A Note About Smoking And Diet
Eating brightly colored fruits and vegetables is good for your general health. Consuming a variety of red, yellow, and orange foods will provide rich antioxidants. Dark greens are also nutrient dense and will provide healthful benefits. These nutrients may help protect you from disease, including some cancers.
However, a study found that beta carotene found in red, yellow and orange foods didnt lower the risk for fibroids. In smokers, beta carotene may even increase risk. Further research is needed on why this might happen. In any case, smoking is harmful to your health and may increase your risk of fibroids.
Diet alone cant treat fibroids. However, a balanced diet may also help ease some fibroid symptoms and complications. Certain foods may help slow fibroid growth in some cases.
Hrt For Women Is An Effective Uterine Fibroids Treatment
If your doctor has recommended hysterectomy as a treatment option for your uterine fibroids, we encourage you to consider the possible benefits of balancing hormones with hormone replacement therapy before turning to surgery. A hysterectomy should be a last resort.
Global Life Rejuvenation offers a non-surgical approach to the treatment of uterine fibroids. Natural hormone replacement therapy may help prevent the growth of uterine fibroids. Our expert physicians test hormone levels and then implement a customized HRT program to stabilize hormones.
Our treatment plans include monitoring stress levels as well as cortisol levels. Along with balancing your hormones, Global Life Rejuvenation physicians use a nutrition, supplement and fitness regimen to help maintain hormones at their optimum levels. A nutrition plan will help guide you towards foods that are free of fibroid-stimulating hormones, such as xenoestrogens.
What Every Woman Should Know About Fibroids
Most women have heard of fibroids those usually benign growths in the uterus that occur during the childbearing years and mostly in your 30s, 40s, and 50s. If youve ever had them, you know how miserable they can make you feel. However, some women dont even know they have them because they dont experience any symptoms.
Its important to have regular checkups with your gynecologist so fibroids can be diagnosed and treated. Dr. Gwen Allen of the Gardena Womens Center has years of expertise caring for women with uterine fibroids. Once diagnosed, she devises a treatment plan so you wont have to live with a painful, heavy period each month. Heres what every woman needs to know about fibroids.
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Treatment Options For Uterine Fibroids
Today there are several ways to treat fibroids that allow a woman to keep her uterus. One of them is myomectomy, a surgery to remove a percentage of the fibroid tumors. However, after this procedure, there are typically a number of living fibroids still inside the uterus. These fibroids will ultimately grow, and therefore, within 5 years over half of the women treated with myomectomy will need another procedure . Also, every woman that intends to undergo a myomectomy has to sign a waiver/release stating shes aware that she may wake up without her uterus.
The safer, less invasive, and more effective fibroid treatment option is . During this 30-40 minute nonsurgical procedure, small particles are introduced into the blood vessels that supply all of the fibroid tumors. Without a blood supply, all of the fibroids will start to die off. The death of all of the fibroids, causes them to soften and shrink, and as this occurs, the womans symptoms start to disappear. The death of all of the fibroids also means that for the vast majority of women that undergo UFE, it is the only procedure they will ever need . This option is ideal for women that want to avoid the risks and long recovery of surgery and even a consideration for women who want to maintain their fertility.
For more information on fibroids and UFE, make an appointment with Dr. John Lipman of Atlanta Fibroid Center by calling 770-214-4600 or make an appointment online.
Dr. John C.Lipman, MD, FSIR
How You Can Shrink Your Fibroids At Home Simple And Useful Methods
The main reason of a 100% natural remedy for fibroids in your uterus is to fight the root causes, to ensure that your body efficiently becomes a neutralized surroundings where fibroids simply cant grow or survive. This is totally different to conventional cures like surgical procedure and also hormone treatment which aim to alleviate the signs and symptoms of fibroids, but do not tackle the root reasons, meaning that in time, the fibroids are more likely to grow back.
Listed in this article various points that can work for you to treat fibroids without any surgery:
Fresh Berries
Fresh berries are an incredible source for flavanoids and vitamin C. Not solely are the darker berries very good sources of protecting antioxidants, however they can also aid to ease cramps.
Liver Detoxification
It is believed that among the reasons of fibroids can be a build up of estrogen mimicking substances inside the liver. These are usually come from environmental poisons and pesticides. When they will be in the body, it is not easy to remove them and you may exert their results for a few years. A detox is an efficient method to get rid of them. There are several solutions of cleaning the liver and many concerning the usage of several herbs and supplements.
Do Exercises 30 Minutes A Day
Try Acupuncture, Meditation Or Yoga
Fresh Green Vegetables Are Recommended
Keep Away From Alcohol And Caffeine
I hope this information will be useful for you, all the best!
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What Is The Lesson
Estrogen dominance is the leading cause of fibroids and a precursor to a hormonal sensitive tumor. This condition is an epidemic largely ignored by conventional medicine. For this reason, preventive steps and early intervention is highly advisable.
Fibroids are promoted by persistently high estrogen production. Without the monthly balancing effect of progesterone, the uterus continues to grow. Prevention and treatment to shrink fibroids from a non-surgical perspective should, therefore, focus on reducing the level of estrogen in the body as well as increasing the level of progesterone level within.
Phytotherapy To Balance Hormones
Certain natural herbs have been shown to balance female reproductive hormones without the negative side effects of conventional synthetic hormones. Dr. Mary James explains, “One reason phytotherapy is so effective is that certain herbs share important features with natural hormones, thus enabling them to increase the bodys natural ability to make and use hormones and provide symptom relief.” Learn more about Herbal Equilibrium, our targeted phytotherapy hormone support formula.
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Fibroid Size And Weight
The sizes and weights of fibroids can vary wildly. Some never grow larger than a pea and can go undetected by both patient and doctor. Others, however, can grow to the size of a watermelon and weigh anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds. Most fibroids fall somewhere on the spectrum between these two extremes.
The larger the fibroid, the more weight you are carrying around in your body. Depending on its size and placement, a fibroid may also interfere with your bladder and/or bowel, causing:
- Urinary incontinence
How Are Uterine Fibroids Treated
The treatment options include:
Observation and follow-up: Many women with uterine fibroids may not have signs or have mild symptoms that can be managed conservatively to provide symptomatic relief.
Medications: Medications that target hormones, which regulate the menstrual cycle, treat symptoms like heavy menstrual bleeding or pain. Medications do not eliminate fibroids but may help shrink them.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists: They block the production of estrogen and progesterone. This causes menstruation to stop, putting the patient in a temporary menopausal state. As a result, fibroids shrink and anemia often improves.
- Progestin-releasing intrauterine device : A progestin-releasing IUD can relieve symptoms like heavy bleeding caused by fibroids. It provides an additional benefit of contraception but doesn’t shrink fibroids or make them disappear.
- Lysteda, Cyklokapron : This nonhormonal medication is taken to reduce bleeding during periods.
- Oral contraceptives: These can help control menstrual bleeding but don’t shrink fibroid size.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs : These can be effective in relieving pain related to fibroids, but they don’t reduce menstrual bleeding or shrink fibroids.
- Nutritional supplements: Vitamins and iron supplements may be advised to correct anemia and improve overall health.
Noninvasive procedures:
Minimally invasive procedures:
Traditional surgical procedures:
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Natural Treatments To Reduce Symptoms Of Fibroids:
DIM and indole-3-carbinol: Diindolylmethane, also known as DIM is helpful in reducing harmful estrogen metabolites. I hope I dont bore you to tears here, so I am going to try and keep it short and simple. The liver processes and detoxifies everything for us. Hormones, in particular, estrogen is metabolized by the liver and turned into three metabolites.
- 16 alpha OH Estrone: Not healthy, nor beneficial. Higher levels of this metabolite are associated with higher risk of breast, uterine, ovarian cancers. Higher levels of this metabolite can exacerbate fibroids and fibroid symptoms. We do not want high levels of 16 alpha OH-estrone in our systems.
- 4OH-estrone: The 4OH-estrone metabolite is not as bad as 16 alpha OH-estrone, but it is not beneficial either. You do not want a lot of 4OH-estrone around our systems either.
- 2OH-estrone: The 2-OH estrone is the more beneficial of the estrogen metabolites. Simply put, the goal is to have a higher ratio of 2-OH-estrone compared to 16 alpha OH estrone and 4-OH estrone. Because 16 alpha OH-estrone is the worst of the estrogen metabolites.
DIM, which is derived from indole-3-carbinol. Indole-3-carbinol comes from cruciferous vegetables helps to decrease the bad estrogen metabolites . In doing so, it helps reduce the risk of breast/uterine/ovarian cancer. Plus it can reduce fibroid symptoms. DIM/indole-3-carbinol is a supplement, not a prescription.
What Is The Risk Of Cancer From Fibroids
Many reputable sources say that there is an increased risk for developing uterine and breast cancer in those that have fibroids. However, this correlation hasnt been definitively made and theres currently a lack of studies supporting this claim.
Its likely that the correlation exists because Estrogen Dominance can contribute to both estrogenic cancers and fibroids.
In my practice, I, therefore, stress the importance of addressing Estrogen Dominance to prevent a long list of diseases and live in confidence and hope for good health, and not fear. If you are not sure if you have estrogen dominance, take the quiz here.
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The Harms Of Hysterectomy
These days, it seems like everyone knows at least one woman who has undergone a hysterectomy, also known as surgical removal of our reproductive organs. In fact, more than of all women in the US have had a hysterectomy by the age of 60 years old. Hysterectomies are one of the most common surgeries performed on women worldwide, second only to cesarean sections. Remarkably, 1 out of every 4 women enters menopause due to hysterectomy, which is why hysterectomies have become known as surgical menopause.
The single biggest reason for hysterectomy, or surgical removal of a womans reproductive organs? Uterine fibroids.
Only 10% of hysterectomies performed in the US are deemed medically necessary to treat cancer of the reproductive organs. The remaining 90% of hysterectomies can be attributed to non-life threatening reasons: heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and pelvic pain.
But more and more women, and a few enlightened doctors, are speaking out against the rising rate of what they believe to be unnecessary hysterectomies, which has become a $17-billion dollar/year industry. Why? For a woman without a life-threatening diagnosis, there are better alternatives than castration.
Hormones Tied To Uterine Fibroid Risk In Study
High levels of testosterone, estrogen in middle age linked to raised odds of benign tumors in uterus
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 — Having high levels of the hormones testosterone and estrogen in mid-life may boost a woman’s risk of benign tumors in the uterus called uterine fibroids, a new study suggests.
“Our findings are particularly interesting because testosterone was previously unrecognized as a factor in the development of uterine fibroids,” study co-author Dr. Jennifer Lee, from Stanford University School of Medicine, said in a news release from the Endocrine Society.
The study included nearly 1,400 women who had their testosterone and estrogen levels checked nearly every year for 13 years.
Those with high levels of testosterone in their blood were 1.3 times more likely to develop uterine fibroids than those with low levels, and the risk was even greater in those with high levels of testosterone and estrogen, the investigators found.
But while women with high levels of both hormones were more likely to have one case of uterine fibroids, they were less likely to develop them again than those with low levels of the hormones, according to the study published Dec. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
While testosterone is often called a male sex hormone, women also naturally produce small amounts of it, the study authors explained.
Three-quarters of women develop uterine fibroids by age 50, according to Wong.
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What Causes Uterine Fibroids To Grow
If you google fibroids, what you will see this vague description: Noncancerous growths in the uterus that can develop during a womans childbearing years. Any woman dealing with fibroids knows this description does not remotely describe what it is like to have fibroids.
Search online for fibroids, and you will also see loads of information about what the symptoms of fibroids are. But very little about treatment for fibroids. And very little information about what causes fibroids to form. Any woman that has fibroids knows it can be incredibly frustrating to deal with. Unfortunately, many doctors and clinicians do not focus on fibroids. Why? Because fibroids are common in many females. Half of all women that have reached the menopausal age have fibroids. The symptoms can range from mild to severe and are not life-threatening. Many women leave their Gynecologists office disappointed because they did not receive help with their fibroid symptoms. Again, there are few treatments for fibroids. Those being hormone therapy or surgery.
What Are Uterine Fibroids
Fibroids are benign non-cancerous growths in the uterus. They are technically considered a non-cancerous tumor. Which scares the heck out of us to hear, I have a tumor in my uterus? Repeat, fibroids are not cancer. But they are growths that can occur in the uterus.
Types of fibroids:
- Subserosal: This is the most common type of fibroid is inside the uterus. Subserosal fibroids are attached to the surface lining of the uterus.
- Submucosal: This type of fibroid is found in the lining of the uterus, but they are not in the muscular wall of the uterus.
- Intramural: This type of fibroid is less common and is found inside the muscle wall of the uterus. They can be the most painful of the types of fibroids.
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How Do You Diagnose Fibroids
Fibroids may be suspected during a pelvic examination by identifying a pelvic swelling and enlargement of the womb.
Ultrasound scan
Diagnosis of fibroids is usually confirmed by an ultrasound scan examination of the pelvis. This would also allow assessment of the number of fibroids present in the uterus, their size and location.
Magnetic resonance imaging
MRI may occasionally be used to diagnose fibroids. This is not commonly used in this context but may be helpful in cases where the diagnosis is unclear or if there is a suspicion about the diagnosis or appearance of the fibroids.
Hysteroscopy
This is a surgical procedure where a telescope is inserted into the cavity of the uterus. This would allow assessment of the location of the fibroids in relation the uterine cavity. It is also commonly used to surgically remove submucosal fibroids that are causing symptoms.
What Symptoms Are Caused By Fibroids
Fibroids may not cause any symptoms and may remain undetected. When present, symptoms vary depending on number of fibroids, their size and location. Following symptoms may be caused by fibroids:
Menstrual problems:
Fibroids may cause heavy periods which can then cause anaemia. They can also result in more prolonged, irregular periods and may be associated with menstrual cramps. Menstrual problems are generally related to the location and size of the fibroids and are commonly associated with submucosal and intramyometriall fibroids that are compressing or distorting the lining of the uterus and may enlarge the cavity of the uterus.
Pressure symptoms:
Large fibroids may result in abdominal swelling and can cause urinary or bowel problems from compression on these organs.
Infertility:
Fibroids can also present with infertility. This again is related to the location and size of the fibroids and is commonly associated with submucosal and intramyometrial fibroids that are compressing the lining of the uterus.
Problems during pregnancy:
Very large fibroids especially submucosal fibroids are known to be associated with a higher rate of miscarriage, and preterm delivery. Some large fibroid may cause problems during delivery.
Women with fibroids can present with a combination of these symptoms or may experience no symptoms and only have their fibroids noted during a clinical examination or assessment.
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Finding Relief From Uterine Fibroids
Living with uterine fibroids can be difficulteven if you dont know you have them. If you are experiencing symptoms of fibroids, its important to reach out for help to ensure proper diagnosis and personalized treatment. For many women, connecting with a hormone health specialist is a particularly vital step in the journey towards healing. With their guidance, you can ensure that you have access to the most advanced treatment options available, including custom hormone replacement therapy, whether for primary, add-back, or post-surgical treatment. They can also help you implement any lifestyle changes needed to reduce symptoms, promote hormone balance, and enhance your overall well-being.
With the right diagnosis and the right care, youcan find relief from your symptoms and feel like yourself againnow and in thefuture.
If you think you may have uterine fibroids, BodyLogicMD can help. Practitioners in the BodyLogicMD network are experts in hormone health and committed to optimizing your health using the most innovative techniques available. By partnering with a BodyLogicMD-affiliated practitioner, you can address your symptoms and enhance your quality of life in a way that makes sense for you. Contact a local practitioner in your area to start your journey, or take the BodyLogicMD Hormone Balance Quiz to learn more about how hormones are impacting your everyday life.