Yes, that's right, I said it. Free the nipple. This is a phrase we've now all come to hear pretty often. Its primary use is a large part of feminism. Freeing the nipple hopes to desexualize the female body. While this is a woman's empowerment fight, I think you should be freeing it for another reason.
Free the nipple to keep yourself healthy.
Underwire bras have been popular for decades, setting new fashion trends and encompassing an entire industry. But what you don't know is that that little bit of metal wire is actually bad for your health.
In 1975, Dr. George Goodheart, known as the "the father of applied kinesiology," wrote about what he calls the "Antenna Effect." He discovered that by taping a small metal ball to an acupuncture point, you could achieve longer-term stimulation. Since your underwire is complete metal, it's no surprise that it can produce the same kind of stimulating result, but don't let the word stimulating fool you. While the initial response to the pressure from the underwire is creating an increased function in the points affected, it later causes a type of sedation.
Under your breasts are two neuro-lymphatic reflex points. The reflex under your right breast corresponds to your liver and gall bladder, while the left corresponds to your stomach. While there is no immediate effect of having the pressure of underwire against your reflexes, it builds up, and over time can have severe results.
After the initial stimulation of the constant pressure, the overstimulation causes sedation to the point where there is a decrease in its associated function. Over time, the pressure of the underwire will make you sick, and will do so without your knowledge.
In addition, the constant wear of underwire is going to make your breasts sag. Sports science researcher Jean-Denis Rouillon led a team that conducted a 15-year study on the effect of bras on 330 women, aged 18 to 35. The study found that wearing a bra early on did nothing to help support the chest, reduce back pain or prevent the breasts from sagging. Researchers believe that "young women would gain more tone and supporting breast tissue if no bra were used." So while you're trying to help your boobs out and give them support, you're actually hurting them.
Women in the study who chose to stop wearing bras actually showed to have perkier breasts. Dr. Stafford Broumand states, "For younger women, not wearing a bra will lead to increased collagen production and elasticity, which improves lift in a developing breast." Why do you think everyone's boobs looked so great in the `60s and `70s? Because no one was wearing bras and their breasts could handle life on their own.
So whether you stop wearing underwire or stop wearing bras completely is up to you. But just go home, unclip your bra and put the rest of them in the closet. You won't be needing them anytime soon. In all sense of the word, free the nipple. It's going to help you live to be a happier and healthier you.
