With age, a woman’s breasts lose fat, tissue, and mammary glands due to the decrease in the body’s production of estrogen that occurs at menopause. Without estrogen, the gland tissue shrinks, and the breasts lose their fullness and firmness. The connective tissue that supports the breasts becomes less elastic and causing the breasts to take on a stretched and saggy appearance.
No matter which stage of your life you are at now, it is important to take good care of your breasts to prevent pre-mature aging and sagging. If they are already saggy, do not give up on them yet. There are many ways to perk them up too.
Wear the Correct Bra Size
According to Planning and Product Director, Isabelle Stahl of Triumph International, 64 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. According to her, out of the 64, 29 percent do that intentionally because they believe this will add additional comfort.
Are you wearing the correct bra size? When a bra is too tight, it restricts the blood circulation and natural movement of your breasts, giving you back and chest pain. When a bra is too loose, there is absolutely no support and your breasts are subjected to the force of gravity 24 hours a day, and the result is any woman’s nightmare – sagging breasts.
Wearing a correctly fitted bra will improve your breast health and perk them up. In addition, your body is constantly changing and so it is important to get fitted every 6 months.
Wear Different Types of Bra
Have a closet of various types of bra for various occasions. Do not wear each bra type for long lengths of time, especially for a sports bra and push-up bra.
Sports bra compresses your bust and should be worn only when doing workout. After that, change to a comfortable support bra. I have seen women whose breasts have grown to become very wide apart due to years of wearing only sports bra since their teenage years.
Wearing push-up bra helps to create cleavage but it should only be worn whenever necessary to make you look stunning in your outfits when the occasion calls for it. The constant pushing up effect creates creases in the breast skin, which may accelerate the appearance of wrinkles. However, push-up bra technology has improved over the past years. The latest push-up bra from Triumph uses memory foam which shapes according to your breast contour, and thus creating no creases.
Relax with No Bra
Give your breasts time to breathe! But no big movement like jumping or running without a bra! If you have a small bust, you may also consider sleeping without a bra during hot weather days.
Massage Breasts Daily
Give your breasts a daily dose of love by gently massaging them with breast firming serum or cream. Each morning, apply on the bust and massage gently in circular motions. Start with areolas and nipples and then move up to the armpits and neck. Advocates of breast massage believe that it will help mobilize your lymphatic system and remove the toxins, fats, and excess hormones, keeping your breasts toned, firmed, and healthy
Improve Posture
I had a customer, who was in her 50s and she lamented that her breasts had sagged, leaving the bra cup with empty space at the top. I told her to stand straight and do not slouch. Once she did that, her bust was instantly lifted up by her good posture and filled up the cup. So, keeping a good posture of pulling your shoulders back and tucking in your tummy will provide your bust with a natural lift. Regular practice of yoga, pilates, and Tai Chi can also help to improve your posture.
Exercise Regularly
Our human body is designed for movement and so we need regular exercise. Movements that build upper body strength, such as wall push-up, will help to increase blood flow to the breasts. It can also help to balance your hormones, build immunity, and cleanse your body of toxins.
Eat Nourishing Diet
Eat a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in fats with an emphasis on good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) over bad fats (saturated and trans fats).
According to the Breast Cancer Foundation Singapore website, although several studies have suggested that eating a diet high in fat may increase the risk of breast cancer, other studies have not found this to be so. However, a high-fat diet can result in other cancers and heart disease, and so it is still best to limit fat intake. In addition, chemicals called phytoestrogens (plant hormones), found in a variety of vegetables and soya, may protect against developing breast cancer as well as slow down its growth.
Cut down your intake of alcohol. Limit it to less than one alcoholic drink a day.
Do Breast Self-Examination
Breast Self Examination (BSE) should be done once each month. The most important thing a woman can do is to be aware of her own body. If you notice any change, or if you find that something is not normal for you, quickly see a doctor to get it checked out.
