

4 Things Your Breasts Really Want You To Know

How to protect your breasts
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You’d think, given our cultural preoccupation with clevage, that women would know plenty about their own breasts. But there’s a lot we simply don’t understand, says Florence Williams, a science journalist and author of the book Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History. "Breasts are living a life they've never lived before,” says Williams, in part because we’re living longer than our ancestors—but also because the environment we’re living in has changed, too.

Here, 4 facts you need to know about your breasts—and what you can do to protect them.

1. Fact: They’re vulnerable.
Compared with other organs, breasts are hypersensitive to small changes in your hormones, which can be triggered by toxic chemicals we’re exposed to every single day.

Fix: Avoid products that contain estrogen-mimicking chemicals, particularly in food containers and personal-care products. Instead of eating canned food that contains the estrogenic BPA additive in the can lining, go with fresh or frozen. When buying shampoo and soap, opt for unscented, and steer clear of products that list "fragrance" or "parfum" as an ingredient.

MORE: 5 Everyday Habits That Can Make Your Breasts Sag

2. Fact: Breasts really do make guys dumb.
And there’s science to prove it: An evolutionary neuroscientist from Georgia Gwinnett College scanned the brains of college men as they eyed photos of breasts. The images set off the reward centers in their brains and consumed a valuable chunk of the men's brainpower. 

Fix: This one’s up to you. We’re all for flaunting what you’ve got if you want to. 

3. Fact: Our breasts are getting bigger.

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Cup sizes now reach never-before-seen dimensions like H and KK. And it’s not just the sizes that are changing, says Williams. Girls' breasts are starting to grow earlier than ever before—between ages 9 and 10—which is a major risk factor for breast cancer later in life, finds a University of North Carolina study. Many scientists believe chemicals exposure is behind the timing change of pubescence.

Fix: Ditch hormone-mimicking plastics wherever you can. Replace toxic, off-gassing vinyl shower curtains for cotton or hemp, invest in a stainless steel water bottle, and never heat plastic in the microwave or dishwasher—the heat accelerates chemical leaching.

MORE: 10 Things Your Breasts Say About You

4. Fact: Breast cancer isn't just a female thing.
While far less common than in women, men are still susceptible to the disease, and according to Williams, environmental exposure could be at play. For example, consider Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina that also bears the distinction of being home to the most contaminated public drinking water supply ever discovered in the US. From the 1950s through the mid ‘80s, the household water of 750,000 people was contaminated with cancer-causing benzene levels 76 times higher than the legal limit, as well as other toxic chemicals. Men who lived on the base now make up the largest cluster of male breast cancers ever discovered.

Fix: Ask your municipal water provider for a copy of its water testing results, and then filter accordingly with NSF-approved filters for each contaminant. If you have a well, be sure to perform water testing regularly.

You can also avoid benzene exposure in your home by swapping scented candles for natural beeswax ones.

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