Dressed To Kill

by Sydney Ross Singer

Do bras cause breast cancer?

Singer and Grismaijer have collected striking evidence that bra-wearing may be a major causal factor for breast cancer. According to the results of their 1991-93 Bra and Breast Cancer Study, described in this book, women who wear tight-fitting bras 24 hours a day are 125 times more likely to have breast cancer than women who do not wear bras at all.

Why would bras be linked to breast disease and cancer? It has to do with the effect of bras on breast circulation, specifically the effect of bras on the lymphatic system.

It is the bloodstream's job to deliver fresh, oxygenated fluid to the tissues and to remove carbon dioxide. It is the lymphatic system's job to remove fluid, called lymph, from the tissue spaces, along with debris, viruses, cancer cells, bacteria, toxins, and other unwanted material.

One important fact about the lymphatic system is that it is a passive drainage system. While the bloodstream delivers fluid under the pumping pressure of the heart, the lymphatic system has no pressure. Its flow is influenced by gravity, breathing, exercise and movement, and massage. And the slightest constriction or compression of the tissue can close the tiny lymphatic vessels down, inhibiting lymph flow and leading to fluid accumulation, cysts, pain, and tenderness. This fluid congestion within the tissue is called lymphedema.

Women who have fibrocystic breast disease essentially have lymphedema of the breast. Its cause, we discovered, is the impairment of lymphatic flow by pressure from the bra. Bras are elastic garments that exert constant pressure on the breast tissue. Their purpose is to push the breasts into a more fashionable shape. Yet, this pressure can cut down on flow within the lymphatic system, reducing its ability to remove fluid and toxins from the breast tissue.

The toxins that are within the breast tissue include some biochemical products of tissue edema, such as free radicals, which are known to cause cancer. In addition, there are also toxins in our air, food and water, including pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other products of our petrochemically polluted world. Many of these are known to cause cancer. We deliver these toxins to all our tissues each day through the bloodstream. It is the job of the lymphatics to remove these toxins. And it is this job that the bra inhibits by its compression and constriction of the breasts.

This is how bras cause breast cancer. Cancer causing toxins are delivered to the breast tissue by the bloodstream, and are kept there by the bra. The toxins are the bullets. The bra holds them in place, pointed directly at the breasts.

This explains why women have more cancer in the breast than elsewhere in their bodies. The breasts are the most clothing constricted of any organ. It also explains why women have more breast cancer than men, and why breast cancer is only a problem in cultures in which bras are worn. Where there are no bras, there is virtually no breast cancer.

Our study in Dressed To Kill was conducted on approximately 4700 U.S. women, about half of whom had breast cancer. We asked these women about their past bra-wearing attitudes and habits. What we discovered was that the women in the cancer group had a history of wearing bras tighter and longer than did the non-cancer group. In fact, many women in the cancer group slept with their bras on. Almost none were bra-free. This differed greatly from the non-cancer group.

When the results were analyzed, they revealed that women who wear bras over 12 hours daily have a dramatically increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to bra-free women.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I think EVERY woman needs to read this book. I would love it if others would perform studies to confirm their findings. The information presented here is highly plausible. I have a little fibrocystic problem and just changing a few things, because of this book, has made the problem almost completely go away in a month. I also appreciated the culturalism analysis that causes us to do these terrible things to our bodies. I loved Dr Singer's discovery of the 'whole' woman. Very respectful.

[Storystitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must read book. Sure it was written in 1995 but 19 years later its theory shows to have been correct. Hopefully the authors are thinking about a 20th Anniversary edition in order to update with new supporting research.

The author likens bra constriction to castrating a calf, "The band constricts the blood flow and starves the constricted tissue, which eventually shrivels up and withers away." I love this analogy! How does this not make sense to some people; as a 34 year old who has worn a bra for I'd say 20 years now, this is exactly what happens. Sure they won't turn blue and fall of in a week or anything but slow strangulation can have numerous effect on a person. I would say that I have always fallen into the 12 hours a day or less category, but after my research lately that amount has already dropped to only when leaving the house basis, and I am a stay at home mom. I only breast fed our two daughters for their 1st month of life but I hope it gave me some extra protection toward development. I had just bought our eldest daughter her 1st bra a couple months ago, a light, cotton shelf bra . I will definitely now make sure that both girls are encouraged to go bra free during their development and only wear constricting ones when needed.

What gets me is how women can do this to one another. We have all walked into Voluptuous Secret and been "fitted" with smiles that say "Don't worry how tight it is, just look how lacy it is, and think of all the adoring looks you will now get looking like a puffed up/stuffed turkey." My guess is their bras are cutting off circulation to their brains and they can't feel the pain it is causing anymore because they have gone numb.

For those that discredit this book because they "only skimmed it" must have missed this part:

"Are we saying that all cancers could be caused by clothing? Of course not! Tight clothing may simply serve as a handicap to our immune system because of its effect on the lymphatic system. In combination with......toxins, stress, poor diet, and so forth, the constriction of our bodies by clothing can set up a protracted process of degeneration, possibly leading to cancer."

Nearly 20 years later we all know cancers can be caused by a combination of factors. We all know that toxins from smoking, chemicals, processed food, and pesticide exposure are no longer doubted. It is well known that the body knows how to clean itself. So "The connection of bras to breast cancer, however, could be more than a correlation. Given the lymphatic mechanism we described, the relationship could be causal." Cut off your cleaning mechanisms and you are asking for trouble, ask anyone with liver or kidney failure. Overburden your immune system with toxins or exhaust it with stress ans it will not be able to do its job. No one questions the fact that the blood and lymph fluid cleanses the body and that you much have circulation for this to work; tight shoes or neckties get tossed without a 2nd thought by people all the time saying I feel like they are strangling me so why do you expect bras not to fit the category?

The myth that bras keep breasts from sagging is not covered with much depth in this book but you can read a great page on it at http://www.breastnotes.com/aware/awar...

Dr Mercola even has articles on his website:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/art...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/art...

Also check out The Breast Cancer Link to Bras on the Natural News website (read the comments from all the women going without bras)
http://www.naturalnews.com/045366_bre...

Saying this study wasn't scientific enough or whatever garbage reason some people give is just that. N=1 people! Pay attention to your body,
; red marks, breast pain and lumps (I have been there too) are not good signs. You don't ignore your foot when it starts to tingle because you are sitting on it or have tight elastic socks on.

[Ellen Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: Lots of food for thought about a possible link between confining bras and breast cancer.

Dressed to Kill by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer Square One Pub.

Despite the authors’ efforts to demonstrate (through their research) the link between breast cancer and bras to the American Cancer Society, the Kamen Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, as well as the pharmaceutical companies, their scientific information was not accepted and the link between restricted clothes, especially (underwire) bras was discredited. The politics of cancer is in play here and just learning about that is enough reason to read this book.

Square One’s publisher, Rudy Shur, thought this book was important enough to write three pages before the Preface section explaining his interest in this book since 1994, when it first came out. (The new edition was released in 2018.) Here are the final two sentences of his essay:
“There is no question in my mind that this book has many barriers to overcome; however, with the increasing rate of breast cancer in this country, the information it contains is too important to ignore.” I agree!

Many health food books, such as Dressed to Kill, are written by people who have experienced a serious health issue and resolved it through natural methods, followed by an eagerness to share their story. This book is one such effort by co-author Soma Grismaijer with the added input of her co-author husband, Sydney Ross Singer. Both are pioneers in the field of applied medical anthropology and when Soma found a lump in her breast while pregnant, this triggered their need to do research. As the back cover notes, their book is a “unique approach to researching and understanding the cultural causes of diseases….” Another reason to explore this book, since bras are a relatively new addition to women’s clothing, and the authors demonstrate through their research that in places where bras are not used (ex. countries with tribes where women wear nothing to cover their breasts), the cancer rate is much lower.

Basically, what attracted me to reading this book is the emphasis on the lymphatic system, which is often ignored or considered relatively unimportant in the medical field. Their explanation of how the lymphatic system works, is explained in Chapter Four, “The Big Picture.” Here I learned the importance of the lymph, a clear fluid that bathes the cells, cleaning out the body’s debris, waste, and toxins. More than 85% of the lymph fluid that flows from the breasts drains to the armpit or axillary lymph nodes. Some fluid also enters the nodes alongside the breastbone, with some downward fluid draining into the liver. (An illustration shows the placement of the nodes.) Key here is this sentence:

“If anything were to constrict the flow of lymph from the breast, there would be poor drainage of the breast tissue.” (p. 61) Bras that are constricting, especially those made with underwires, can constrict the important lymphatic flow and create problems, especially when a bra is worn more than 12 hours a day, since some women wear one to bed to be more “alluring” to her partner.

The key here is the focus on the lymphatic system, which I believe is underrated as an important part of our bodies, and if for no other reason, I learned a great deal about this system by reading this book written in lay terms.

The book is a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of bra wearing and how it is linked to our cultural expectation/mores in the developed world. (See Chapter 2: Making the Connection and Chapter 7: To B or not to B.) Their doggedness in their exploration is unrelenting and even though major the organizations mentioned above have ignored or disparaged their research, you need to read the book yourself to determine its validity.

On a personal note, I have been experimenting going braless, like the hippies in the 1960s and find I am very comfortable without the idea of going braless, at least at home. I have not yet tried this in public, but feel ready to put myself to the test.

I found this book fascinating, from the research to the cultural aspects, and even the fact that major cancer organizations don’t consider the important efforts of the authors, despite their scientific and cultural investigative efforts.

Read the book and make your own decision about whether wearing constricted clothing (belts, girdles, and especially bras) is worth the concern that you are not allowing the lymphatic system do its job of removing toxins from your body. You may not relinquish your bra altogether, but you may decide to wear it less or give up the underwire, as I did when I first read about this book in the 1990s. There is no cost to experiment on your own, and if you agree with the authors’ findings, you may be eliminating one of the (unacknowledged) risks for becoming a breast cancer candidate.

The book from Square One publishers is available in stores and online and costs under $20, a worthwhile investment in a woman’s overall health, because the lymph glands operate throughout the entire body and not just the breasts.

Here's the link to Square One: Dressed to Kill by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer Square One Pub.

Despite the authors’ efforts to demonstrate (through their research) the link between breast cancer and bras to the American Cancer Society, the Kamen Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, as well as the pharmaceutical companies, their scientific information was not accepted and the link between restricted clothes, especially (underwire) bras was discredited. The politics of cancer is in play here and just learning about that is enough reason to read this book.

Square One’s publisher, Rudy Shur, thought this book was important enough to write three pages before the Preface section explaining his interest in this book since 1994, when it first came out. (The new edition was released in 2018.) Here are the final two sentences of his essay:
“There is no question in my mind that this book has many barriers to overcome; however, with the increasing rate of breast cancer in this country, the information it contains is too important to ignore.” I agree!

Many health food books, such as Dressed to Kill, are written by people who have experienced a serious health issue and resolved it through natural methods, followed by an eagerness to share their story. This book is one such effort by co-author Soma Grismaijer with the added input of her co-author husband, Sydney Ross Singer. Both are pioneers in the field of applied medical anthropology and when Soma found a lump in her breast while pregnant, this triggered their need to do research. As the back cover notes, their book is a “unique approach to researching and understanding the cultural causes of diseases….” Another reason to explore this book, since bras are a relatively new addition to women’s clothing, and the authors demonstrate through their research that in places where bras are not used (ex. countries with tribes where women wear nothing to cover their breasts), the cancer rate is much lower.

Basically, what attracted me to reading this book is the emphasis on the lymphatic system, which is often ignored or considered relatively unimportant in the medical field. Their explanation of how the lymphatic system works, is explained in Chapter Four, “The Big Picture.” Here I learned the importance of the lymph, a clear fluid that bathes the cells, cleaning out the body’s debris, waste, and toxins. More than 85% of the lymph fluid that flows from the breasts drains to the armpit or axillary lymph nodes. Some fluid also enters the nodes alongside the breastbone, with some downward fluid draining into the liver. (An illustration shows the placement of the nodes.) Key here is this sentence:
“If anything were to constrict the flow of lymph from the breast, there would be poor drainage of the breast tissue.” (p. 61) Bras that are constricting, especially those made with underwires, can constrict the important lymphatic flow and create problems, especially when a bra is worn more than 12 hours a day, since some women wear one to bed to be more “alluring” to her partner.

The key here is the focus on the lymphatic system, which I believe is underrated as an important part of our bodies, and if for no other reason, I learned a great deal about this system by reading this book written in lay terms.

The book is a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of bra wearing and how it is linked to our cultural expectation/mores in the developed world. (See Chapter 2: Making the Connection and Chapter 7: To B or not to B.) Their doggedness in their exploration is unrelenting and even though major the organizations mentioned above have ignored or disparaged their research, you need to read the book yourself to determine its validity.

On a personal note, I have been experimenting going braless, like the hippies in the 1960s and find I am very comfortable without the idea of going braless, at least at home. I have not yet tried this in public, but feel ready to put myself to the test.

I found this book fascinating, from the research to the cultural aspects, and even the fact that major cancer organizations don’t consider the important efforts of the authors, despite their scientific and cultural investigative efforts.

Read the book and make your own decision about whether wearing constricted clothing (belts, girdles, and especially bras) is worth the concern that you are not allowing the lymphatic system do its job of removing toxins from your body. You may not relinquish your bra altogether, but you may decide to wear it less or give up the underwire, as I did when I first read about this book in the 1990s. There is no cost to experiment on your own, and if you agree with the authors’ findings, you may be eliminating one of the (unacknowledged) risks for becoming a breast cancer candidate.

The book from Square One publishers is available in stores and online and costs under $20, a worthwhile investment in a woman’s overall health, because the lymph glands operate throughout the entire body and not just the breasts.

Dressed to Kill by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer Square One Pub.

Despite the authors’ efforts to demonstrate (through their research) the link between breast cancer and bras to the American Cancer Society, the Kamen Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, as well as the pharmaceutical companies, their scientific information was not accepted and the link between restricted clothes, especially (underwire) bras was discredited. The politics of cancer is in play here and just learning about that is enough reason to read this book.

Square One’s publisher, Rudy Shur, thought this book was important enough to write three pages before the Preface section explaining his interest in this book since 1994, when it first came out. (The new edition was released in 2018.) Here are the final two sentences of his essay:
“There is no question in my mind that this book has many barriers to overcome; however, with the increasing rate of breast cancer in this country, the information it contains is too important to ignore.” I agree!

Many health food books, such as Dressed to Kill, are written by people who have experienced a serious health issue and resolved it through natural methods, followed by an eagerness to share their story. This book is one such effort by co-author Soma Grismaijer with the added input of her co-author husband, Sydney Ross Singer. Both are pioneers in the field of applied medical anthropology and when Soma found a lump in her breast while pregnant, this triggered their need to do research. As the back cover notes, their book is a “unique approach to researching and understanding the cultural causes of diseases….” Another reason to explore this book, since bras are a relatively new addition to women’s clothing, and the authors demonstrate through their research that in places where bras are not used (ex. countries with tribes where women wear nothing to cover their breasts), the cancer rate is much lower.

Basically, what attracted me to reading this book is the emphasis on the lymphatic system, which is often ignored or considered relatively unimportant in the medical field. Their explanation of how the lymphatic system works, is explained in Chapter Four, “The Big Picture.” Here I learned the importance of the lymph, a clear fluid that bathes the cells, cleaning out the body’s debris, waste, and toxins. More than 85% of the lymph fluid that flows from the breasts drains to the armpit or axillary lymph nodes. Some fluid also enters the nodes alongside the breastbone, with some downward fluid draining into the liver. (An illustration shows the placement of the nodes.) Key here is this sentence:
“If anything were to constrict the flow of lymph from the breast, there would be poor drainage of the breast tissue.” (p. 61) Bras that are constricting, especially those made with underwires, can constrict the important lymphatic flow and create problems, especially when a bra is worn more than 12 hours a day, since some women wear one to bed to be more “alluring” to her partner.

The key here is the focus on the lymphatic system, which I believe is underrated as an important part of our bodies, and if for no other reason, I learned a great deal about this system by reading this book written in lay terms.

The book is a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of bra wearing and how it is linked to our cultural expectation/mores in the developed world. (See Chapter 2: Making the Connection and Chapter 7: To B or not to B.) Their doggedness in their exploration is unrelenting and even though major the organizations mentioned above have ignored or disparaged their research, you need to read the book yourself to determine its validity.

On a personal note, I have been experimenting going braless, like the hippies in the 1960s and find I am very comfortable without the idea of going braless, at least at home. I have not yet tried this in public, but feel ready to put myself to the test.

I found this book fascinating, from the research to the cultural aspects, and even the fact that major cancer organizations don’t consider the important efforts of the authors, despite their scientific and cultural investigative efforts.

Read the book and make your own decision about whether wearing constricted clothing (belts, girdles, and especially bras) is worth the concern that you are not allowing the lymphatic system do its job of removing toxins from your body. You may not relinquish your bra altogether, but you may decide to wear it less or give up the underwire, as I did when I first read about this book in the 1990s. There is no cost to experiment on your own, and if you agree with the authors’ findings, you may be eliminating one of the (unacknowledged) risks for becoming a breast cancer candidate.

The book from Square One publishers is available in stores and online and costs under $20, a worthwhile investment in a woman’s overall health, because the lymph glands operate throughout the entire body and not just the breasts.

Here's the publisher's link:
http://www.squareonepublishers.com/Ti...

[Ivana Blaťáková · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prekvapive zajimava utla knizecka, kterou clovek precte za chvilku. Ma pro me jak kladnou, tak zapornou stranku. Pozitivni je to, ze poskytuje zajimave myslenky k necekanemu tematu, podlozene zajimavymi lekarskymi / vedeckymi argumenty, ale negativni je jednak neuveritelna zbytecna rozvlacnost, ktera je bohuzel pro americke autory typicka (stejne mnozstvi informaci by evropsky autor dokazal vmestnat na polovinu, ne-li jen tretinu stranek), jednak na muj vkus zbytecne zarazeni podrobneho rozboru provedene dotaznikove studie.
Kazdopadne jako celek je knizka zajimava, to urcite.

[Svetlana Kurilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a controversial study with shocking results. Who would have thought that there is a correlation between wearing a bra and a chance of getting a breast cancer!

Meanwhile, this research was completed with a participation of over 4000 women and outcomes are very convincing.

If you care about your health more than about fashion trends, please read this book! And if you wear your bra regularly, make sure it is comfortable and doesn't leave marks on your skin.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Warning: Bra Wearing May Be Hazardous to Your Health."

Insightful reading on the connection between wearing a bra and breast cancer.

I have gone bra-less since 2017!

[Marcela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book every woman on the planet should read!!

[MyImpossibleList · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for every woman and man who has a woman he wants to protect.

[Tena DeGraaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for ALL women!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman, and every person who loves a woman, should read this book. Incredibly thought-provoking. While it may be uncomfortable to confront our attitudes, behaviors, cultural beliefs, and social mores concerning the female body (particularly breasts), our very lives may well depend on it. The time has come to decide whether culturally imposed notions of beauty should trump the health and welfare of the female population. After reading this book, we must ask ourselves, "What are we prepared to value the most?"

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explained the studies the author did with women who wore bras a good part of the day (some were 24/7) vs those who didn't or not much. There was a real correlation with breast cancer because the lymph is not allowed to circulate in the breast. They also looked at painful breasts or lumps. They went away when stopped wearing tight fitting bras. They looked at cultures in other countries as well. He explained why this information is kept quiet.

[Alice Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman, and every person who knows and loves a woman needs the information in this book! The author successfully draws on research and gives a valid reason for the link between bras and breast cancer. I have shared the information from this book with every female client I have seen since reading it!

[June]

it's reffered in the BBC Documentary.

[Tim Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone concerned about breast cancer should read this!

[Regina Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read the whole book, just skimmed through it, but it made sense to me!

[LaDonna Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The connection is scary!

[Debbie Hammer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend reading this book to all women everywhere and those whose lives they touch. While you may or may not agree with the evidence provided by the authors, they make a compelling case in support of their theory. It is well worth your time and may be a lifesaver in the end.