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Understanding Fibroids

By Anthony Nwaoney
13 July 2018   |   2:51 am
While up to 40 percent of women have at least one fibroid by the time they reach menopause, most are not aware of them until it was discovered during a routine exam.Fibroids, which are also known as myomas, are benign tumors that grow on the uterine wall.

fibroids

While up to 40 percent of women have at least one fibroid by the time they reach menopause, most are not aware of them until it was discovered during a routine exam.Fibroids, which are also known as myomas, are benign tumors that grow on the uterine wall. They can form anywhere on uterine tissue and have been found inside the uterus as well as on the outside wall.

Fibroids are influenced by hormonal changes in the body, especially abundance of estrogen, and because of that they can be successfully reduced or even eliminated by changes in your lifestyle. These lifestyle changes include: diet, exercise, herbal treatment and stress management.

What Causes Fibroids?
Knowing how to eliminate fibroids naturally requires understanding what causes them in the first place. The major cause of fibroids is too much estrogen in the body, or estrogen dominance. Some of the causes of estrogen dominance are: birth control pills; spermicides on condoms; hormone replacement therapy; Ingredients in cosmetics; plastic cookware; growth hormones in meat and milk; Pesticides and herbicides; PCBs – polychlorinated biphenyls; Being overweight; and Stress.

Diet Changes
It is important to stop eating heavily processed foods. White flour, white rice, sugar, and all simple carbohydrates cause an insulin spike in the blood. Insulin changes the way that the body handles estrogen. This in turn encourages the formation of fibroids as well as the growth of existing fibroids.

Other dietary changes that should be made are:
*Eliminate fried foods. They tax the liver and the liver is where estrogen is processed.
*Stay away from all forms of caffeine, including tea and chocolate.
*Eat lots of dark leafy greens, lentils, beans, and organically raised poultry.
*Seaweed helps support the thyroid and adrenals, part of keeping hormone levels in check.
*Stay away from alcohol.
*Drink filtered water.

Although some doctors recommend soy as being helpful during menopause, soy contains toxins as well as phyto-estrogens (plant based estrogens). These substances increase the estrogen in the body and encourage fibroid growth.

If you are overweight, try to lose the extra pounds. Estrogen is metabolized in the fat cells and so overweight women have more estrogen than lean women. Also, cut any animal product from your diet that has added hormones. This includes any conventionally produced beef or dairy product. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), organic meats and dairy products are not allowed to have added hormones.
*Dr. is an epidemiologist

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