Healthy Breasts 1: Your Bra

“Wearing a bra does more harm than good - it does nothing to reduce back pain and weakens the muscles that hold up the breasts, resulting in greater breast sagging”, Jean-Denis Rouillon, a sports science expert from the University of Besançon, France, reported after a 15-year study.

"Medically, physiologically, anatomically - breasts gain no benefit from being denied gravity. On the contrary, they get saggier with a bra."

The study found that the longer women wore bras the higher their risk of breast cancer.

• 24 hours a day – 3 in 4 risk

• More than 12 hour a day – 1 in 7 risk

• Less than 12 hours a day – 1 in 52 risk

• Rarely or never – 1 in 168 risk

The study also confirmed that when women stopped wearing a bra there was a widespread improvement in the health of their breasts.

Some healthy alternatives to bras are bandeaus, tank tops and camisoles. Another option is to try to go braless as often as you feel comfortable doing it.