It is another
interesting topic today on Know Your Own Health. For the newbies, BB Health
Talk is a column where health–related issues are examined to help us get more
conscious about our health.
Even though women have
different reactions to their breasts, one thing is certain: every woman desires
healthy pair.
Physicians say the
health of the female breasts are usually determined by the lifestyle of their
owners, even when some circumstances are truly beyond human control.
While we may not have
the power to overrule certain things, we can shape the health of our breasts
through healthy eating and sensible lifestyle.
A psychologist, Dr.
’Bode Akinbolawa, notes that though body shapes differ and women come in
various shapes and sizes, many women fantasize about having the so-called ideal
body shape, and the breasts happen to be the defining point in this regard.
“It’s the main reason
some women resort to plastic surgery to improve the shape and size of their
breasts,” Akinbolawa notes.
Risks of breast implants
Many women take to
breast implants in order to enhance the shape and size of their breasts.
Researchers agree that breast implants boost women’s confidence socially and
enhances their sex lives. But then, how healthy are breast implants? What are
the likely long-term effects?
For one, experts at the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons warn that stretch marks can occur if
breast implants are significantly larger than the original breasts were.
Worse, the United States
Food and Drug Administration cautions that some of the complications and
adverse outcomes of breast implants sometimes include additional surgeries,
with or without the removal of the device; and formation of scar tissue around
the implants.
Again, physicians warn
that patients sometimes experience breast pain, as well as changes in nipple
and breast sensation after implants. The implants may also rupture, especially
in cases of silicone gel-filled implants.
An oncologist, Dr. Remi
Ajekigbe, warns that while breast implants do not appear to increase the risk
of breast cancer, scientists are still examining a possible link between
implants and a slightly increased risk of anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
Indeed, a new study by a
group of Canadian scientists states that the presence of breast implants may
hide developing tumours when women undergo mammogram. As such, by the time
their doctors know what is happening, their cancer is more advanced.
According to experts,
most implants are filled with saline solution or silicone, which are
radio-obscure — that is, X-rays cannot penetrate them — so, they cast a shadow,
obscuring the breast tissue that lies behind them. That way, between a fifth
and four fifths of the breast tissue cannot be seen.
And if you are a woman
who looks forward to having a baby someday, breast implants may make it harder
for you to breastfeed, experts say.
Meanwhile, the longer a
woman has the implants, the greater the chances that she will develop
complications, some of which will require more surgery.
A nurse consultant at
FDA’s Centre for Devices and Radiological Health, Gretchen Burns, warns, “The
life of these devices varies according to the individual. All women with
implants will face additional surgeries, though no one can tell them when.
“While a few women have
kept their original implants for 20-30 years, that is not the common
experience.”
Eat for your breasts
Consultant Nutritionist,
Dr. Simeon Oladimeji, says the place of good foods cannot be underestimated when
it comes to human health. It goes without saying that a healthy body will
nurture a pair of healthy breasts. So, what kind of foods can nurture our
breasts? These ones…
Fruits and vegetables
Oladimeji says a diet
lacking in essential vitamins and minerals may show in the condition of our
skin. Sweet potato, spinach, kale and butternut squash are rich in vitamin A
and can help nourish the delicate skin in the breast area, experts say.
Again, vitamin E-rich
foods such as green leafy vegetables, avocados, olive oil, broccoli, etc., are
helpful because vitamin E is important when it comes to increasing breast size.
Eat balanced diet
Oladimeji counsels us to
include lean protein in every meal. Lean protein foods include meat, fish,
chicken, turkey, eggs, dairy, beans, soy foods, nuts and seeds.
He urges the reduction
or elimination of sugar in all forms, including packaged foods. Instead, he
says, we should eat a variety of sea foods such as shrimps, lobster, crabs,
etc., as they can improve the speed of oestrogen, which boosts more breast
tissue.
Go easy on alcohol
Studies show that women
who drink more than three drinks a day have 1.5 times the risk of developing
breast cancer than do non-drinkers. So, go easy on alcohol. Instead, eat
healthy foods such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and greens as they
contain indoles (a class of phytochemicals associated with cancer prevention).
Indoles-rich foods are believed to aid the body in reducing oestrogen levels.
The bottom line: breast
health is a serious issue. Take care of yours.
Written
by Solaade
Ayo-Aderele
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