Every October, countries around the world mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a reminder to check in with your breast health and open conversations about prevention.
But beyond pink ribbons and screening reminders, there’s another side to prevention that often gets missed — understanding how your hormones and detox pathways influence breast wellness from the inside out.
At Real Functional Health, we focus on functional prevention — using data from your body to stay ahead of the curve. One of our favourite tools for this is the DUTCH test, a comprehensive hormone and detox analysis that helps uncover how your body is processing and clearing oestrogen.
Beyond Screening: What Breast Wellness Really Means
Routine screening such as mammograms and ultrasounds can detect changes, but prevention starts much earlier.
How your body metabolises oestrogen plays a key role in breast tissue health, especially during perimenopause or when hormones are shifting.
Oestrogen itself isn’t the enemy — it’s essential for energy, mood, and vitality.
The issue lies in how your body breaks it down and eliminates it. That’s where your detox pathways come in.
Meet Your Oestrogen Detox Pathways
Think of oestrogen detox like three roads out of the body:
• 2-OH pathway: The “clean” route — protective and anti-proliferative.
• 4-OH pathway: A more reactive route that can create oxidative stress if not cleared properly.
• 16-OH pathway: Growth-promoting and beneficial in moderation, but too much can drive hormonal symptoms.
We want a healthy balance — more of the 2-OH pathway, and smooth clearance through the liver and gut.
Why this matters: if oestrogen is not being metabolised and cleared efficiently, the overall pattern can skew towards oestrogen dominance. Over time, unfavourable metabolite patterns and poor clearance are associated with higher risk in oestrogen-driven conditions (including some breast cancers). The goal is not to fear oestrogen, but to optimise how your body processes it.
10 Steps to Support Breast Wellness Naturally
Small daily actions make the biggest difference when it comes to breast health and hormone balance.
1. Eat cruciferous vegetables daily – Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts help the liver metabolise oestrogen safely. Supplements containing sulforaphane or DIM can further support this process for some individuals. At Real Functional Health, we use DUTCH test results to determine whether these are beneficial for you personally.
2. Support your liver – Stay hydrated, limit alcohol, and include foods like garlic, lemon, beetroot, and leafy greens to boost detoxification. Nutrients such as magnesium, methylated B-vitamins, and methyl folate can enhance Phase II detox and methylation, which are vital for safe oestrogen clearance.
3. Keep your gut moving – Aim for daily bowel movements to clear used hormones and toxins. Fibre, water, probiotics, and magnesium support this essential elimination pathway.
4. Move your body – Regular exercise supports lymphatic flow and helps maintain a healthy body composition.
5. Reduce alcohol – Even moderate alcohol can raise oestrogen levels and affect liver detox pathways.
6. Manage stress – Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which slows detox and contributes to hormonal imbalance. Prioritise rest, breathing exercises, and time in nature.
7. Choose natural deodorants – Switch to aluminium-free options to reduce toxin exposure near breast tissue.
8. Avoid tight underwire bras when possible – This supports healthy lymphatic drainage through the chest and armpits.
9. Don’t store phones in bras or close to your chest – A simple habit that reduces exposure to electromagnetic fields.
10. Prioritise sleep and recovery – Deep, consistent sleep is essential for hormone regulation and detoxification.
At Real Functional Health, we combine lifestyle foundations like these with targeted supplementation and personalised wellness plans informed by each client’s DUTCH results. This ensures we’re supporting the right pathways — not guessing.
How the DUTCH Test Helps
The DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) goes beyond standard bloodwork.
It measures not only your hormone levels but also how your body metabolises them — revealing which detox pathways are dominant and how efficiently you’re clearing oestrogen.
It also maps your cortisol rhythm, showing how stress hormones rise and fall throughout the day.
This matters because high or disrupted cortisol can slow detoxification and interfere with immune and liver function — two major players in hormone balance and breast health.
Why this is especially helpful for those with a personal or family history: if you or a close relative have had oestrogen-dominant conditions (including certain breast cancers), understanding your oestrogen metabolite pattern (2-OH/4-OH/16-OH balance) and phase II detox capacity can guide a targeted, preventative plan — from nutrition and lifestyle to evidence-based nutrients that support safer metabolism and clearance. It’s not a diagnostic test, but it clarifies where to support your body.
Who Should Consider DUTCH Testing
- MS, breast tenderness, heavy or irregular cycles
- Perimenopausal symptoms (sleep, mood, hot flushes, brain fog)
- Fatigue, anxiety, or chronic stress
- Recently off the pill or on/coming off HRT and wanting insight
- Personal or family history of oestrogen-driven conditions and a desire to optimise metabolism and clearance proactively
This data helps build a personalised plan to balance hormones, reduce inflammation, and support long-term wellness.
Functional Prevention: Knowledge is Power
Breast wellness isn’t just about detecting disease — it’s about supporting your body so it can function optimally.
When you understand your unique hormone patterns and detox pathways, you can make targeted, confident choices for your health.
You can watch my short video on this topic here:
🎥 DUTCH Test Explained: How Hormone Detox & Stress Impact Breast Health
If you’d like to explore testing or learn more about your options, book a Discovery Call through Real Functional Health.
Because the more you understand your body, the more empowered you are to protect your health — for life.
General guidance only. Continue recommended screening with your GP or specialist.