The cacao bean is the source of perhaps the most magical and beloved foods on Earth because it is the source of chocolate. Even the cacao tree's official name, Theobroma cacao, recognizes the long-standing love most of us have for the fruit of this tree. Theobroma comes from the Greek language for "food of the gods." And while chocolate is the most popular and favorite of these foods from the cacao bean, an even healthier choice is raw cacao powder. How Is Cacao Powder Made? To produce raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans are simply cold pressed to remove the fat, and the remaining solids are ground into a fine powder. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? Cacao powder contains all the beneficial nutrients and beneficial compounds of the raw cacao bean minus the fat. In contrast, cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. And even if they look alike, the two are different. In making cocoa powder, up to 90% of the nutrients and beneficial compounds in raw c
The breasts are specialized structures located on the anterior chest wall. Underneath the skin above our chest muscles are the breasts’ mammary glands, which drain into the nipples via a network of ducts. It is important for women to understand the normal anatomy and function of their breasts so that any abnormalities can be detected and treated.
Female breasts are rarely symmetrical. In most cases, one breast is usually slightly larger or smaller, higher or lower, or different in shape compared to the other. When fully developed, the female adult breast comprises 15–20 lobes with milk-producing glands and a network of branching ducts inside them.
These lobes are separated by bands of connective tissue that radiate out from the nipple like spokes from the middle of a bicycle wheel. There is lots of fat tissue within the breast. The amount of fat determines the size of the breast. The fatty tissue gives the breast its soft consistency.
The breast contains modified sweat glands called tubuloalveolar glands. Each of these glands attaches to a lactiferous (milk-conveying”) duct (2–4 mm in diameter) that ends in a small opening into the nipple. Inside the tip of the nipple is a dilated area in each of the ducts called the lactiferous sinus, where milk can accumulate and lead to blockages that often cause painful symptoms in the nursing mother. The glands also contain specialized cells called myoepithelial cells that play an important role in contracting the milk ducts and secreting breast milk.
Lymph runs from the nipple, areola, and lobules into a network of ducts that drain into the axillary lymph nodes and parasternal and subclavicular nodes. It is important to support the drainage of lymph—a clear fluid that travels through the body’s arteries, circulates through tissues to help clean them, and then drains away through the lymphatic system—especially in cases of metastatic breast cancer.
Ayurvedic breast massage supports the flow of the lymph and helps unblock the ducts involved in lactation. It also supports the release of toxins stored in the fatty tissues of the breast and chest and helps balance deep-seated emotions stored in the heart chakra.
Giving yourself a weekly breast massage is a simple way to improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
If you like, you can begin with a whole body abhyanga to ground yourself.
Start by grasping your hands at your heart in gratitude for all the gifts your body gives you.
Open your hands over your heart and breasts. Give yourself permission to let go. Calmly observe any thoughts and emotions that arise as you breathe.
Dip your fingers in a balm (such as Breast Balm, which is formulated with herbs that support breast health) or warm oil sesame oil.
Begin massaging in a circular motion, moving from around the nipple toward the outer part of your breasts.
Massage in the area of the armpit and the outer-most quadrant of the breast, extending your strokes to the shoulder joint.
Massage behind your collarbone moving from the outside toward your neck, using long strokes.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Cover your breastbone with your hands, observe how you feel, and breathe.
https://www.purushaayurveda.com/articles/2020/1/20/why-and-how-to-perform-ayurvedic-breast-massage
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