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Managing Fibroid Tumors with Lifestyle Medicine

Fibroid tumors affect millions of women in America and billions more worldwide. It's crazy because many women with fibroid tumors or any abnormal tissue growth aren't even aware that they have it. It isn't until something goes wrong (infertility, abnormal bleeding, pain, etc.) that most decide to investigate how to get rid of it. It is never too late to focus on improving a health condition, but it would be best practice to take the appropriate steps to work on preventing them and reducing the risk initially.


With emerging studies, we see greater trends in the relationship between fibroid tumors, abnormal tissue growth, and unfavorable lifestyle choices, including poor nutrition, reduced activity level, and increased toxin exposure. Once we can focus on lifestyle medicine by improving nutriment, reducing exposure to environmental toxins, and gradually increasing activity levels, we can lower our chance of abnormal tissue growth by up to 63%.


Learn more about what can cause fibroid tumors and abnormal tissue growth here.

Lifestyle Medicine and Fibroids

There are many different approaches to tackling fibroid tumors and abnormal growth, such as surgery and medications, but they are not guaranteed to cure fibroid tumors fully. In many cases, the fibroids return and are even worse than before. In addition, much of the medical treatment of fibroids is invasive and harmful, so the risk of the procedure may outweigh the actual benefit.


With the increase in lifestyle medicine practice and awareness of self-healing, compelling evidence shows that abnormal tissue growth can be effectively managed with naturopathic and lifestyle changes. These management methods can drastically improve fibroid presentation and prevent further worsening of symptoms and related illnesses.


If you are dedicated to improving your lifestyle and avoiding contributing factors for at least 6 to 12 months, you can change your prognosis and promote a healthier reproductive system.

Many of the lifestyle management and naturopathic options for fibroid management involve (1) incorporating herbs and nutrition choices that focus on liver detoxification and gut healing, hormonal balance, and inflammation reduction, (2) reducing environmental toxin exposure, and (3) maintaining consistent physical activity.


Herbal Medicine

Herbalism views fibroids as a symptom of an underlying problem or imbalance. According to many experienced herbalists, the development of fibroids is credited to pelvic stagnation, pooling blood in the uterus, mucus buildup, poor liver function, and Liver Qi stagnation. Usually, there are herbs recommended to target those imbalances. These herbs have shown effectiveness in improving fibroid symptoms and underlying conditions.


  • Milk thistle has been shown to improve metabolism and liver function, which may aid in removing excess estrogen from the body.

  • Chasteberry is excellent for maintaining hormonal balance. It has been shown to lower estrogen levels, increase progesterone levels and reduce inflammation.

  • Dandelion roots may help with liver detoxification and clearing excess estrogen from the body.

  • Green Tea may reduce the severity of fibroid symptoms, inhibit fibroid cell growth, and eventually cause death. Traditionally, it is considered an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiproliferative.

  • Castor oil packs on the lower abdomen stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory system, eliminating toxins, old tissue, and congestion from the body, and breaking up scar tissue. As a result, the packs promote the healing of tissues and organs below the skin. It is also anti-inflammatory. You can also put the pack over the liver to support hormonal detoxification.

  • Dong Quai has been shown to increase blood circulation, allowing fresh blood to circulate, heal tissue damage, and remove excess tissue growth.

  • Black Cohosh Root may balance female hormones.

  • Golden Seal Root & Oregon Grape Root may tone the uterine wall tissue, reduces inflammation, and hinder the development of abnormal tissue growth.

Nutrition

You can purchase the most potent herbs and work out daily, but natural healing is incomplete without managing your diet. Nutrition choice is a huge factor in developing many health ailments, as many foods may be filled with artificial hormones, pesticides, and herbicides that can alter a woman’s hormones. To heal yourself, it is best to eliminate foods that can potentially lead to health dysfunction and increase foods that work to heal and nourish the cells, tissues, and organs.


Foods to Avoid

Try to eliminate or reduce foods that increase inflammation and that contain high levels of artificial hormones and chemicals, including: 


  • Conventional dairy (usually from cows that are fed GMO feed and given routine growth hormones and antibiotics to improve profit-sell margins)

  • High-fat, processed meats (meats that are not fresh and are usually salted, cured, fermented, and smoked before you prepare them). This usually includes bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs, processed deli meats, and even forms of chicken, turkey, beef, and pork (especially in cans).

  • Refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (from sugar cane and sugar beets) are replaced with honey, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, maple sugar, cane juice, date sugar, fruit, and molasses.

  • Caffeine (in excessive amounts) & alcohol cause inflammatory reactions within the nerves and body tissue.


Foods To Eat

Increase your intake of foods that contain active healing compounds, such as phytonutrients, vitamins, electrolytes, antioxidants, and minerals. These nutrients may help shrink and prevent fibroid tissue growth. Foods rich in these nutrients include:


  • Organic foods (grass-fed meats, legumes, dairy, and plant foods) because they are (mostly) free from pesticides, herbicides, and artificial hormones.

  • Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin K and iron. These nutrients may discourage the growth of fibroids and reduce the risk of anemia.

  • Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower support the liver's detoxification and balance estrogen levels.

  • Carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, and spinach, are rich in beta-carotene. Beta carotene turns into Vitamin A, which promotes the growth of healthy cells and repairs tissues.

  • High-fiber starches such as potatoes, butternut, and plantains contain high levels of soluble fiber, which helps to carry away excess estrogen.

  • Purified water WITHOUT fluoride, dioxins, heavy metals, and pesticides.


Additional Lifestyle Considerations

Several other lifestyle focuses can potentially encourage reproductive system healing, reduce inflammation, and lower the risk of abnormal tissue growth. These focuses involve aromatherapy through essential oil use, physical activity, and minimizing exposure to environmental toxins.


Essential oils are absorbed through the skin and the lungs and then travel to the brain to potentiate healing. Specifically, frankincense, clary sage, and thyme have shown promise in managing abnormal tissue growth and hormonal balance.


Physical activity is an important regulator of many of the body's major hormones. Consistent aerobic activity can help regulate the hormones, prevent abnormal tissue growth, and even aid in tumor shrinkage.


Reducing toxin exposure from personal care products (for the face, body, and hair) and cleaning products is very important to avoid toxins that can increase the risk of tumors and abnormal cell tissue growth. It is difficult to avoid every environmental toxin, but you can reduce your risk by buying or preparing natural products. In addition, minimizing the use of plastics and canned items in your kitchen and food prep can further lower your toxin exposure risk. However, if you have to use plastic or canned items, at least ensure they are labeled BPA-free. These precautions will reduce the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals, which may lower the chance of hormonal disorders, fibroid growth, and cancerous activity. 


Take Away

If you have fibroids and want to avoid invasive medical intervention, you can make the appropriate lifestyle changes to start your healing journey. With consistency in these changes, your body will balance your hormones, heal itself and shrink the fibroids until they disappear. However, If you perform the recommendations for a short duration or occasionally, you should not expect much to change. As with many other health ailments, fibroid healing requires consistency and dedication. So it is best to work on following a healthy regimen daily to reach your optimal health and destroy dis-ease.


Suppose you remain vigilant in reducing exposure to toxins, replenishing the body with healthy living foods and herbs, and maintaining appropriate physical activity. In that case, the body will heal and restore your health.


 


 

References

Mayo Clinic, Uterine Fibroids,

Rodriguez, H., Natural Fertility Info, The Best Natural Remedies for Uterine Fibroids.

Rosalee de la Forêt, Herbal Remedies Advice, Natural Remedies for Fibroids.

UCLA, Fibroids




DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent disease, or make claims against products or companies. The information provided on this site is to make public information and information acquired from research studies readily available to you. The information on this website may not have been evaluated by the FDA.

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