Breast Health & Awareness: 10 Ways to Support Yourself

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but true breast health is something to nurture all year long — it’s a way of living, not just a month of focus. Let’s dedicate time and energy to caring for this vital part of our bodies. Here is ome empowering insight with simple ways to support yourself year-round.

Stagnation Is the Precursor to Disease

Think of your body like a river: when the water flows freely, it stays fresh and healthy. But if rocks and debris build up, the flow slows down, sediment collects, and the water quality changes. Our bodies work the same way — movement is key to health on all levels. Our breast health is more than what is happening in the breast tissue, its about how things are flowing above the breast (face, neck) and below (diaphragm, digestive system, elimination system). It all needs to be flowing. 

Stagnation is the beginning of imbalance and, over time, can lead to physical changes like lumps or tightness. It often starts subtly: tension in the chest, shallow breathing, neck stiffness, constipation, menstrual pain, or sluggish digestion. Over time, this tension builds heat and congestion. The key is to keep things moving.

Ways to Support Chest and Breast Circulation

Acupuncture & Acupressure – Regular acupuncture keeps your energy pathways open & energy effects solids (fluids& tissue). The Stomach and Small Intestine meridians both influence the breasts — the Stomach channel runs through the front of the chest, while the Small Intestine runs behind it. Supporting the Lung meridian also promotes chest circulation. At home, gently massage Jing-Well points on these channels to invigorate them. Four additional meridians course the chest and can be used to keep things flourishing. Acupuncturists use tongue, pulse, palpation and your reports to decide how best to support your body’s flow. All the meridians flow into each other creating a continuous flow in a balanced way. 

Herbs – Earth’s medicine offers deep support. In Chinese medicine, herbs like Qing Pi and Zhi Shi move Qi in the chest, while Gua Lou and Ban Xia help disperse clumping and phlegm. Herb. NOTE: Herbs work best when chosen specifically for you. Work with an herbalist who can tailor formulas to your needs. 

Dry Brushing – Gently brush your face, neck, and collarbone area before showering to stimulate lymph flow. Just five minutes a day can make a difference.

Gua Sha – A few gentle strokes on your face, neck, and upper chest help move Qi and blood, clear stagnation, and encourage lymphatic drainage.

Movement – Jiggle, jiggle, bounce, bounce and keep lymph and blood moving. Shake your breast before, during or after your showers. Hold your breast, massage them, love them up! Take bras off when you get home, wear wire free bras, wear looser clothing, or go braless when you can. Qigong & Taichi are also especially effective because movement is paired with the breath and there is focus on harnesses Qi (life force energy).

Move Stuck Emotions – Emotions affect the body’s flow. Don’t let things “sit on your chest.” Acknowledge what hurts, talk it out, move it through. Meditation, journaling, somatic therapy, EMDR, or talk therapy can help process life’s challenges.

Elimination – Keep your bowels moving! The colon is the body’s trash can — if it’s backed up, the whole system stagnates. Regular cleansing and seasonal fasting can help the body clear toxins and maintain flow.

Reduce Plastics & Toxins – It is no longer a secret that toxins are in our food, air and water. This can be an overwhelming fact and we always do the best we can. Stop using plastic to store food & water, clean with simple biodegradable products like vinegar, consumable ethanol alcohol (isopropyl alcohol is a toxin; so a bottle of water diluted cheap vodka to clean works), castor oil soaps, cook in non-aluminum and uncoated pots & pans. Refer to the Rid you life of Toxins blog for more information with replacement examples.

Diet – You are what you eat, literally. What we consume becomes us. Always include at least slightly cooked vegetables in as many meals as you can (organic is always a plus).

Imaging & Awareness

Most women are taught to screen for breast disease, not how to care for their breasts. Mammograms are a detection method but physicians don’t offer guidance for prevention or vitality.

Thermography is a wonderful complement — it can reveal heat and stagnation patterns before structural changes occur. The imaging is generally easy to understand and offers empowering information as a preventative. It can take the fear away.  I recommend Thermography for Health NYC, where you’ll receive a detailed report and a library of self care resources. Understanding your body this way empowers you to make preventive, healing choices.

A major difference in these screenings is that Mammograms only focus on the breast while thermography takes a look at your torso including your neck & digestive system (above & below your breast).

Chest Health Is for Everyone

Men can also develop congestion or disease in chest tissue. Chest health isn’t just a women’s issue — it’s a human one.

Remember, to make lifestyle habits stick, start slow and build with ease.