Stress and Breast Health

Stress and Breast Health

Manage Your Stress and Improve Breast Health

It is well known that distress which leads to tension, anxiety, fear and sleep disturbance may increase the risk of disease later in life.  Just like any other organ system in the body, the breasts are also an organ system susceptible to damage by excess distress.  In fact, Helgesson et al showed that stress may even double the risk of breast cancer.  Also, increased cortisol due to stress may lead to decreased progesterone and cause an increase in the ratio between estrogen to progesterone.  This hormonal imbalance may lead to fibrocystic breasts, which many women suffer from—symptoms may include lumpy and painful or sensitive breasts before menses.  Chronic distress leading to adrenal exhaustion may also result in poor blood sugar regulation and weight gain.  Increased body fat increases inflammation in the body and also increases the estrogen: progesterone ratio as estrogen is produced in fat cells.  Even in Chinese medicine, “Qi stagnation”, which often results from excess worry, anger and frustration, is associated with painful and lumpy breasts as well as low milk supply in the breastfeeding mother.

 

Ways to manage stress:

• Identify the stressors—know which stressors help us to develop and grow (eustress) and which ones weaken us (distress).  Eliminate the stressors when possible, but if they cannot be removed, adaptive mechanisms should be strengthened.
• Diet & Nutrition—decrease intake of all refined sugars, but increase intake of dark leafy greens (beet, radish, mustard, dandelion, collard greens, kale, spinach, swiss chard, bok choy, rapini) and  good quality fats & proteins.  Additional B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium may support our body’s own resources to adapt to stress.  Amino acids including GABA and L-theanine may help to balance our brain chemistry and improve stress responses. *
• Exercise—include at least 20min/day of physical activity (ensure that your heart rate has increased)
• Sleep—aim to get into bed by 10:30 and sleep by 11PM at the latest.  Do not over do it on “good days” when you are full of energy
• Acupuncture—regular acupuncture treatments may help resolve Qi stagnation
• Botanical medicine—various herbs including Rhodiola, Siberian ginseng, ashwaghanda and licorice are well known “adaptogens” that help support & nourish the organs responsible for stress adaptation (e.g. adrenal glands and thyroid).*
• Laugh & Dance

*To know which nutrients or botanical medicines are appropriate for you, please see a Naturopathic Doctor for guidance