooses a procedure that is compatible with her physical condition, age is usually not a factor. Breast reconstruction is frequently done for women in their 70s.

Who should not have breast reconstruction? Women who are in poor general health, who have psychological problems that would be exacerbated by the surgery, or who have severe diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, a recent stroke nine-art attack, or severe lung disease usually should not have breast reconstruction.

Do I have to make a decision about having reconstruction before I have the mastectomy? No, but the best time to think about breast reconstruction and to consult with a reconstruction surgeon is before you have your mastectomy. Depending on the type of mastectomy you have, you may be able to undergo immediate reconstruction while you're still on the operating table. There are advantages and disadvantages to having immediate reconstruction (see below). Not all mastectomies lend themselves to this approach, however, which means it is important for you to understand all your options prior to mastectomy. Then if you choose to delay reconstruction, you at least were given the opportunity to make an informed decision.

Are there any health conditions that could have a negative effect on reconstruction? Women who smoke are more susceptible to postoperative infections and slow healing, so if you smoke it is best to quit before surgery. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia, blood clots in the legs, and complications related to anesthesia. The results of both types of reconstruction (implant and flap, both described below) are frequently unsatisfactory in obese women.

How many operations are involved in breast reconstruction? Most breast reconstructions can be completed in two operations. The majority of the work is done during the first procedure, and the second usually involves reconstructing the nipple and areola, improving symmetry of the breasts, and making any minor adjustments.

Does breast reconstruction cause cancer? There is no evidence that breast reconstruction causes or contributes to the development of cancer.

How will my breast reconstruction look in 5 to 10 years? The long-term results of breast reconstruction are different for each woman and depend on the type of procedure you have, your weight, and whether you experience intervening infections or other breast problems.

Immediate Reconstruction: Yes or No?
Once you know you must undergo mastectomy, it is usually difficult to also have to think about reconstruction. This is the time to surround yourself with supportive individuals, be they family, friends, health care providers, or breast cancer support group members. It is also the time to educate yourself about reconstruction. This is a way to take charge of your health, to have some control over the direction your life is taking.

When it comes to the question of whether you are a candidate for immediate or delayed reconstruction, ask your breast and reconstruction surgeons to explain why they are recommending one or the other. The primary factor that determines the best approach is whether the cancer has affected the lymph nodes and to what extent. Chemotherapy usually is not started until 2 or 3 weeks after mastectomy to allow for healing. If your surgeons believe you must begin chemotherapy immediately to get the best possible outcome, they may recommend delaying reconstruction.

Combining mastectomy and reconstruction adds days and occasionally weeks to the healing period, which would significantly delay chemotherapy and possibly have a negative impact on your prognosis. If your surgeons say immediate reconstruction is an option for you, you must decide if it's best for you.

To help you make a decision, it may help to look at the pros and cons (outlined below) and to discuss your concerns with those close to you. The best candidates for immediate reconstruction are women with early breast cancer who are in good general health, women with small breasts, and those who need both breasts reconstructed. However, even if you are ready physically, you may not be mentally or emotionally prepared. In that case, it may be better to delay reconstruction. Advantages and Disadvantages of Immediate Reconstruction

PROS
· Avoiding an additional surgical procedure.
· One less procedure means less chance of complications.
· Less recovery time needed.
· Costs less money
· Less time to dwell on the cancer.
· Less negative impact on body image.
· Faster opportunity to get on with your life.

CONS
· Less time to gather information to make an informed decision. · Surgical procedure is longer, which increases the chances of complications.
· Possible dissatisfaction with the results
· May delay mourning period for the missing breast

Does Olive Oil Really Help Lower The Risk Of Breast Cancer?

2006-10-08T01:52:00.000-07:00

From past scientific reports the Mediterranean dietary intake has been proven to offer protection against many diseases. In US studies researchers have found out in what way the Mediterranean food diet that contained a high portion of olive oil can protect against breast cancer. A component of the olive oil could even find itself in the close future used in cancer therapy.

Investigations conducted on the population of south Europe pointed out that a Mediterranean diet with a lot of fish, fruit, vegetables and olive oil protects against a row of diseases, among them are some kinds of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

In particular an illness-preventing effect is associated with olive oil and the unique oleic acid contained within it. The researchers around Javier Menendez before that Northwestern University Fine Mountain School OF Medicine in Chicago examined it at a cellular level to see the effects of the cell in contact with the acid.

Gene activity braked

The tests showed that oleic acid decreases the activity of a gene, that with the emergence by breast cancer in connection with the gene- Her-2/neu-Gen. Within approximately 20 per cent of all breast cancer patients this gene is overactive.

It comes on with an aggressive tumor growth and female patients connected with it have a smaller chance of survival. In the cell tests oleic acid lowered the genes activity by 46 per cent, reports the scientists in the "Annals OF Oncology".

Beyond that oleic acid increased the effectiveness of the cancer means "Herceptin". This affected likewise the Her-2/neu-Gen and can extend the life expectancy of the female patients.
Possibly oleic acid can emerge as one of the solutions to become another resistance for use by medicine to help prevent or at last stop, this aggressive cancer reports Menendez.

Because it affects a protein, which plays a role in the emergence of Herceptin. It still remains to be seen whether the results of the cell attempts can be transferred to humans, their investigation however supports the epidemiological studies, which showed a Mediterranean Diet offered a protecting effect.

Breast Cancer: What Women Should Know

2006-10-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

From relative obscurity, breast cancer has become one of the leading causes of deaths among women in the world. In 2001, about 200,000 cases of breast cancer have been reported in the United States, making it the second leading cause of cancer death in the US. It is, in fact, the most common malignancy problem that is affecting women in North America and Europe today.

But what is breast cancer and how do people get it?

Breast cancer occurs when malignant tumors in the breast grow and start to affect other tissues in the body. There is still no clear indications how tumors are created but what is often observed is that cancerous cells usually comes from ducts or glands.

Although women’s health organizations advise women to massage the breast daily and to feel for any lumps, it may a long time before a cancerous cell get big enough for us to feel it. By that time, it may already be too late. Doctors make use of mammograms for their diagnosis.

Breast at risk

All women are actually at risk, with the risk increasing with the presence of some risk factors that are already part of the natural cycle, for example, aging. Family history of breast cancer can also significantly affect the prognosis as heredity has been found to play a role. Women who got their periods before they were 12 years old and those who never had or had children after 30 years old are also more likely to develop breast cancer.

There are also risk factors that medical science can help alter such as hormonal problems through replacement therapies. Women are also advised to decrease their consumption of alcoholic drinks, exercise every day and decrease the use of birth control pills. Breastfeeding has been found to decrease the risk of breast cancer development.

Although there are some factors that women can avoid to prevent breast cancer from developing, cause and effect relationships between these factors and breast cancer is still debatable. For women who are already at high risk, doctors often recommend a drug called Tamoxifen, which is known to decrease the risk by as much 50 percent when taken in five years. Still, like all medications, Tamoxifen has side effects such as hot flushes, vaginal discharges and sometimes even blood clots. Taking the drug can also lead to pulmonary emobolus, stroke and uterine cancer, although these are all isolated cases.

Another avenue that women can go to is Vitamin A, which some studies show to be effective in decreasing the risk. Still, research is still in the initial stages and nothing has been proven yet. Other things that are being linked to the breast cancer fight are phytoestrogens, which can be found in soya, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C.

But until something concrete is found in research, the only thing that women can do to ensure that they are safe from breast cancer is early detection. This can be done through daily self-examinations as well as annual check ups and mammogram tests. It is also important that women know the beginnings of breast cancer. Here are some of the signs that they should watch out for.

Lumps in the breast and in the underarms
Scaling of the skin of the breast and of the nipple
Redness in the skin of the breast and of the nipple
Changes in the size of their breasts
Discharges from the nipple

If these signs are observed, it is best to consult a specialist so that you can know whether you have breast cancer or not.

How to Store Your Fine Lingerie

2006-09-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

You've taken the time and researched into what fine sexy lingerie would suit you and your desires the best, made your purchase and now you may be wondering how to best store your new intimate apparel.

The first thing you want to keep in mind is that, in general, the fabrics used to make fine sexy lingerie are more delicate than fabrics used to make other styles of clothing that you wear every day. The lace and lightweight sheer fabrics are more prone to snagging, so try to avoid sharp or abrasive objects while storing your fine lingerie.

All fine sexy lingerie that has any type of stretch fabric incorporated into the design should never be hung on a clothes hanger in the closet. Always store your intimate apparel neatly folded and flat in a dresser drawer or on a shelf away from dust and dirt. The exception to this would be any fine lingerie apparel that isn't made of stretch fabric, but since most intimate apparel is made of stretch lace, etc., you'll be storing most, if not all, of your fine sexy lingerie flat.

You may be wondering why it's so important to store your fine lingerie flat. The reason is because hanging any fine lingerie that is made from any kind of stretch fabric will lose shape and elasticity over time simply due to the weight of the garment. I've personally seen the results of this phenomena. I have a red dress that was given to me recently that has a regular lace skirt, but a stretch lace bodice and sleeves. Due to it being hung in a closet for several years, it can be clearly seen where the elastic in the lace has completely stretched out of shape and in a lot of cases has broken and frayed. The bodice and sleeves now have to be completely replaced to make the dress wearable. So keep your fine lingerie away from hangers and it will last for years and years.

One tip regarding storing your fine lingerie in a dresser drawer - don't overstuff it! At the least, your intimate apparel will get wrinkled, and your lingerie could suffer snags and such as you open and close the drawer.

I hope you find these tips regarding how to store your fine lingerie useful. Remember, treat your fine sexy lingerie with care and it will reward you with years and years of use.

Breast Augmentation From Another Side

2006-09-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Whenever I brought up the subject of breast augmentation, I could hear my partner begin to grumble. She'd always been against it, opposed to it and happy to say no to it. Her point was that cosmetic surgery should be used for reconstruction, except in extreme cases. She couldn't see the point of trying to make one's self appear more attractive, primarily according to what OTHER people thought was attractive. As far as she was concerned, it was far more important that the individual themselves be concerned about their body image.On the other hand, this was coming from someone who managed to attract the occasional stare of both genders whenever we went out. Her body was something that made her overly self-conscious as a teenager, due to its beauty in shape and form.

However, by the time she left high school and started working, she soon got over it. And besides, she could deal with anyone's ogle if it ever got to be harassing.I, on the other hand, didn't have the serious self-image issues she had as a teenager. And in some ways, that was the problem. I was always looking at ways of improving my appearance, like make up, clothes, new hairstyles, etc. It was like an unending metamorphosis. Unfortunately, the caterpillar kept coming out of the chrysalis instead of the butterfly, or so I thought. Then one day, after having done some research, I began shopping around for a doctor and/or clinic that could perform breast augmentation surgery. The sane ones basically said, that I wasn't ready.

(The other ones just wanted my money.) I simply couldn't understand nor fathom why they said that to me. It sounded ridiculous. I was generally physically healthy, had the resources, and had a reliable partner that could help me as I recovered. It was then that I realized that I needed to deal with WHY I really wanted to get this done in the first place.It had to be for me. It wasn't for anyone else, not even my partner. If she left me because of it, so be it. I wanted to do this for myself. Ultimately, this is what I told her. She was shocked at first. A few hours - and tears - later, she finally understood WHY I wanted to do this.So it was after getting across this initial hurdle, that I finally went back and arranged another consultation. After that, it was to arrange the appointment for the procedure.Since that time, I haven't looked back once at my decision with regret.

Does growing older means higher risk of getting breast cancer?

2006-09-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

No one knows the exact causes of breast cancer. Doctors can seldom explain why one woman gets breast cancer and another does not.

However, research has shown that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer.

One of the risk factor is age.

The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. A woman over age 60 is at greatest risk. This disease is very uncommon before menopause.

Besides age, a woman who has had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting this disease in her other breast.

Another risk factor of breast cancer is family history. A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer, especially at a young age (before age 40). Having other relatives with breast cancer on either her mother's or her father's side of the family may also increase a woman's risk.

Reproductive and menstrual history also affects the probablility of a women contracting breast cancer. The older a woman is when she has her first child, the greater her chance of breast cancer. Women who began menstruation (had their first menstrual period) at an early age (before age 12), went through menopause late (after age 55), or never had children also are at an increased risk.

Women who take menopausal hormone therapy (either estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin) for 5 or more years after menopause also appear to have an increased chance of developing breast cancer.

Much research has been done to learn whether having an abortion or a miscarriage affects a woman's chance of developing breast cancer later on. Large, well-designed studies have consistently shown no link between abortion or miscarriage and the development of breast cancer.

It is helpful to be aware of risk factors. It's important to keep in mind that most of the women who have these risk factors do not get breast cancer. And most women who develop breast cancer have no history of the disease in their family. In fact, except for growing older, most women with breast cancer have no strong risk factors.

The above information is found in Ms Yvonne Lee, internationally acclaimed book "To All Women Who Want To Enhance Their Breasts Naturally, But Don't Know How To Start". It describes and details the most important breast enhancement techniques from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each technique, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost, and potential impact on insurance coverage.

McDonalds faulted on breastfeeding policy

2006-09-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

LONDON (UPI) -- McDonald's is known for a child-friendly image, but in Britain it's reportedly rated the least friendly for breastfeeding mothers. Women say they have been asked by staff at the fast-food chain to stop breastfeeding in the restaurant or go to a rest room cubicle to nurse their babies, a survey by the National Childbirth Trust found. In contrast, the NCT rated Ikea, the Scandinavian furniture store, the friendliest place for mothers to breastfeed their children, the Independent reported

How can You Set the Mood for a Romantic Getaway? With Sexy Lingerie, of Course!

2006-09-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you are planning a honeymoon for your June wedding - or a romantic getaway with your man. You want to feel sexy. First step: elegant lingerie! However, something that looks good in a catalogue may not emphasize *your* positive features.

Size yourself up in the mirror. Find something about yourself that is especially alluring. Maybe it is your silky-smooth neck, glossy hair, bedroom eyes, or shapely legs. Well-chosen lingerie will draw the eyes to your most attractive features. Your intimate apparel should make you feel like Cleopatra - sexy, alluring, and a little daring.

While checking yourself out in the mirror, determine your body type. There are four main shape classifications:

1. Pear
2. Inverted Triangle
3. Hourglass
4. Apple

Women with pear-shaped bodies often have small breasts and ample hips. If you are concerned about the size of your breasts, give them a boost with a *comfortable* push-up bra. Better yet, wear something that allows just a glimpse of your cleavage - like a keyhole teddy or a skimpy baby-doll nightie that ties at the neck and shows off your legs.

An inverted-triangle body shape often stems from a muscular upper body or large breasts. To draw attention to your breasts, try wearing a chemise with a plunging neckline, a see-through bra - or for the truly adventurous - a corset with nipple cutouts. A low-cut semi-transparent negligee will showcase your breasts while allowing tantalizing glimpses of the treasures wrapped up inside.

Women with hourglass figures are fortunate. Everything will suit you. Instead of concentrating on lingerie (which you know will look good no matter what you pack), you might want to splurge on a pedicure or tint your hair a different color just for the fun and mystery.

Apple shaped? Don't despair! Big is beautiful - and sexy! Try an internet search for 'intimate apparel for plus size women' and you will find thousands of pages to pore through. The selection is comprehensive, including everything from bridal negligees, to naughty chemises, waist-cinching corsets, baby doll ensembles and more. An added plus to internet shopping is that you can purchase without embarrassment and see how things will look by viewing photos of real plus-size lingerie models.

* Color Yourself Hot! *
Decide which colors look most attractive on you. Obtain some fabric remnants from a sewing boutique or colorful items from a thrift shop. Stand in front of the mirror and hold various colors up to your face. If you have sultry blue or green eyes, matching colors may intensify their mystique. Blondes are often flattered by muted pastel shades. Brunettes look fantastic in vibrant, deeper colors. And redheads can sizzle up their look with black teddies edged in red lace or red cinchers trimmed in black. Is your hair black? Experiment with ebony or navy blue trimmed in a color that matches your eyes.

* Getting the Right Size *
When making a lingerie purchase, you absolutely *must* obtain precise body measurements. Use a good-quality measuring tape and be honest. Don't try to squeeze into something that is meant for a 30-inch waist if you are really a 32. There is nothing 'unsexier' than the distressed facial expression caused by wearing an outfit that is 2 sizes too small. If you aren't sure of how to measure yourself correctly, try an internet search like 'how to measure for lingerie'.

* No Fraying or Rips, Please! *
If you plan to pack your existing lingerie, examine it carefully before it goes into your suitcase. Make sure that elastic still stretches. There shouldn't be any fraying or rips. Hold everything up to the light to inspect for damage. Then try it on! Your size may have changed since the last time you wore it. Finally, launder it to make sure that is clean and fresh.

* It's All in Your Head *
Silky lingerie can make you feel like a sex goddess. However, sexy is really a state of mind. A woman with confidence and a smile - who feels at peace with her body - will always be sexy no matter what she is wearing!

Trying Large Size Bras

2006-09-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

It has now become a need for manufacturer's to survey busty women before they get to sewing bras. It has become a life long struggle for busty women to find a large size bras.Soon there will be a revolt when years of bottled up frustration breaks free. We are not demanding for anything big, so hear me.

The first fact, full figured women are no demanding push-up bras. In large size bras a push up bra does not exist. There are push out bras in the bigger sizes. No more efforts need be put to attract more attention to a women's breasts if they are larger than B-cup. It will simply be overdoing it.

More than enough amount of time has been spent in making busts look bigger. If you still continue to manufacture large size bras, I think now is the time that these ladies already are endowed with large enough boobs. No more help is required from your side in this regard.
At the same time, we don't desire to be suffocated in bras we put on. Many large size bras are manufactures so as to flatten the bust line. I found some great information at http://www.masspressreleases.com. In case of sports bra this is acceptable, but not for daily used undergarments. Large size bras are meant to be actually for large size breasts. We need ease to breathe, please.

Do also remember to decide about the actual sizes. I have noticed and done my research and found that no all cups are the same. But we still have to buy large size bras. The numbers are all your domain and I wish you all the luck you require.

The sizes are not all standardized. A D-cup for one company is a double D for another. There are even "almost" seizes that make me all the more angry. Ultimately we will have large size bras categorized as plus and minus. Soon we will hear things like: "I was a C-plus but I fell to C-minus."

Ladies who have big boobs experience a lot of difficulty while shopping. Maybe large size bras are more in demand than regular full-figured ones. I hope never to find it out.

Our demands are pretty straightforward. We want a constancy and support in our large size bras. We don't want to be asphyxiated and taken advantage of. Do give a good thought to these terms while sewing the large size bras. Same is definitely applicable to relationship between people. Nobody wants to be forced, subdued and taken for granted.

A Plus Size Bra Will Make Your Naturally Curvy Body Look Even More Tempting

2006-08-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Plus size bras have done away with all the trials we women had to put up with in the past. With all the brands and varieties available, you can not only find plus size bras that you will love wearing, but bras that will accentuate your naturally curvaceous figure. When we think of plus size bras, automatically we may picture two huge domes with hulking thick straps, digging uncomfortably into our shoulders. This picture is a thing of the past, sexy plus size bras are the future and are here to stay! You can get extremely feminine lacy plus size bras, or sultry satin, silk and lace bras with under wire for extra support, strapless plus size bras, and even minimizer full figure bras.

The companies have realized that a large portion of women have been endowed with naturally voluptuous and exotically formed figures and that this is what a woman should look like! During pregnancy and your life span, your breasts can change size and sometimes dramatically, and having a quality plus size bra will make all the difference. You can make your figure look even more tempting, develop even more confidence and feel exceptionally comfortable in a plus size bra that fits just right. A full figure bra that fits properly will help improve your posture. Nursing Plus Size Bras Nursing bras are very comfortable if you are a breast feeding mother. You have to feed your baby periodically and the process is very cumbersome when you have to do it wearing regular bras. These bras have provisions to feed the child easily and comfortably. Look for plus size nursing bras that have a braiding support instead of wiring, which will give you a lot more comfort if you need to sleep in it. Most nursing bras are either made out of cotton / lycra for gentle support, but you can also get these plus size bras in very sexy designs too.

You can buy a Nursing bra for just around £22.99. Plus Size And Push Ups Plus size bras are bras meant for full-figured women. These bras come with minimizers too, which help to minimize the projection of your bust. Push-ups have the opposite effect of the plus size bras and are commonly used by smaller structured women. This type of bra will give your appearance an even more heightened appearance, which is sure to get your partner's attention away from the footaball game or whatever else he is doing!. Sports Bras You have to feel comfortable when walking or doing exercises. Wearing a regular bra just doesn't provide the support we need, but also gives us the much needed comfort we deserve. I mean can you imagine running on a treadmill with a poorly constructed bra, not only will it have long term effects on your back but can also damage your breasts. You can buy a sports bra for around £19.99. You should experience comfort and support while wearing a bra all day long. You have to be specific about which one suits you the most.

You have to very careful about your size, which is often subject to change. It is necessary for you to check your size before buying one. Plus size bras have finally come left that unattractive image of the past behind and become hugely sexy bras for today and tomorrow. Whether its a sports bra or an everyday sexy bra, we fuller figured women have finally been given a choice that is both comfortable and sexy. A click on your mouse is all it takes and the dazzling array of plus size bras will be at your fingertips.

coconut bras

2006-08-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

The rainbow sequin-clad Bellydancers vie for mirror space with the feathered Samba dancers, the Hip-Hop Fire Spinners, the Tango Temptress and the Polynesian Goddesses in the coconut bras.
We hear finger cymbals, earthy Tribal World-beat funk, surf rock, Bollywood pop, a Gypsy violin and mysterious Arabic rhythms.
We are backstage at Leela's Arabia Exotica 2003: ChiaraScuro (Lightness & Dark) at Monte Christo Nightclub in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, November 2nd, where over 60 performers will seamlessly blend the ancient, exotic art of Bellydance with the thrilling theatrics of Modern dance styles from across the world, including Cabaret Jazz, Go-Go Dance, Flaming Hula Hoops, Classical Indian Dance, Argentine Tango, Brazilian Samba, Flamenco,Trip-Hop Funk, International Dance Star Mésmera, Farhana (Princess of Hollywood) and more!

10 Bra Secrets Finally Revealed

2006-08-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

Every woman in this world actually deserved a good shaped of their body and that’s not only their sexual parts but full of their body needs care every moment. Woman always care about their beauty so well but not every woman knows the right way to do it. Many of them treat their body cruelly and torture it so far. So let’s revealed the secrets..

-Choose the right bra for your breast.

-Always discover a new type of bra every month

-Think twice if you want to try a smaller bra.

-Always treat your bra nicely, wash it regularly.

-Choose the right colour for your bra like red, black or white for different occasion.

-Discuss with adult (if teenagers) to choosing the right bra for you.

-Keep your bra in your closet properly.

-Throw away your old bra. Nobody wants to wear your bra.

-Never trust the cheapest bra.

-Read more about bra

What Hot In Lingerie For 2006, Boy Shorts

2006-08-06T03:18:00.000-07:00

Many people think of lingerie as standard items that remain the same year after year. While lingerie is more intimate and private, like every other fashion item, it changes periodically as trends become more popular.So what hot in lingerie for 2006 ?boy shorts!.

Yesterday thong is never going to disappear completely from lingerie and department store shelves. It is the hands down best way to eliminate visible panty lines when you wear tight pants or skirts, but thong sales are definitely on the decline. The sales of boy shorts however, are definitely on fire. If you don know what boy shorts are, think of tight short shorts or hot pants. While there are some boy shorts that are a little loose fitting generally speaking they are very figure hugging. This snug fit gives shape to your rear and enhances your figure, making you appear curvier and sexier. Some boy shorts will completely cover your rear, but usually they leave part of it exposed (think of them as ?length shorts).

For those girls with perfect figures or who like things a little racier, there are styles that provide even less coverage, that resembles a wide band across the upper portion of your rear. Now that we have the basic idea covered, lets talk about styles. Boy shorts come in wide range of styles, colors and fabrics. The most basic styles will come in cotton or polyester blends. If you are going to be wearing boy shorts all day, try choosing something made of microfiber, while slightly more expensive it more comfortable, durable and long lasting. For a more elegant look try boy shorts made of silk or satin. These styles often have a lace, decorative or scalloped edging.

However the most popular boy shorts are made of lace. Lace boy shorts are definitely the most sexy and alluring choice available. For people who are a little modest, or who find lace slightly itchy, look for double layer lace boy shorts. They have a lace layer on the outside and a second layer of a different material on the inside against your skin.

Why I Chose Breast Augmentation

2006-07-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

Breast augmentation had never been a top concern for me. Ditto for cosmetic surgery. It had always seemed like a cop out. As if the people who went under the knife for it did it because they were insecure. Not only that, but they thought it would be the "be all and end all" for them. In other words, they'd still feel insecure after the fact because they hadn't dealt with the real problem. Their own self-image.Then one day, I saw some interviews with women who had done it. It really blew me away.

They weren't insecure. They were happy for having done it. It wasn't like they felt they HAD to. They wanted to regardless of what other people thought or said. So, it was their OWN decision. They knew the risks, had heard all the stuff in the past in the news about the safety of implants.It's hard to describe how it felt to hear them. It felt... Well, it was kind of empowering. Their bodies, their choice.

That's what I got out of it. And so, that's when I realized that all my negative obsessing about breast augmentation was wrong, a cover up. I was trying avoid my own interest in the procedure by putting it down.This isn't to say that it's the same for everyone. Nor do I want anyone to think that they SHOULD do it just because they're "interested". I had to think a long time about this, and feel comfortable knowing that it was what I wanted.After preparing myself, I then went on the mythical quest for the perfect surgeon.

What I found was a lot of information about all the different ways breast augmentation could be done. On top of that, the different kinds of implants. As well, the legal restrictions around certain types of implants - namely the silicone-filled variety.The other thing I found was how different the surgeons and/or clinics marketed themselves. There were a lot of ads that would reaffirm everything I thought was wrong about it.

Fortunately, there were some that actually sounded intelligent, i.e. not some turn-of-the-century hawker selling snake oil.Talking with these people, who actually sounded like they cared, I was finally able to make a decision. They also answered the endless questions and concerns I had about the different kinds of breast augmentation. Not only the pros and cons of each technique but what had to be done afterwards to make sure that the implants wouldn't rupture.Although it took a while, in the end I was glad I did my homework first. But more importantly, I'm glad for having seen those women talk about their own experiences with breast augmentation.

Swim Wear for Women with Baby Bumps

2006-07-30T23:13:00.000-07:00

Whoever says that pregnant women can't use swim wear during their pregnancy is mistaken. Nowadays, there are swim suits or swim wear specifically designed to cater the needs of pregnant women. With the creation of swim wear for moms-to-be, women can now hit the beach, wear the latest fashion in bikinis and show that baby bump during summer escapades.

Before, some pregnant women had to suffer watching people in enjoying the cool waters. In fact, these pregnant women just read books or prepared the food during a family outing. The bottom line is that pregnant women stare enviously as other people swim and have fun under the sun. It was a belief that swimming was bad to the baby and mother as it will cause miscarriage.I had a pregnant aunt, who used to wear black fitting shorts like tights and white t-shirts, since there were no bikinis that will her body. Incidentally, my aunt is like a water nymph for she loves water so much. In fact, she often tries different water sports like diving, surfing and jet skiing whenever we go to the beach. We often call her a daredevil nymph as she fears absolutely nothing when it comes to water.

But then again, she mellowed down for she was pregnant with her first child. When she was pregnant and we visited the beach, she wanted so badly to join us. However, the problem was that she had no swim wear that fitted her. We all know that most beaches have a rule that requires swim wear for men and women.

During her second pregnancy, she was glad to discover that a lot of boutiques are selling plus size swim wear. She thought, "Why not use a plus size? It fits me, so I will use it." When we went to the beach, her plus size swim wear is not actually good for her body, since it makes her swim uncomfortably as if the swim wear doesn't fit her. In terms of size, plus size swim wear can be dependable but on the actual use, it's not.

Plus size swimsuits are not designed for pregnant women, but for women whose size is twelve and above. Thank goodness, Brazilian Bikinis came up with their maternity swim wear which is designed solely for pregnant women. Now, my aunt, as well as other pregnant women out there, can enjoy swimming comfortably while looking elegant and sexy.

The EQ maternity swim wear by Brazilian Bikini is inspired by Harmony swim suit. Harmony is the best-seller one piece swim suit. This swim wear for pregnant women allows women to glide, dive, and swim in the waters without posing a threat of sagging and having gaps while using it. The colors and style include kona surf blue, Maroon Hibiscus, Navy Daisy, and Tangerine Floral prints. But for those who want it plain and simple, black color is also available. One of the best features of this swim wear is that it has a line on the front and back which enables to support the body and keeps it from sagging. Another great feature of this suit is that it's "form fitting".

This means that it can elevate curves that doesn't make the wearers look like mascots.Another good source of maternity swim wear is Nicole Michelle Maternity shop, which specializes on clothes for pregnant women. This shop has a huge collection of maternity swim wear, and one of the in demand swim suit for moms-to-be is Nicole Maternity Goddess Maternity Swimsuit. The said maternity swim wear comes in white fabric together with touches of blue and green colors. It has a thin halter strap that can be removed if you don't want to use it. It has a double line found at the breast area for support and protection. It is a swimsuit that looks like a short dress, since the style is for full coverage.

Pregnant women can wear it while swimming or for a beach party. It is very stylish and at the same time functional for pregnant women. The goddess style swim suit can be handwashed and ironed, without threat of sagging.The development of swim wear or bikinis for women with baby bumps is really beneficial not just for sporty pregnant women but to all *pregnant women*.

This creation is not just simply for recreational purposes since swimming has a healthy benefit for pregnant women. In fact, a lot of doctors and physicians are recommending pregnant women to swim during their pregnancy. Swimming helps exercise and relax bodies of pregnant women. Sometimes, there are pregnancy trainings that require women to dip in the water while practicing delivery of the baby.Today, women, like my aunt, don't have to watch enviously at the sidelines while others are having fun in the water; different maternity swim wear are here to make swimming possible for them.

Helping Fathers Is Helping Mothers

2006-07-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever received a call for breastfeeding help from a father? Have you ever helped a mother with the father present? Some Leaders are quite comfortable in these situations, while others are not.

Consider this scenario. You are asked to make a home visit to help a mother and baby achieve a good latch-on. You've given the mother help by phone but your suggestions don't seem to be working for her. You agree to visit and arrive with appropriate handouts, THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK and your Leader's Log. The father greets you at the door and directs you to the mother and baby. He follows you in and takes a seat.

Several insights can help Leaders learn how to help a mother while helping the father in what some might feel is an awkward situation.

In a situation similar to the one above you might first introduce yourself and spend a few minutes talking to the couple, congratulating them on their new baby. Next you might ask the mother about breastfeeding and what she perceives to be the problem.

After talking about her concerns, you ask the mother for permission to observe the baby nursing. You ask where she would be most comfortable and suggest that she move there. You show her how to use pillows to help position the baby and reduce any tension in her arms and upper body. As you guide her in the technique to properly position her baby, you explain what you are doing. It is important to make a point of always asking permission and washing your hands before any contact with the mother or baby.

Father's Perspective
The father may ask questions while observing or offer his insights. What he has to say can be quite helpful. Perhaps he's picked up on something. He is also another pair of eyes and ears and can help the mother remember what you are telling and showing her.

It's also possible that a father may not like or may disagree with what you are doing or saying. In this situation it is important to remember that whether the father is asking questions or seems confrontational, it is his baby and partner. His behavior most likely comes from his caring and concern for the health and well-being of his family. Take the time to be kind and compassionate. Fathers need to be educated about breastfeeding, too.

Several popular books on the market describe the differences in how men and women think and communicate. Some talk about a man's need to "fix" things, find solutions, to know the reason why things happen the way they do. You can use this information when you work with fathers. Take the time to explain how things may go awry and why babies sometimes refuse to nurse or have a hard time latching on properly. Give an explanation of why the steps that lead to proper positioning work the way they do. For example, you might ask a father to turn his head to the side and swallow to illustrate why a baby's whole body needs to face the mother's breast during nursing. Involve him by teaching him how to check that baby's tongue is cupped and visible when nursing after letting him know why this is important.

Fathers sometimes feel left out when so much attention is given to the mother and baby after birth. Suggest some ways for him to participate in caring for his baby while you talk with him about the importance of bonding. Many fathers, like many grandparents, feel that feeding is the ultimate way to show love and caring. Let the father know that rocking, walking, bathing, dressing and talking to baby are also ways to bond with and learn about his newborn. Remind him that he can be helpful to his wife when she needs to do other things or just needs a short break.

How Leaders Help
With information that includes why things are done, encouragement to actively participate in caring for baby and helping mother, and support for his efforts, even some of the most skeptical or critical fathers become allies in the breastfeeding experience. Yes, these same three words that describe what we do for mothers apply to fathers, too.

Make it a point to let a father know that we are available for questions or concerns that come up in the future. You can also give him information about LLL meetings for fathers or couples in the community, if available. With a resource to contact, he'll know that he, as part of the breastfeeding family, has a continued source of support if and when he needs one. With the information and ideas the father has gleaned from you, he, in turn, can be a source of support for his wife and a protector against dissenting friends or family as she breastfeeds their baby.

There are times when working with a father can be uncomfortable. Most of the time, explanations and solutions that involve the father help diffuse any tension. At times there may be a difference of opinion or a personality conflict. In that case, you need to remain calm as well as clear about your job as a Leader. The parents can be referred back to their health care provider if one or both of them choose not to have you assist. As in all situations in which we help, the parents must be the ones to choose what they feel is right for themselves and their family.

LLL Leaders usually offer mother-to-mother help. However, by including the father, we ultimately give the nursing couple a greater chance for a satisfying breastfeeding experience and increase breastfeeding knowledge in the whole of society.

How to Make a Nursing Bra

2006-07-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

Now that I've made the wonderful decision to stay at home and take care of DD, my budget has taken a hit. As I was nursing at home last night, I came up with the idea of making my own nursing bra.

I am a 34E and using a 36 size sports bra did the trick. I hope it can help some of you mom's out there!

Steps1. Take an old sports bra and cut a long slit in the front (where the cleavage is) from the top to the start of the elastic at the bottom ( don't cut through the bottom elastic!!!).

2. Finish the 2 edges of the cut slit.

3. On one side attach a hook and on the other side, the loop.

4. You have made your own nursing bra!

Tips* This bra is for wearing at home

* it is easy to open but hard to fasten back Things You'll Need

* Cotton sports bra (hanes or such)

* Hook and Loop

* Thread and needle

* Sissors

* Time

Most Expensive Lingerie 2006

2006-07-23T00:33:00.000-07:00

In a quainter age, women's underclothes were often referred to as "unmentionables." They were buried beneath long skirts and numerous petticoats, and the merest peek at them (or peep about them) was considered an utter scandal.

These days, lingerie is not only very mentionable but is visible on everyone from rock stars to desperate housewives. And Super Bowl halftime shows aside, often the sight of a black bra strap or the edge of bustier is not accidental. In fact, fashion designers often create clothes that intentionally reveal a little lace or a glimpse of silk.

In a post-Madonna age, the point is not to shock--unless we're talking prices. Top-shelf lingerie may be airy and insubstantial, but it comes at a hefty cost. Agent Provocateur's Abracadabra lacy bra, panty, garter and bodysuit set will set a buyer back $670. C. Gilson, a European company that hand-embellishes its goods, sells a silk bra, panties, chemise and robe set for well over $2,600. And if you've spent a fortune on your underwear, you probably want more than a bedfellow to get a glimpse.

Americans are still getting used to buying lingerie the way European women do, says Geraldine Nuval, owner of the San Francisco lingerie boutique, My Boudoir.

"We think basic and not very pretty, whereas in Europe you look pretty from underneath to the outside," says Nuval, who hunts down unique designs for her shop. "So Americans don't spend as much money as Europeans do."

That's why the bulk of the intimate-apparel industry's revenue doesn't come from the sale of $100 garter belts, but from the simpler and cheaper items sold at mass-market stores, such as Wal-Mart Stores (nyse: WMT - news - people ) and Target (nyse: TGT - news - people ). According to NPD Group, a market research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y., the intimate-apparel industry grossed $9.6 billion in 2005, up 3.8% from $9.2 billion in 2004.

Catriona MacKechnie, a Scottish-born lace enthusiast who owns an eponymous lingerie boutique in New York City's Meatpacking District, feels that American women need to take a lesson from the Europeans and wear more beautiful underthings.

"We're trying to change the way American women wear lingerie," she says. "It's supposed to make you feel beautiful, even if no one knows you're wearing it."

The allure of better-than-basic lingerie is clearly stimulating sales. In 2005, The Limited's (nyse: LTD - news - people ) lingerie chain, Victoria's Secret, brought in $4.2 billion in sales--45% of the company's total. Warnaco (nasdaq: WRNC - news - people ) is one of the leading marketers of swimwear and bras in the world, yet despite its diverse portfolio of products, which includes Calvin Klein, Olga, Warner's, JLO Lingerie and many other labels, its intimate apparel lines only generated annual sales of $588 million in 2004.

Maybe that's because when well-heeled clients come to places like La Petite Coquette in New York City, they are not just looking for fine-quality garments but for a personalized experience.
"We've been changing things for 27 years," says La Petite Coquette owner Rebecca Apsan. "Our lingerie is for women who have taste and want to feel good. You can't feel good in lingerie that's scratchy or tight--it's in the way it's made that makes a piece good or not."

Shopping for intimates can be a touch intimidating for both sexes--not just for men who want to give a gift that keeps on giving. Fortunately, most boutiques offer registries that allow women to pick out and list the items they like, along with their measurements.

"Every person that comes in, we find out their size. Men don't have to worry, because we have the information saved in the computer," says Apsan.

For inspiration, skim through our list of some of the loveliest and most luxurious offerings available. Sure, the best of see-through silk doesn't come cheap--but sometimes, you have to pay a little something to get a little nothing.

WORLD MOST EXPENSIVE BRA

2006-07-23T00:25:00.000-07:00

What is the most expensive bra in the world?

2006-07-23T00:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we showed you the longest bra so how about the most expensive.

Every year Victoria's Secrets offers a one of a kind creation from Mouawad's.

The bras are made from thousands of diamond with usually on very large diamond in the center.
The 2002 version called 'Red Hot Fantasy' contains 1,300 diamond and rubies valued at an whopping $15 million USD.

Bras Men Like

2006-07-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

What bras do men want to see you in?

I asked my guy.

He said a bra that is easy to take off. Bras that look like lingerie. Black bras. I wasn't satisfied with the answer.

I gave him the unenviable job of going through lingerie catalogs to tell me which bras he finds sexiest.

The verdict.

Strapless bras. A huge surprise to me as I thought these were purely functional. Worn to avoid tiresome straps under tube tops, off shoulder tops or strapless outfits.

His rationale. He just finds strapless bras very sexy. A huge turn on. The simplicity catches his eye. No messy strings. Bare shoulders which he simply loves. Most importantly, they look really easy to take off.

Next in line is the lace bra. That is because lace bras are very beautiful. That I agree with him. Lace bras are very pretty.

In 3rd place is the push up bra.
This one is obvious. Push up bras make your breasts look much bigger. These padded bras add inches to your bustline. The Gel filled bras really boost a girl's assets. A way to get that cleavage without resorting to surgery.

He was saying for girls who really want to turn on the men, go for these 3 types of bras. These are the ones that leave men wanting more.

I do know the kind of bras he simply hates. The fussy types with multiple hooks, the cotton granny type of bra with thick ugly straps that are popular only because of comfort and anything that makes breasts look smaller. In other words, don't waste your time with minimizer bras.
So if you want to dress for your men, what you wear underneath counts too.

Instant Breast Lift In Less Than 5 Minutes

2006-07-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, Nanotechnology is applied on a jungle root - kwao kreu that grows in the north of Thailand, believed to enlarge the breasts of women who take it. Firms from Japan, Germany and the United States have been conducting research into the kwao kreu root, a source in Thailand's Agriculture Department told Bangkok Post.

What's Nanotechnology?

As part of the FY 2004 Budget, President Bush requested $849 million for nanotechnology R&D across all of the agencies that participate in the NNI. This represents an increase of approximately 10% over the amount appropriated by Congress for FY 2003.

The 2005 budget request that President Bush has sent to Congress calls for a total NNI budget of $982 million, which represents a 2% increase over estimated expenditures for FY 2004.

Government Agencies involved, include, NSF, DOD, DOE, HHS(NIH), DOC(NIST), NASA, USDA, EPA, DHS(TSA) and DOJ.

To put it simply,

Nanotechnology is the invention of small particles in Nano-size that does amazing things where normal size particles are unable to. It has the capacity to penetrate deep down into the skin layer while the core of the particle is being protected while carrying variety of substances to pass into the inner skin layer. This effective mechanism will target directly to the skin organ which will result in gaining the most benefit from the composition.

White kwao kreu which belongs to the family guminosae, subfamily Papilionoideae or the soy, bean & pea subfamily, known as Pueraria Mirifica or Kwao Kreu? or ?Kwao Kreu Kao? (white Kwao Kao), which are commonly found in the north, the west and the northeast of Thailand at the altitude of 300 to 800 metres above sea level.

Woman in the rural communities of Thailand have used this tuberous roots effectively as rejuvenating folk medicine for well over a hundreds years before it become well known and received much attention from Thai and foreign scientist, especially the Japanese.

Most of the kwao kreu processed by the Japanese are made into medicines and cosmetics commonly used for improving the skin, hair and firming the breasts.

This herb is known to ...

- Grow hair, strengthen and darken existing ones

- Help improve complexion and remove wrinkles

- Improves eyesight

- Increase energy and vigor leading to more reflexive body movements

- Including breast enhancement.

What Makes Pueraria Mirifica The Best Phytoestrogen?

"Miroestrol and Deoxymiroestrol " is very different from other phytoestrogen, as it posses highest estrogenic activity among the known phyto-estrogens due to structural similarity to estradial, (Estradiol is the main human estrogen which can be found in all women who are at the stage of nursing baby (Lactating); as you may notice that all women who are in this stage, their breast will enlarge and gain firmness for feeding purpose.

Miroestrol and Deoxymiroestrol Can Only Be Found In Pueraria Mirifica!

But not every Pueraria Mirifica are created equal, they varies from species to species and the growing conditions.

There are more than 13 species of Pueraria Mirifica and most of them are called "Pueraria Mirifica? or ?Kwao Krua Kao" but this doesn?t mean that they are the same, they may look same in the appearance but they produce different results.

The only way to differentiate their difference is to measure the amount of Miroestrol and Deoxymiroestrol contain inside the roots of Pueraria Mirifica. An elaborate and expensive test need to be carry out in specialized laboratory to certify the actual amount of Miroestrol and Deoxymiroestrol found in any specific type of Pueraria Mirifica. And not many company would sent their Pueraria Mirifica for such stringent test. Majority of the Pueraria Mirifica products found in the market are made from roots collected from villagers in the forests. And these villagers will be the ones that do the peeling, grinding, and the drying in their homes. Nobody can assure the sanitation, the quality and the amount of Miroestrol found in these Pueraria Mirifica powder.

Many foreign companies who have long settled in Thailand even open small shops to purchase the plant from villagers. If such practices is not stop, it would soon result in extinction of the plant because villagers would think of nothing but money.

Breastfeeding Is More Than Just Food

2006-07-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

While the breastfeeding process exists to nourish a newborn and to provide everything that it needs to grow, breastfeeding is much more than food for a baby. The entire breastfeeding process provides significant benefits for both the baby and the mother.

1. Breast Milk Is A Living Substance
Babies do not have a fully functioning immune system until they are one year old. For the first year of life, a breastfeeding mother actually provides the immune response for a baby who is exposed to a cold or flu. If a baby were to suffer a cold, his mother would immediately start to increase her white blood cell production to counteract the bacteria or virus whether or not she experiences the baby’s symptoms. The baby would get these doses of immunity through breast milk. Breast milk contains many white blood cells (the blood cells that fight bacteria, viruses and parasites) and because of them, breast milk can actually sit on a countertop for 8 hours and be perfectly safe to drink.

2. Breastfeeding Improves Health
The proteins, carbohydrates and fatty acids in breast milk provide everything that a baby needs to grow strong bones, muscles and tissues. All of these components of breast milk exist in perfect proportion to a growing baby’s needs. Breast milk proteins are easily digested and breastfed babies feed often to build up their mother’s milk supply. The fatty acids found in breast milk help to support the growth of the baby’s brain and nervous system. The carbohydrates (or sugars) found in breast milk provide energy for the baby to play and interact with her world.

Breastfeeding provides great health benefits for the mother after birth, it helps to contract the uterus back to its pre-pregnant state. Mothers who breastfeed for longer periods of time experience less breast or uterine cancer later on in life.

3. Breastfeeding Promotes The Bonding and Attachment Process.
The hormone oxytocin stimulates the let down reflex when a baby starts to breastfeed; however, the role of oxytocin is not just for breastfeeding. In fact, oxytocin is called the hormone of love. Our bodies release high doses of oxytocin during the infatuation stage of love which creates the wonderful high that we experience when we first fall for someone. Breastfeeding creates this same feeling of infatuation every time a mother breastfeeds her baby. These continual doses of oxytocin enhance the bonding and attachment process to securely attach the mother/baby pair.

A Critical Period to Establish Breastfeeding
We all know that breast milk is best for babies. However, there is a vulnerable time for both the mother and the baby for the first month after birth as they learn to breastfeed. Some babies learn easily, others take their time. If a baby is continually fussy during this process a new mother can interpret the fussiness to mean that the baby has a specific problem with her, and that can influence her decision whether or not to keep trying.

With a calmer baby, there is a greater chance that the mother will continue to breastfeed, which helps to create a more bonded mother and infant and a relatively peaceful home life. With the reduction of crying and fussiness, the relationship between the mother and father is less strained in the transitional year to becoming a family, and that helps to bond the family unit more easily.

The Reason Behind The Baby’s Crying
When a baby fusses or cries, especially in the evening, the problem is usually that the baby is experiencing an adverse reaction to something that the mother is eating. If a breastfeeding mother can alter her diet on a short-term basis, the baby usually calms down and the breastfeeding process becomes easier for both mother and baby.

The main food source that a breastfeeding mother eats that causes babies discomfort are cow’s milk proteins. Small amounts of cow’s milk proteins end up in breast milk and can cause the baby to experience either food hypersensitivities or food intolerances. The resulting symptoms are gas, bloating, discomfort and crying. (Sound familiar?

Latest Bra Design

2006-07-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Put Some Dazzle In Your Lingerie Today

2006-07-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

Lingerie is not just for the guys, it’s for the women too! As a woman, we want the very best undergarments out there.We want the hottest, sexiest little number that feels like melted butter next to our skin. And to top it off, we want it to slim our tummy, lift our tush and enhance our bust line! That’s not asking for too much, is it?So first of all, we want something soft.

Velvet, silk, and satin ranks high on the softness scale.Today’s lingerie is more than just panties and bras. If you aren’t that familiar with the different styles available in lingerie, here’s a quick guide to help you navigate your way through the lingerie shop.

Chemise is a straight gown that skims the body. These can be comfortable and sexy hugging you in all the right places.A babydoll gown is a short gown that fits around the bust and flares towards the hemline. The babydoll gown is perfect for showing off those legs!To display a little more cleavage, try a bustier. A bustier is a strapless elongated bra that provides extra lift.Camisoles are sleeveless tops with matching undies that can be worn under a jacket. Camisoles are great for showing off those toned arms.

Very sexy!A negligee is a loose, sheer gown normally accompanied with panties and a matching sheer robe. Very nice for that special night with your sweetie.A teddy is a one-piece bodysuit.Tap pants are soft, very short versions of boxer shorts.And, of course, there is the thong. The thong provides frontal coverage with a thin strap in the back. Thongs are perfect when you don’t want any panty lines.You are intelligent, funny and on your way to being a “woman of the world”! And to project confidence your undergarments should be just as sexy and fashionable as your outward appearance.

When confidence oozes from you, the whole world will know that you have arrived and are ready to conquer the world! The most important thing to remember is to have fun and be comfortable. Intimates are also available in casual styles like tank tops, p.j.’s and bikinis.

About the Author:Bridget Allen has worked for many years in the fashion industry, at a senior level, and she has written an amazing totally free fashionista minicourse that will thrill, entertain, and most importantly educate you about what you absolutely need to know about fashion. Get the free course " Fashionista Essentials" now at http://www.i-stylish.com

Isis Breast Enhancement And Other Companies

2006-07-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

By the end of this article, you should have gained enough new knowledge on this subject to be able to explain its main points to another person.In the early days of January 2003, the central Trade Commission (FTC) prepared the crowd which sold the Isis breast enhancement procedure to refund 22 million dollars to forlorn Isis customers. Not only did Isis apparently crash to enlarge and progress most women's breasts, as it had claimed, but it also resulted in many side effects. though Isis breast enhancement advertised that it was side-effect free, it in detail led to hundreds of complaints of sickness and headaches, as well as allergic reactions.It's important to keep in awareness that Isis is only one product, and a weak one at that.

The FTC found Isis to be a highly-flawed produce which futile to converge its claims. However, many other herbal breast enhancers and enlargement pills really do work. These pills stimulate breast tumor by stimulating the glands of the breast, via the prostaglandins. This is a safe, helpful method for enlarging and firming breasts.If you are interested in retail pills that progress the size, feel or character of your breasts, do so with common sense. First of all, read as many reviews as you can about each product.

One website might say outcome A is modestly the best, while hundreds of other sites might argue that outcome B is superior. An overview of different reviews should create an accurate picture.As we take the journey through the final part of this article, you can look back at the first part if you need any clarifications on what we have already learned.Next, make sure any pill you buy comes with a money back guarantee. If you don't think the pills are effective for you, arrival them. There are admirable pills out there which are sincerely effective, so don't let one ineffective produce turn you off of all the helpful ones.Try searching for a particular keyword from the title of this article on your search engine and you are sure to find a wealth of knowledge.

Anchalee Saechin is the webmaster of the natural breast enlargement, enhancement, and healthcare product review and advice website http://www.nano-breast-enlargement.com/ - providing information on alternative breast care for women seeking more beautiful and healthy breasts.

Bra Frustration

2006-07-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

I remember the times I would go shopping for Bras (especially during a sale) and when I got to the store, they either didn’t have my size or the clerk would say, " sorry but we just sold out".

Yeah sure.
And please don’t mention Lingerie and Girdles!
Mine you, I could have went for the stuff in the back on the cheap isle, but why pay for something that will make you miserable and uncomfortable because of poor quality. Sure, I would save a buck or two, but I couldn’t see myself continuing to be uncomfortable all day due to something I hadn’t come to buy in the first place.

I decided that enough was enough and I was going to go online and find what I was looking for.
With gas prices being as high as they are, running all over town was now out of the question. I figured I could sit back in front of my computer, have a cup of coffee and relax a little.

There were three things that I need to do before I started my online journey. The first was to measure my full bust, under my bust and upper bust. These measurements also apply if you enjoy driving all over town.

Yes I said measure! It only takes a few minutes and you’ll be confident that you have your correct size in the event your girly figure has changed a little.

I went online and found the quality, price and most important... correct fit I was searching for.
Ladies, never settle for less. Take your measurements and find the price, quality and comfort you desire online.

Have a cup of coffee, tea or whatever and enjoy the Bra delights you can find on the Internet.

Is Giving Exotic Lingerie An Expression Of Love Or Lust?

2006-07-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

It has become increasingly popular for couples to give lingerie as a gift, especially when you want to spice up your love life or turn the heat up a few notches. So, is giving lingerie an expression of love or lust? Or both? When a relationship has become more comfortable and you want to take it to a whole new level, giving not just lingerie but sexy lingerie can definitely make your relationship more interesting and exciting.

Sexy lingerie is provocative, attractive and extremely appealing to the senses, especially for men. Men get turned on very easily by anything that is visually stimulating. Lingerie if chosen and worn correctly can titillate the senses and drive your partner wild! So, sexy lingerie is a sure way to get your partner fired up and coming back for more.

There are many types of lingerie in the market today. Different types of lingerie can be worn for different occasions. I would personally favor exotic lingerie that are a little bit more unique in design, instead of the common usual stuff that you get at conventional lingerie stores. I would suggest that you try to choose something that is creatively designed and bold, so that you can make a great lasting impression on your partner. Let your intimate moments be so memorable that it will make every encounter special.

One of the most popular styles of exotic lingerie in the market today is the sexy thong. The sexy thong first hit the market in the 80’s and become mainstream in the 90s. In recent years, it has become one of the fasting growing categories in the lingerie industry.

A few years back, it was highly fashionable for women to wear loose, low cut jeans with a thong inside, together with clothes that showed the mid-rift. The thong and a little of the ladies’ upper buttocks would be purposely exposed by the drooping jeans or pants. This was an extremely sexy and fashionable way to dress just a few years ago.

You can find out more about sexy thongs, exotic lingerie and romantic dating ideas at http://www.1sexythong.com/

2006-07-13T03:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you will have heard of Paget's Disease, which is a serious bone disease, but many of you will not have heard of Paget's Disease of the breast, so I am hoping that the ladies out there reading this article will take notice of the content, because they could come in touch with this disease at some time in their life.

What Is Paget's Disease Of The Breast?

It is an eczema type change in the skin of the nipple, and most women that develop it, will have an underlying breast cancer. Paget's Disease occurs in about 1 or 2% of women that have breast cancer, it appears firstly as a scaly, red rash affecting the nipple and the areola. It can be very sore, may bleed and it will not go away. The disease can be difficult to diagnose, because it can be very similar to other skin problems like eczema or dermatitis, but this disease usually affects the nipple first then spreads to the areola, whereas the other skin problems usually start in the surrounding areas, first before spreading to the nipple. I have been asked to include the following in this article, it is taken from an actual case, where the person with the disease wanted this message passed on by you, to all the ladies in your life, Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts and Friends. "A lady developed a rash on her breast, similar to that of young mothers who are nursing. Because her mammogram had been clear, the doctor treated her with antibiotics for infections. After two treatments it continued to get worse, her doctor sent her for another mammogram, and this time it showed a mass. A biopsy found a fast growing malignancy.

Chemotherapy was started in order to shrink the growth; then mastectomy; then a full round of Chemotherapy; followed by radiation treatment. After about 9 months of intense treatment, she was given a clean bill of health. She had one year of living each day to its fullest. Then the cancer returned to the liver area. She took four treatments and decided that she wanted quality of life, not the after effects of Chemotherapy. She had 5 great months, and she planned each detail of the final days. After just a few days of needing morphine, she slipped away saying she had done what God had sent her into the world to do.

" PLEASE be alert to any thing that is not normal. Her message is shown below: "Paget's Disease: This is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and areola. It appeared as a rash, which later became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. I would not have ever suspected it to be breast cancer, but it was. My nipple never seemed any different to me, but the rash bothered me, so I went to the doctor for that. Sometimes, it itched and was sore, but other than that it didn't bother me. It was just ugly and a nuisance, and could not be cleared up with all the creams prescribed by my doctor and dermatologist for the dermatitis on my eyes just prior to this outbreak. They seemed a little concerned. Mine started out as a single red pimple on the areola. One of the biggest problems with Paget's disease of the nipple is that the symptoms appear to be harmless. It is frequently thought to be a skin inflammation or infection, leading to unfortunate delays in detection and care. What are the symptoms? The symptoms include: A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple causing it to itch and burn. (As I stated, mine did not itch or burn much, and had no oozing I was aware of, but it did have a crust along the outer edge on one side.) A sore on your nipple that will not heal. (Mine was on the areola area with a whitish thick looking area in center of nipple). Usually only one nipple is affected. How is it diagnosed? Your doctor will do a physical exam and should suggest having a mammogram of both breasts, done immediately. Even though the redness, oozing and crusting closely resembles dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), your doctor should suspect cancer if the sore is only on one breast. Your doctor should order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on. This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of your relatives and friends as possible; it could save someone's life My breast cancer has spread and metastasized to my bones after receiving mega doses of chemotherapy, twenty eight treatments of radiation and taking Tamaxofin. If this had been diagnosed as breast cancer in the beginning, perhaps it would not have spread".

TO ALL READERS: This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease. As we all know, early diagnosis is so important with all kinds of diseases, so if you are in any doubt about any medical problem, for goodness sake, make an appointment to see a Physician, soon as possible. If you would like to see more health information, that can help you, Please visit my web site.

Good Girls Guide To Buying Lingerie

2006-07-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

With the popularity of Lingerie boutiques in shopping malls across America the stigma of buying and wearing lingerie is now a thing of the past. However for women whoe never bought lingerie before or are still a little shy about visiting a store here our guide for styles you are likely to encounter.

Baby Doll Set

A baby doll set encompasses a large category of lingerie items.

Basically it a two piece set, consisting of a robe or loose billowy top and matching bottom. The top is always loose fitting and comes in just below the bust line, like an empire bodice. The top is very loose fitting and short, ending at or just below your rear. Baby doll sets are available in wide variety of fabrics from silk and satin to sheer lace.

Chemise

A chemise is a short flowing A-line gown that longer than a baby doll. The top usually has spaghetti or halter straps. The angular shape of a chemise looks good on almost every figure type. If you are concerned about your mid-section look for a style that has built in figure control. Sometimes a chemise comes with a matching bottom, but this varies from style to style. The fabric choices range from patterned and solid silks to very revealing lace, so there is something for everyone taste.

Camisole

A camisole is female undershirt. It is loose fitting and has thin spaghetti straps that go over the shoulder. It usually paired with a matching bottom. Camisoles are now also available as outwear. While they are not usually worn as formal office attire, they can be worn for casual occasions.

Corset

A corset is the opposite of a camisole. It a structured garment that has bones or ribs to force your body into certain proportions. The effects of a corset can be very dramatic, and can create a very enticing curvy shape. Some corsets are more difficult to wear than others, depending on how much shaping they are doing. If youe never worn one before choose something that not so difficult to get into. Corsets are also now being made as outwear. While not something you would wear to the office, they are perfect for a dinner party, club or night on the town.

Bridal Set

A bridal set or merry widow as it sometimes known also covers a wide variety of items. Basically it a set that consists of a bra, corset or camisole top. It also has matching panties, and usually a garter belt and stockings. The styles range from silk or satin sets with full coverage to skimpy string sets with very minimal overage.

Boy Shorts

If youe never heard of boy shorts think of sexy hot pants for your bedroom. They offer full coverage on the sides and some coverage on your rear. Conservative styles cover most if not all of your rear, the more daring styles give you partial coverage. Boy shorts are figure hugging or shaping, something those of us with less than perfect bodies will appreciate. They come in wide variety of fabric choices from comfortable cotton to see through lace.

Bikini

Bikini bottoms offer full coverage on your rear, and have thin straps on the side. They are available in loose fitting of figure hugging styles in a wide variety of fabric choices. Thong A thong offers full to minimal coverage in the front, and has thin sides usually 1?to ? in width that come to a t shape in the rear. The t-shape gives you practically no coverage on your rear. Thongs are now worn just as frequently outside of the bedroom as they are in it. If you are wearing tight, or figure hugging clothing a thong is your best solution to combat visible panty line. Cotton, lycra or micro-fiber fabrics are the most comfortable for extended wear thongs.

G-String

While the back of a thong has very minimal coverage with a narrow strip a g-string offers you no coverage, with a simple single strand or string, usually 1/8?or less in width, not for the faint of heart.

Garter Belt

A garter belt is made of piece of fabric that wraps around your hips and usually has four straps (one for the front and back of each leg). Sometimes the straps are attached to the lower edge of a corset or camisole top. These straps attach to the top of stockings, holding them up. The proper way to wear a garter belt is to attach the stockings first, then put on your panties. While this may look strange youl understand why the first time you need to visit the bathroom. ?Lingerie.6ln.com, All Rights Reserved. About the author:This article was written by Christine McClinden of which features women fashion items including lingerie, and shoes.

Choosing The Correct Sports Bra

2006-07-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

Sports bras are intended to provide support, motion control, and a snug fit for the breasts during exercise or sports. The right sports bra for an individual means purchasing one that is the best fit for your comfort requirements and support, accurately fits your bust size, and matches your level of activity. A proper fit is important in order to obtain the maximum in comfort and motion control during exercise.

Many women do not know how to choose the proper bra size, and as a result are wearing ill-fitting bras. To prevent this from happening, measure around your chest, under the arms, and just above the breasts. If your chest measurement is an odd number, round it up to the next even number. To fit the cup size, measure around the fullest part of your bus, and if it is in between numbers, round it up or down to the nearest whole number. The cup size is based on the difference between the chest measurement and the bust measurement with a 1" difference being an "A" cup and a 5" difference being a "DD" cup.

Since sports bras support the breasts and minimize the motion of them during exercise, it's important to find a bra that provides enough support for your level of activity. Most sports bras are rated by level of activity, and should be purchased based on that. The higher the impact of the activity, the more support that you need while you are performing that activity.

There are a variety of styles from which to choose, but it's more important to look for the proper fit and support first, and then look for the style you want within that area. You must concern yourself with fit and capability before you worry about the style. Look at it as you would if you were a waitress buying a pair of comfortable shoes because it is similar in that a waitress wearing ill-fitting shoes stands to cause damage to her back and legs, and an athlete or someone who exercises frequently can cause the delicate ligaments in the breast to stretch with an ill-fitting sports bra.

Shopping For The Right Bra Size

2006-07-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

Shopping for a bra can be a long and painful task for many women. There are many bras to chose from and many women don't know which style, and more importantly size, is right for them.

When shopping for a bra, finding the right size is vital; it is estimated that about 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. To make sure the bra you are buying is the correct size, watch for the following signs.

You should measure the width of your chest just below your breasts (on your ribs) before buying a bra. Take this number and add five inches to it. This will tell you what band size you should be trying on. For example, if you measure 31 inches around, you should be trying on a 36 sized bras. If you're number ends up being odd, go to the next size up. If you are "plus sized", you don't have to add these five inches.

To find your correct cup size, have someone measure around the fullest part of your breasts. You should not wear a padded bra while doing this. Then take this number and subtract it from your rib measurement. This will tell you your cup size.

Negative difference - AA
1 inch - A 2 inch - B 3 inch - C 4 inch - D 5 inch - DD or E 6 inch - DDD or F 7 inch - DDDD or G

If your bra fits correctly, it should be snug around the middle, but still be able to fit one or two fingers under the band comfortably. If you can't do this, the bra is too tight. If the band comes away from your body very easily or the band rides up your back, the bra is too big. If you are wearing an under wire bra, the wire should lay flat across your chest. Whereas if you are wearing a bra with no under wire, it should separate your breasts so it doesn't look like you have one big boob. You should also look for the tightness of the bra on the breast. The breast should fill the cup perfectly. If your breast is lower than the cup, the cup is too big, but on the other hand, you don't want to be spilling out of the cup either. If your breasts are popping out on the sides, top or bottom, the bra is too small. If the band feels fine, just go up a cup size. When shopping for a bra, try raising your arms over your head- the bra should stay in place and not lift off of your chest. If it does this, its too big.

If you follow these tips, your next shopping trip for bras should be more enjoyable. Try on all different styles of bras to see which kind suits you best. Also, never rush while shopping for bras. Pay attention to how they look and feel to make sure you buy the perfect fit.

Using Lingerie To Boost Confidence

2006-07-12T06:05:00.000-07:00

Ladies, I don't care who you are or what you think you look like; you are as sexy as you feel! Take a look in the mirror and tell yourself you are sexy. Lingerie can go a long way towards amplifying this feeling for you, especially when you wear it at work under your work clothes. Just imagine what that co-worker would think if he knew you had something naughty on underneath.

When you are buying lingerie for work it doesn't have to be just practical old fashioned lingerie. Who says you can't wear a thong to work? My wife does! It's all up to you, pick things that make you feel good and it will help boost your confidence and self esteem.

There are some considerations however, such as not over emphasizing areas in which you are well endowed. For example, if you are large up top, you don't want to buy push up bras and the like that will make them look even bigger! These are for girls that are more envious of you! If you are the opposite and need a little help, this type of bra will do the trick and help you look fuller in the cleavage area.

Remember, I mentioned thongs earlier? The reason my wife wears thongs to work is because they don't give you that visible panty line look. That is so unattractive; you want to avoid it at all costs. Wear thongs or g-strings or if you don't feel comfortable in those types then wear the longer silk or satin underwear that will still give you the look of no panty lines.

Don't worry about what other people think when you are shopping for lingerie for yourself, this is all about you. If you are a plus size girl and you like wearing super sexy lingerie under your work clothes, that's your business! Do what makes you feel good.

When it comes to choosing materials, remember sheer is a very thin material and usually see through, I would recommend a satin or lace finish. Of course it all depends on what you are after and the reason you are buying the lingerie, you may want it to be see through!

With the advent of the internet you can now shop online. For those who may be a little embarrassed or apprehensive about buying a particular type of lingerie, you can now order from the convenience of home and no one knows but you! Give it a try; you may never go into a physical lingerie store again.

Bra and panties shopping

2006-07-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

When it comes time for shopping for intimates like bra and panties, it can be a little embarrassing for some. There are lingerie stores that have a great selection for everyone. The only problem with this is that some women do not like to shop in front of other woman. It can be hard for them to let loose and pick out sexy items like this to wear in private or for someone else. There are so many styles to look at when shopping for bra and panties. You can find soft and sophisticated looks for the more conservative woman and there are others that will knock anyone's socks off. There is fun and exciting looks that will make any woman feel great in and have any man begging for mercy.

There are colors like white, black, red and even fun and bold patterns to choose from. There are wild animal prints and even soft pastel designs to feel attractive in. No matter what mood a woman is in, they will be able to match it with their bra and panties that they are wearing underneath.

Giving a great, set of bra and panties for wedding shower gift is a great idea. You will get a lot of fun by giving one of these hot and exciting sets to a future bride. She will get a lot of great use out of it and it will get the party off to a great start.

Although there are many lingerie stores to shop at, many people prefer to shop online for these bra and panties. Some women feel more comfortable shopping from their own home for these intimate items. When it comes time for a man to buy there special someone a sexy outfit like this, they will also feel more at ease shopping online. It is quick, easy, and very confidential.

When shopping online for these things, there is often a great selection to choose from and a range of all sizes. There will be something for everyone and it does not have to be embarrassing. The items are usually shipped within a few days. Most of the shops online come with a great return policy as well. If something does not fit or look right, a woman can return them full a refund or exchange. It is easy and a lot of fun at the same time.

Getting fun and sassy bra and panty sets are always a great way to boost a woman's self esteem. It is always a good way to put a little excitement into a relationship. It will be some thing that both partners can benefit from. It will add some flair and fun to the relationship and put the heat back it where it belongs. www.bestbraandpantie.com

Fascinating Facts!!!

2006-07-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

Breast sizes across Europe are growing. The average size has gone from a 34B to a 36C over the past 10 years.

Twenty years ago a DD cup was unusual. - now G cups are not uncommon. Changing diet and the Pill are the culprits.

Bra-wearers are getting younger. Twenty years ago, 12 and 13 year olds were bought teen bras, now eight and nine year olds are taking the plunge

Today the biggest selling colour is white, while ivory and cream come a close second. Tea rose was a hot favourite from the Twenties right through to the Fifties.

In 1971 skin tones were bestsellers and were second favourites until about 5 years ago.
About 20% of sales are on fashion colours - watch out for.....

Higher numbers of separations, divorces and remarriages have boosted the demand for attractive lingerie.

lingerie care

2006-07-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Ideally, your bra should be washed every day, by hand. This will remove body oils, preserve the colour of your bra and lengthen its life.

If you have 2 bras and wear them in turn, washing each one after a day’s wear, they should last for 3 months. Splitting the wear between four bras should mean that they will last for six months, whilst a ‘special occasion bra’, such as black bra or a strapless bra, will obviously last much longer.

Never put bras in a clothes dryer. Air dry only.

I need a corset which is tighter on my waist and thighs. What should I do?

2006-07-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

The solution is not to get a smaller size corset but to get one which has a higher control factor and offers you more support at your correct size.

I have difficulty finding a good fitting bra because one of my breasts is larger than the other. What can I do ?

2006-07-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

This is a very usual phenomenon although in many cases the difference between the breasts is not noticeable. You can try fabrics, such as our microfibres, which have more elasticity and are therefore more accomodating. Adjusting one of the straps, so that the strap of the larger bust is looser, will also help.

Should I wear a corset ?

2006-07-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

Corsets are designed to help the muscles in holding back the abdominal organs, pulling the ‘tummy’ in and ‘the seat’ down, and so keeping a healthy condition and at the time giving a good appearance.

Child bearing, illness, surgical operations, and just bad habits of letting the body ‘sag’ can all cause the abdominal muscles weaken. But correctly chosen corsetrie can give the support which the flabby muscles can no longer provide and prevent further damage from being done.
Remember though, that the purpose of corsets is not to restrict and not to prevent free movement of muscles or limbs; but to give support where needed and to enhance the work of the natural muscles

Is it better to wear a soft cup bra or an underwired bra ?

2006-07-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

A: Whatever your size, underwired bras are the best for shape, support and lift : soft cup bras tend to push you down a little bit under the arm, particularly if you have a larger bust. For smaller busts, an underwire boosts your bustline, giving a better profile and shape, while for larger busts, the underwire is more supportive because you’re getting support from the wire as well as the straps. The other advantage of underwired bras is that even with delicate fabrics like lace you can still get good support and separation.

However, you should never wear an underwired bra when pregnant. This is because you expand under the bust and at the side where the wire lies and sooner or later it will start to dig into you. A specialist, supportive soft cup bra is recommended.

Bra Fit Tips

2006-07-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

"Factory-made bras don't fit all body types the same," says Anna Castellani of the Bra Smyth, a New York City store/catalog that specializes in bra alterations and special orders. To find one suited just to you:

1. Forget your supposed cup size.
Don't discount the possibility that you may need to go up or down a cup. When you try on the bra, the fabric should not gap, flatten or squeeze you anywhere.

2. Leave yourself room to breathe.
"Most people are wider across the back than they realize," says Castellani. To ensure a comfy fit — as well as to prevent skin-pinching and back bulges — fasten the middle clasp, then check your rear view. Any sign of fabric strain means you need a larger band size.

3. Get wired (or not).
Underwires provide the most support for B-cups and above. (A-cups may get better shaping from a wireless, lightly lined or padded bra.) The wire should rest flat against your breastbone, and its tips should not poke you under the arms.

4. Stock up.
"When you do find a bra that fits, buy as many as you can afford so that you're not strapped if the style gets discontinued," says Castellani.

Bra Size

2006-07-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

A bra size is made up of a number (in inches), determined by measuring around the body over the largest portion of the breasts (e.g. 34, 36, 38, etc.); and a letter, determined by measuring under the breasts, then calculating the difference between the two numbers (e.g. B, C, D, etc.). Examples of bra sizes would be 34B, 36C (the average size), 38D, etc. There are a few manufacturers that make bras up to a J cup. Beyond this cup size, bras usually have to be specially made.

Finding Your Bra Size

2006-07-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Your bra size is made up of 2 parts, your frame size and your cup size.
Step 1Put on your best fitting unpadded bra. Measure tightly around the body, directly under the bust, making sure the tape is straight across back.
This is your frame size.
Step 2Measure directly across fullest part of the bust--with arms at sides and standing erect. Make sure the tape is straight. Subtract your frame size from this second measurement.

This difference will determine your cup size.

If Measurement Difference is
Cup Size Is
up to 1" larger than frame size
A
up to 2" larger than frame size
B
up to 3" larger than frame size
C
up to 4" larger than frame size
D
up to 5" larger than frame size
DD
up to 6" larger than frame size
F
up to 7" larger than frame size
FF

The bra has enjoyed a colourful history

2006-07-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

. They were allegedly invented by an American named Otto Titzling (wrong!) and burned by feminists in the 1960’s.The “over-shoulder-boulder-holder” is a necessary evil in many women’s lives…but who do we have to blame for this often uncomfortable, but ever-so-sexy piece of clothing?

2500 BC: Women on the island of Crete begin using bra-like garments to lift their bare breasts out of their clothing.

450BC – 285AD: Roman and Greek women preferred to play down their chests, using a band strapped around their breasts to reduce their bust size.

1550’s AD: Catherine de Médicis, wife of King Henri II of France enforces a ban on "thick waists" at court functions through the introduction of the steel corset. The corset becomes the main undergarment of support and restraint for women.

1850’s: US patents are registered for the first known bra-like garments.1

850’s: Corsets fall out of style for about 10 years.

1860’s: Corsets return to fashion. Corset "training" becomes the norm - reducing waists to such unhealthy levels that ribs and internal organs become deformed. This sparks controversy over the health risk of corseting.

1875: Designer Susan Taylor Converse creates a garment called the “Union Under-Flannel” from woollen fabric. The garment is different to previous items as it has no-bones, eyelets, laces or pulleys. The garment is patented by manufacturers George Frost and George Phelps.

1889: Corset-maker Herminie Cadolle invents a bra-like garment called "Bien-être" ('Well-Being'.) The garment supports the breasts by the shoulders rather than squeezing them up from below like a traditional corset.

1893: Marie Tucek patents the "Breast Supporter". This garment is similar to modern-day bras in that it features a separate pocket for each breast, shoulder straps, and hook-and-eye closures.

1907: The ever-hip Vogue magazine first uses the term "brassiere" in its haloed pages. The term comes from the old French word for 'upper arm'. Prior to this, bra-like devices were known by the French term "soutien-gorge", which means "throat support" or "breast support".

1912: The term "brassiere" first appears in the Oxford English Dictionary.

1912: Garment maker Otto Titzling is said to have develop a bra for buxom singer Swanhilda Olafsen. Swanhilda lived in the same New York boarding house as Otto, and needed a supporting garment. She was the inspiration for Otto's breakthrough design, but Otto neglected to patent his creation, and therefore lost his chance to be the inventor of the bra.

1913: The first modern bra to be patented was a silk hanky and pink ribbon affair created by New York socialite Mary Phelps Jacob. Mary had bought a sheer evening dress to wear to an event, and at the time, the only undergarment available to her was a corset made with whaleback bones. Mary found that the bones showed through the sheer fabric and created her DIY alternative.

1914: After a year of sharing her creation with friends, Mary Phelps Jacob applies for a patent (under the business name "Caresse Crosby") on November 3 for her "Backless Brassiere" design. Mary’s "brassiere" was very lightweight, soft, and separated the breasts naturally. Unlike Marie Tucek's 1893 design, Jacob's garment did not have cups to support the breasts, but flattened them instead. Jacob markets the "Backless Brassiere" garment until she tires of the business and sells the patent to Warner Brothers Corset Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for $1,500. Warner's reportedly made over $15 million over the next 30 years from the patent.

1914-1918: The outbreak of World War I forces women into the work-force. Many women begin working in factories and wearing uniforms, making the use of daily corset wear a problem.

1917: The U.S. War Industries Board requests women to stop buying corsets to reduce the consumption of metal. Sources say up to 28,000 tons of metal was conserved through this effort - "enough to build two battleships."

1918 : Corset-makers began making bras designed to flatten rather than enhance the breasts.

1920’s: Warner introduces a tight, chest-flattening bra, in keeping with the Flapper styles of the day.
1928: Ida Rosenthal, a Russian immigrant, and her husband William found Maidenform. Ida is responsible for the creation of bust size categories (cup sizes) and developed bras for every stage of life - puberty to maturity.

1930’s: The shortened form of the word "brassiere" - the "bra" becomes popular.

1930’s: Warner produces the first popular all-elastic bra, which shows off a woman's curves.

1935: Warner's creates the modern cup sizing system (A to D), which is soon adopted by all bra manufacturers.

1940: Padding was added to bra cups.

1941-1945: Common fabric materials (cotton, rubber, silk and steel) are in short supply, so manufacturers turn to synthetic fabrics.1946: The first bikini hits the catwalk introduced in Paris.

1950s: Strapless bras were introduced allowing women to wear off-the-shoulder dresses and still use a bra.

1959 : Warners and Du Pont produced Lycra which is now used in most bras.

1968: The infamous “bra-burning” occurred, but it didn’t quite involve busty feminists stripping off their bras to “free” themselves in a male dominated society. A group of women were protesting the 1968 Miss America pageant and threw bras, girdles, high heels, make up and hairspray into a rubbish bin as a symbol of their anger. They were protesting for the liberation of women in a male dominated society, and saw these objects as restrictive to their cause. The rubbish bin was set alight – hence the “bra-burning” reference.

1973: The first no-bounce sports bra was introduced.

Bra history

2006-07-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Women have always tried to enhance their female figures by squeezing themselves into restricting, uncomfortable garments. Waists have been reduced and bustlines have been increased, decreased, flattened or spread out, depending on what was fashionable.

Back in 2500 B.C., warrior Minoan women on the Greek isle of Crete began wearing a bra-resembling garment, shoving their bare breasts upward and out of their clothes! Greek and Roman women later wore a breast band, minimizing their chest size.

During the Renaissance Period, women stuffed the chest portions of their undergarments with silk pouches and hankies, binding them in place as well as could be expected to create an alluring bustline. Since there was nothing much to hold the pouches exactly where they should have been, there was a tendency for them to shift into laughable positions.

Marie Tucek patented the actual first 'breast supporter' in 1893. Her foundation garment was similar to the bras sold today, having pouches for the breasts to sit in.

Then in 1913, Mary Phelps Jacob of New York and her maid, Marie, devised a backless bra to be worn under a sheer evening gown. She made this from two handkerchiefs, some ribbon and cord and amazingly started getting orders for it that very night. Not willing to let loose of a good thing, Jabobs showed up at the patent office in 1914 with sketches to finalize her patent. Her invention was awarded the title 'Backless Brassiere'.

It should be noted that Jacob's brassiere design was intended to flatten the breasts and not enhance them. Her invention didn't even have cups.

Without publicity, her brassiere business was doomed to sag and Mary sold her company to Warner Brothers Corset Company for just $1,500!

Ida and William Rosenthal went into business as the Maidenform Company in the 1920's as a protest against the notorious flat-chested flapper girls of the Roaring 20's. Ida was the actual inventor of brassiere cups and designed bras for every female figure from budding teens to the mature matron.

You wouldn't expect to see a mention of billionaire Howard Hughes here, would you?
Hughes used his aeronautical engineering knowledge to take an unknown starlet, Jane Russell, and turn her into an overnight star. Hughes designed a bra that took Russell's chesty assets and put them fully in the face of all gawking America.

Century-Fox had cancelled the agreement for Hughes to allow them to release 'The Outlaw'. Critics that had already seen it were panning it left and right. Censors were having a fit about Jane's breasts being overexposed due to Hughes' wonderfully inventive brassiere improvements. Millions of dollars stood to be lost.

Hughes had all his managers start a chain reaction of calling ministers, women's clubs and housewives telling them about the 'lewd picture' Hughes was about to release starring Jane Russell. They responded by protesting and wildly trying to have the film banned -- just the publicity Hughes needed to turn around the entire profit system and have the most incredible publicity machine in full gear. It was the bra that saved Hollywood.

Over the years, other innovations have been added to the basic bra such as the use of uplifting elastic, uses of lace and other elastics within the fabric.

Recent developments have surfaced in the health field. Some researchers say that full-time bra wearers are 21 times more likely to develop breast cancer than their non-bra wearing counterparts. The reasoning behind this is limiting of the functioning of the lymphatic system and the decreased removal of toxins from the breasts. This study was sharply criticized for not taking into consideration lifestyle differences such as smoking, alcohol, weight, etc.

Statistics show the average American woman owns six bras. Out of those six, one of is a strapless bra and one is a color other than white.

Breast Cancer: A Pinch of Cancer - Can Wearing a Bra Kill You?by William Thomas

2006-07-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

If you didn't burn yours in the 'Sixties, you might want to put it away now. "Bras cause breast cancer. It's open and shut," says medical researcher Syd Singer. The Singers became breast cancer sleuths in 1991. On the day Soma discovered a lump in her breast, the husband-wife team was studying the effects of Western medicine on Fijians. In the shower, Syd noticed that Soma's shoulders and breasts were outlined by dark red grooves. He remembered a puzzled Fijian woman asking his wife about her brassiere:"Doesn't it feel tight?" "You get used to it," Soma had replied.

Could bras be constricting breast tissue, Syd wondered, hampering lymph drainage and causing degeneration? Soma decided to stop wearing hers. But when Syd searched the medical literature he found no known causes of breast cancer, which rarely appears before a woman's mid-thirties, most often after 40. The highest death rates from breast cancer are in North America and northern Europe, with the developing world catching up fast. The World Health Organization calls chemical toxins the primary cause of cancer. But poisons accumulating in breast tissue are normally flushed by clear lymph fluid into large clusters of lymph nodes nestling in the armpits and upper chest. The Singers found that "because lymphatic vessels are very thin, they are extremely sensitive to pressure and are easily compressed." Chronic minimal pressure on the breasts can cause lymph valves and vessels to close.

" Less oxygen and fewer nutrients are delivered to the cells, while waste products are not flushed away," the Singers noted. After 15 or 20 years of bra-constricted lymph drainage, cancer can result. Looking at other cultures, Soma and Syd were struck by the low incidence of breast cancer in poorer nations awash in pesticides dumped by northern nations. They didn't find peasant women wearing push-up bras. Instead,they discovered that the Maoris of New Zealand, integrated into white culture, have the same rate of breast cancer, while Australia's marginalized aboriginals have virtually no breast cancer. The same trend held for "Westernized" Japanese, Fijians and other bra-converted cultures.

In Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, the researchers also observed that just before a woman begins her period, estrogen floods her system, causing her breasts to swell. If she continues wearing the same bra size, life-saving lymphatics will be even more tightly squished. Had they found the "estrogen link" to breast cancer? Childless women never fully develop their breast-cleansing lymphatic system. Nor do women who have never breast-fed. Working women who wear bras every day and postpone having children could be at higher risk, the Singers warn.

Even worse, a young woman's coming of age is often "marked" by her First bra. Like the ancient Chinese practice of foot-binding, "breast-binding" at puberty can eventually lead to severe medical complications. Could bras be the "missing link" in a growing epidemic of breast cancer? Beginning in May, 1991, Soma and Syd Singer's 30-month "Bra and Breast Cancer" study interviewed some 4,000 women in five major US cities. All were Caucasian of mostly "medium income" ranging in age from 30 to 79. Half had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost all of the women interviewed were unhappy with the size or shape of their breasts. Women who chose a bra for appearance, ignoring soreness and swelling, had twice the rate of breast cancer of those who did not.

But the most startling statistic was that three out of four women who wore their daytime bras to sleep contracted breast cancer. So did one out of seven women strapped into a bra more than 12 hours a day. Bra-free women have just a one in 168 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer, says Singer. The same as bra-free men.
"Don't sleep in your bra!" Syd Singer pleads. "Women who want to avoid breast cancer should wear a bra for the shortest period of time possible --certainly for less than 12 hours daily."Syd also submits that some 80% of bra-wearers who experience lumps, cysts and tenderness will see those symptoms vanish, "within a month of getting rid of the bra." Not everyone is ready to hang up her halter. As one woman told the team, "My breasts will sag all the way to my navel without a bra." But Surgeon Christine Haycock at the New Jersey College of Medicine says that inherited traits -- not ligaments or breast size -- are the reason some breasts give in to gravity. Bouncing bosoms help clear the lymphatics.

Well aware that their findings were "explosive," the Singers sent their survey results to the heads of America's most prestigious cancer organizations and institutes. None responded. Like the cancer business, the bra business is huge. Multiply how many worldwide women buy several $25 bras every year and you end up with a multiple of the $6 billion-a-year US bra business.
Syd Singer says that establishment censorship of the bra-breast cancer connection is killing women. Pointing to the biggest commonality among breast cancer patients, he's emphatic that it's bra-squeezed lymphatics. Going bra-less for all occasions, Soma began dressing to de-emphasize her breasts. She also began regular breast massage and bicycle riding, vitamin and herbal supplementation, and drinking only purified water. Two months later, her lump disappeared. At the first frightening sign of a lump, an angry Syd Singer says, "women should take their bras off before they take their breasts off." Why wait, when you can liberate your lymphatics now.

IF YOU MUST WEAR A BRA: Push-up and sports bras are out. Choose loose-fitting cotton bras. Make sure you can slip two fingers under the shoulder-straps and side-panels. The higher the side-panels, the more severe the restriction of major lymph nodes. Don't wear this disastrous device to sleep. Take it off at home. Massage your breasts every time you remove your bra. Sing your lymphatics into health -- or at least breathe deeply.Dressed To Kill: The Link between Breast Cancer and Bras $15.95by Sydney Ross Singer, Soma Grismaijer

2006-07-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

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