healingways
Herbs Enhance
Healthy Breast Tissue
by Joel Faville
U
sing herbs for
breast health and
enhancement is nothing new.
Their healing and mastogenic effects
(the enlargement and growth of healthy
breast tissue), have been recognized by
their milk. In American folk medicine,
various cultures throughout the world.
fenugreek was considered a potent pro-
Modern science is just becoming aware
moter of menstruation. It even became
of the healthy aspects of such phytoe-
a key ingredient in Lydia E. Pinkham’s
strogens (natural plant compounds
Vegetable Compound, one of 19th
that mimic estrogen) and their role in
century America’s most popular pat-
increasing the size and health of the
ent medicines for “female weakness”
breasts.
(menstrual discomfort).
Fenugreek Saw Palmetto
For centuries, rumors have floated out Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens; Sabal
of the Middle East noting that harem serrulata), now a popular treatment for
women historically have been fed prostate enlargement in men, originally
fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum- had a place in natural medicine as a
graecum) to make them more buxom. breast enlarger. Late 19th century author
According to the phytochemical data- and artist Susan Hale noted that Native
bases of James Duke, Ph.D., a former Americans in the southeastern United
researcher with the U.S. Department of States used saw palmetto berries for both
Agriculture, the seeds contain diosgenin food and medicine, including “the treat-
and other mild plant estrogens. He ment of infertility in women, treatment
notes in his seminal book, The Green of underdeveloped breasts, increased
Pharmacy, that, like natural estrogen, lactation [and] painful menstruation
these compounds can increase healthy cycles.” Duke reports that naturopathic
breast tissue. physicians still recommend it today for
In India, traditional ayurvedic its breast-enhancing effects; in numer-
physicians have long prescribed fenu- ous studies, the herb has shown no side
greek to nursing mothers to increase effects or drug interactions.
12
Southwestern Virginia
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