Fibroids self-care

*Uterine fibroids grow on the inner or exterior muscle walls of the uterus. The cervix can sometimes be involved, too. These benign or noncancerous growths are abnormal muscle cells, and are not really fibrous at all. They can be small (pea-sized)or quite large (grapefruit or cantelope-sized). Most shrink after menopause, but up to 30 percent of all women have these muscle cells gone awry. Being overweight can be a factor in their development

When uterine fibroids create problems

Fibroids may cause no trouble at all, in fact, you may not even know you have them, unless they cause heavy bleeding, anemia, infertility, fatigue, increased vaginal discharge, or painful intercourse. As the fibroid grows, it can stretch the uterus lining and cause more bleeding than usual. Depending on where the fibroids are, they can press on your bowels, bladder, or urethra (causing urination problems). If you have heavy bleeding---use more than one tampon or pad an hour---consult your health care provider. Heavy bleeding is a major reason physicians suggest a hysterectomy. (For a small percentage of women, heavy bleeding can be due to drinking too much or having liver disease.)

What causes uterine fibroids?

Because fibroids develop when women are in their thirties and forties, it is suspected that estrogen is involved. But not all women develop fibroids, so they could also have a genetic factor, and maybe even a nutritional one. Emotions may also play a role as may thyroid insufficiency. Like most conditions, fibroids are probably caused by an interaction of many factors.

What self-care measures can you take whether you're a man or a woman?

*eat a high fiber, whole-foods diet that includes five servings of fresh vegetables and fruits daily

*eat sea vegetables and use kelp in your diet to help with thyroid function

*eat soy foods that can exert an estrogen-like effect that helps regulate hormonal irregularities

*avoid fried foods, animal fats and hydrogentated fats and oils and refined sugars, caffeine and alcohol

*eat fresh pineapple--the bromalein helps reduce inflammation in the body

*eat plain yogurt with active cultures or take a digestive enzyme to help with digestion---this is especially good for bloating

*grind flaxseeds in a coffee grinder and put in salads, soups, or drinks to reduce inflammation

*exercise daily--yoga may be most helpful

*morning and night spend at least 15 minutes picturing your fibroids turning into liquid and leaving your body

*cook with iron pots to make sure you get sufficient iron

*take a multivitamin and multimineral to ensure you get all nutrients in a balanced format

*foot reflexology has helped diminish pain and may even reduce the size of a fibroid

*look into Reiki, therapuetic touch, body work, acupuncture, and meditation

*if you're overweight, lose weight. for ideas, click on the Permanent Weight Loss link to your left.

FOR WOMEN WITH UTERINE FIBROIDS:

*according to Dr. Vaillancourt, a natural remedy to shrink fibroid tumors is:

· At bedtime, mix two teaspoonfuls of Ichthammol black salve (drug store) with two teaspoons of vegetable glycerine (health food store), and make a past

Tie a nylon string tightly around the middle of a cotton gauze pad leaving about a ten inch piece of string hanging; make sure the knots are good and tight
·Saturate the gauze with the paste and insert it into the vagina up to the cervix, leaving the string hanging outside to enable retrieval the next morning
Wear a sanitary napkin at night to prevent leakage
Optional: douche after removing the gauze with one teaspoonful each of powdered Goldenseal and Myrrh (4 capsules = a teaspoon) into a quart of boiling water, cover and steep for 15 minutes
Strain and add one teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar
When cool enough use the douche

· Do this for 5 nights a week

*Avoid taking estrogen as uterine fibroids are estrogen-dependent and never appear before the onset of menstruation and tend to shrink after menopause.

*if none of these ideas work for you, talk to a surgeon about removing only the fibroid, not any body organ, such as your uterus.

This article is for information purposes only. For treatment, consult your health care practitioner.

Sources/Resources:

Baird, D. D., Dunson, D. B., Hill, M. C., Cousins, D., & Schectman, J. M. (2007). Association of physical activity with development of uterine leiomyoma. American Journal of Epidemiology, 165(2), 157–163.

Flegal, K. E., Kishiyama, S., Zajdel, D., Haas, M., & Oken, B. S. (2007). Adherence to yoga and exercise intervention in a 6-month clinical trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 9, 37.

Mehl-Madrona, L. (2002). Complementary medicine treatment of uterine fibroids: A pilot study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 8(2), 38–40, 44–46.

Shushan, A., Ben-Bassat, H., Mishani, E., Laufer, N., & Klein, B. Y. (2007). Inhibition of leiomyoma cell proliferation in vitro by genistein and the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor TKS050. Fertility and Sterilization, 87(1), 127–135.

Ronald J. Vaillancourt, Simple Earth Solutions: Powerful Paths to Health and Healing Through Natural Remedies.

L.J. Owen. Multiple fibroids in the male pelvis. Ann Surg. 1920 June; 71(6): 755–756.