Tips to improve breast size, texture and feel

 How much do you know about your breast?"

In order to enhance your breasts (shape, firm and tone your breast tissue including the muscles that support the breast), research show that there are a number everyday things that women can do in their home or at the health club.

There are four methods that will be discussed in this article: Exercise, Using lotion, Food/Herbs and Supplements

Exercise 

The pectoral (chest) muscles that lie directly under our breasts can be toned and strengthened to give them a lift, making them appear fuller.

Exercises like Push Ups, Press Ups, Chest flies, Pectoral Press, Palm Pushes, Normal Chest Press, Dumbbell Floor Chest Press and Dumbbell Bench Press (Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly, Incline Bench Press, Cable Crossovers, Resistance Band Bench Press, Chest Dips) help enhance the size and appearance of the breast.

Perform pectoral exercises three to four times a week for perkier, fuller and ultimately bigger breasts.  For instructions on how to carry out the exercises, read our article: “Exercises to help enhance your breast”

Note that the breasts are also made up of mammary glands and fatty tissue. Chest exercises can help build up the muscle, but it cannot do anything with fatty tissue.

Using lotion   

Breast-enhancing lotions:  apply to breasts on a daily basis working upwards and in a circular motion.  Use steady massaging motions to apply the lotion in order to promote the development of fat cells in the breast, improve the circulation, tone up your muscles and improve the skin as well.

Estrogen

Estrogen is a female hormone that helps direct more fat depositing cells into the breast and regulates breast growth.  Also, women with hormone imbalance commonly have smaller breasts due to lower levels of estrogen and their bodies may produce larger amounts of testosterone that prohibits breast growth. So increasing this in your body by taking estrogen supplements or eating foods that promote estrogen production is said to help increase your breast size.

1.  Whole grain foods (oats, or barley) to counteract the effects of lower amounts of estrogen.
2.  Fresh fruits and vegetables to regulate the levels of testosterone in your body so it does not become elevated.
3. Fresh strawberries and blueberries to protect your skin cells from free radicals and promote breast tissue growth. 
4. Foods high in phytoestrogens (a chemical in plant which behaves the same way as human estrogen) can stimulate breast tissues (e.g. soy foods, flax seeds, sesame seeds, garlic, dried apricots, sweet potatoes, pomegranates, hummus, olive oil, peanuts, flax seeds, soy).  
5. Herbal supplements that contain phytoestrogens  (saw palmetto, dong quai, red clover and wild yam). 
6. Specific herbs contain a mastogenic effect which aids estrogen in breast growth and health (fenugreek, saw palmetto, wild yam, and fennel). 
7. Fruits like apples - are high in estrogen. Eating apples is said to be your best bet to increase your bust size, if eaten on a regular basis. Pomegranates - contain estrogen, which stimulates breast enhancement.  
8. Chocolate is also said to help stimulate the breast enhancing process. 

Herbs

Fennel - rich in flavonoids which cause cell tissues in the breast to grow and widely used for centuries as a natural way to increase milk growth in new mothers. It can be eaten alone or added to salads and sandwiches. Add recipes that use fennel into your daily diet or rub lotions containing fennel on your chest.

Wild yam - a natural sexual stimulant is rich in phyto-nutrients that promote healthy breast cell growth, is used as herbal tonic for women's health, to aids in premenstrual syndrome, menopause and breast enlargement. Wild yam can be taken in supplement form, infused into a tea or added to a lotion that is directly applied to the chest.

Sesame Seeds- are rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron and protein – a unique combination that helps firm and enlarge the breasts. Sprinkle over salad, apply sesame oil directly on the breasts, eat breads with sesame seeds, hummus regularly as they contain tahini a paste made from sesame seeds.

Fenugreek - contain high amounts of diosgenin, a chemical compound that promotes breast cell growth. Take daily fenugreek supplements to increase breast size.

Saw Palmetto- contains phyto-nutrients which helps naturally promote breast growth. You can take daily saw palmetto supplements for breast enlargement.

Flax Seed - is high in phytoestrogens, which are essential to breast cell growth and production. They can be found in chips or whole grain products like cereal or bagels.

Other herbs usedto increase breast size and help reduce the risk of breast cancer are (Dong Quai, Blessed Thistle, Dandelion, Kelp, Watercress, L-Tyrosine, Soy Isoflavones, Red Clover and Black Cohosh )

Please note that eating very large quantities of phytoestrogen foods might result in a slight breast tissue swelling and can stimulate estrogen sensitive breast cancer cells so women with breast cancer or at risk of breast cancer should not eat a lot of phytoestrogen-rich foods.

Exercises to help enhance your breast

 These simply exercises help firm the chest pectoral muscles which support your breasts stimulating the breast tissue in the process.

Push Ups

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First: Lay flat on your stomach on the ground or an exercise mat with your legs together and your palms flat on the ground resting near your shoulder (initially slightly wider than shoulder-width apart to target your outer chest muscles).

Second: Contract your abdominal muscles then exhale as you slowly push yourself up (putting your weight on your palms and toes) while keeping your knees locked, your hands in line with your shoulders and back straight.

Third: Now Inhale as you slowly lower your entire body down until you almost touch the ground by bending outwards at the elbows.

Fourth: Then push yourself up again to start the next repetition.

Fifth: You can modify the push ups to target your inner chest muscles by placing your palms closer together.

Modified:

(Easier option- Standard push ups):

 

Image from womansday.com                     Image from shape.com

Second: Contract your abdominal muscles then exhale as you slowly push yourself up (putting your weight on your palms and thighs) while keeping your knees on the ground, your hands in line with your shoulders and back straight.

 (Challenging option - Descending push ups): 

Image from womenshealthmag.com

First: Lay flat on your stomach on the ground or an exercise mat with your hands flat on the ground resting near your shoulder (initially slightly wider than shoulder-width apart to target your outer chest muscles) and your legs together on an elevated surface like step, bench or chair. Start from a lower elevated surface like the first step of the stairs and work up to a higher elevated surface like a chair.

Second: Contract your abdominal muscles then exhale as you slowly push yourself up (putting your weight on your palms and toes) while keeping your knees locked, your hands in line with your shoulders and back straight.

 (Challenging option - Ascending push ups):

Image from eatercise.com.au

First: Kneel on the ground or exercise mat with your palms flat on an elevated surface like step, bench or chair. Start from a lower elevated surface like the first step of the stairs and work up to a higher elevated surface like a chair.  Keep your legs together and your palms initially slightly wider than shoulder-width apart (to target your outer chest muscles).  

Second: Contract your abdominal muscles then slowly exhale as you push yourself up (putting your weight on your palms and toes) while keeping your knees locked, your hands in line with your shoulders and back straight.

Note:

Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, push into your hands, lifting your chest as you straighten your arms and lift your chin to the sky. Lift as high as you can comfortably; however, try to keep your legs relaxed to engage the muscles of your arms and chest. Roll your shoulders down, pulling your shoulder blades together and hold the position for ten counts before gently lowering yourself down. Repeat three to five times.

Start with three to five push ups increasing by five each week as you get more confidence and get better.

Alt to Standard push ups

  to  

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First: Kneel upright on the ground or an exercise mat with your legs together. Then lean forward, palms flat on the ground in line with your shoulder. (Initially keep palms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart to target your outer chest muscles)

Second: Contract your chest, buttocks and abdominal muscles then exhale as you slowly push your knees up (putting your weight on your palms and toes) while keeping your body in line, knees locked, your hands straight and in line with your shoulders. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

Third: Now Inhale as you slowly lower your knees down until they are touching the ground.

Fourth: Then push yourself up again to start the next repetition.

Fifth: You can modify the push ups to target your inner chest muscles by placing your palms closer together.

Sixth: Repeat three to five times and as you get more confident, increase the hold by 5 to 10 seconds.

Chest fly

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First: Lay flat on your back holding a dumbbell/ soup can in each hand. Stretch your arms out on the floor perpendicular to your body.

Second: Now bend your elbows to 90 degrees, still resting your upper arms on the floor, and allow your forearms to roll back as far as possible.

Third: Slowly lift your elbows towards your center bringing your arms from elbow to wrist as close together as possible Hold this position for 5 seconds and then slowly return to step two.

Fourth: Repeat steps three 5 times

Fifth: Now lower to the floor again returning to step one

Sixth: Repeat steps one to four two to five times as you get more confident. 

Pectoral Press

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First: Stand straight with your shoulders back, knees bent slightly, feet shoulder width apart and a 5 pound dumbbell in each hand at your sides.

Second: Press your elbows against your sides and raise your hands up.

Third: Slowly press your forearms, wrists and hands together and then pull them apart. You should feel the strain in your core, pectoral and stomach muscles as you move the weights.

Fourth: Repeat steps one to three 5 to 10 times

Fifth: Increase reps as you get more confident.

Palm Pushes

Image from myfrugalfitness.com

First: You can perform palm presses while sitting down or standing up. If standing: stand straight with your shoulders back, knees bent slightly, feet shoulder width apart keeping your hands at your sides.

Second: Raise your hands and arms to chest level, placing your palms flat together in front of your breasts.

Third: Press your palms together hard for 5 seconds and then release it. You should feel the strain in your arms, shoulders and pectoral muscles.

Fourth: Repeat above steps five increasing as you get more confident.

Fifth: Modify exercise by carrying out steps 1 and 4 but changing steps 2 and 3 to: Raise your hands and arms to chest level then curl your fingers and hook/lock them firmly together. Pull away from each other for 5 seconds while keeping your fingers firmly interlocked then release.

Sixth: Modify exercise by carrying out steps 1 and 4 but changing steps 2 and 3 to: Raise your hands and arms to chest level then clasp your forearm with your palms forming a crisscross and raising it up to your shoulder level. Pull your arms away from each other for 5 seconds while firmly clasping your forearms then release.

As you get more confident, increase the reps (step 4) by 5 to 10 counts.

Bench Press

 

Images from fitbie.msn.com

First: Lay flat on your back on an incline bench to work your upper chest muscles or on a decline bench to train your lower chest muscles with your feet grounded on the floor.

Second: Holding a light weight/ soup can in each hand, stretch your arms with the dumbbell straight out in front of you.  

Third: Inhaling, slowly bend your elbows 90 degrees outwards bringing them to your shoulder level and perpendicular to your body.

Fourth: As you exhale, slowly push your arms and dumbbell up to the starting position without jerking them.

Fifth: Repeat above steps 10 to 15 times.

Sixth: Modify exercise by carrying out steps 1, 2, 4 and 5 but changing only steps 3 to: Inhaling, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your chest.  

Modify exercise by carrying out steps 1, 2, 4 and 5 but changing only steps 3 to: Inhaling, slowly lower the dumbbells slightly past your shoulders.  

As you get more confident and increase the weight size, decrease number of reps (step 5).

Resistance Band Bench Press

           

Image from runnersworld.com               Image from sparkpeople.com

First: Wrap a resistance band underneath a bench or an aerobic step, grab a handle in each hand and then lie flat on the bench.

Second: Stretch your arms out in front of you slightly bending your elbow.  To ensure a vertical line from your shoulders to your palm, your hands should be slightly over your shoulders.

Third: Bend your elbows down towards you (until your hands are almost touching your shoulders) to lower the bands.

Fourth: Squeeze across your chest and then return the bands back to the starting position

Fifth: Repeat steps one to four 5 to 10 times. Increase reps as you get more confident.

Chest Press

  

Image from exercise.com            Image from bodbot.com

First: Hold a dumbbell or a soup can in each hand, lie face down on a gym bench with your arms stretching downward.

Second: Inhaling, slowly pull the elbows up squeezing the shoulder blades together.

Third: As you exhale, slowly relax and return the elbows down to the starting position.

Fourth: Repeat above steps 10 to 15 times.

Fifth: As you get more confident and increase the weight size, decrease number of reps (step four).

Chest Fly

Image from chirogeek.com                                              Image from occforeclosure.net

First: Lie face up with your knees bent up on an exercise mat and your arms stretched out over your head on the ground while holding a dumbbell or a can of soup in each hand.

Second: Pull both arms off the ground until they are stretched up in front of you at 90 degree angle to your body.

Third: Turn your palms to face inward, then slowly lower down to the sides of your body.

Fourth: Lift your arms back up again, turn your palms to face forward. Now lower it back to the starting position.

Fifth: Repeat the above steps exercise 10 times and as you get more confident and increase the weight size, decrease number of reps.

Feeling Blessed

Image from: urbangyal.com

Lying here under my warm soft blankie, my head nestled deep into my cool crisp pillow. ...listening to the quiet banter & laughter btw my little loves.... and the soft music coming from the distance leaves a little smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I shut my eyes & let myself be immensed in the complete calmness surrounding me. I feel truly blessed, happy and excited all at once. ....for reasons I don't know nor care to understand right now.

Am enjoying it so.... I let myself be absorbed by it all......then it hit me, how completely blessed I am right now & completely stupid I've been thinking that my source of happiness will come from having it all. I had missed the important marks - I am alive,  healthy, food to eat & roof over my head....all this & much more are God's doing in my life. I am suddenly overwhelmed by God's kindnesses, grace & love. What I have been blessed with is beyond me: security, peace, joy, love & most of all life. I smile with renewed resolve.

Now, am gonna get up & go immense myself in all the blessings that surround me.....and since am feeling generous, am also happy to share them with all whom I encounter....or cross my path!!! ......just don't get ready though hahahahahaha!


Author: OGN Okafor
Copyright: First Published on my facebook page on 6/10/2013 @ 10:38am

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