Are Fibroid tumors giving you pain and discomfort? Learn about natural therapies for fibroid tumors including diet changes that can shrink your fibroid over time. Standard medicine in this country has few answers for fibroid tumors other than hysterectomies, surgical procedures, and some hormonal drugs that have serious side effects. There are alternative therapies to try first.
I wrote this article because I suffered from large fibroids when I was approaching menopause many years ago which caused several emergency visits because of abnormal bleeding. Both military and private doctors gave me one choice at the time, which was a hysterectomy. I refused and choose the path of alternative medicine.
Talking to women, I have found that most women either felt the hysterectomy either really helped them, or they felt it was just as bad as the problem of the fibroid. In the latter case, they suffered from hormonal problems that could not be corrected by the physicians after the operation. Their ability to enjoy sexual intercourse was also compromised in many cases. I have talked to a number of husbands who complain that after the surgery, their wives did not want sex anymore and ended intimacy. This article is to give women direction when seeking alternative therapies for their fibroid tumors.
What is a Fibroid tumor and what causes it?
A fibroid tumor is a benign tumor that forms in the wall of the uterus. It increases in size within the uterus as a baby would. As the fibroid grows it can cause some unpleasant symptoms including pain, cramping, pressure on the bladder, and severe heavy, bleeding. That bleeding in some cases is severe enough to require a D and C to stop it.
In most cases, fibroids exist and increase in size because of the over-production of estrogen. Most women who have fibroid tumors are estrogen dominant. Estrogen dominant means they produce too much estrogen and their hormonal system becomes imbalanced. The over-production of estrogen is caused by a number of factors including improper diet with too much caffeine and dairy products; lack of exercise; obesity; stress; liver function problems; uterine congestion; and emotions and pain that are suppressed. Yes, suppressed emotions are a factor in many diseases and imbalances.
Alternative therapies and fibroid tumor treatments to overtime reduce the size of fibroid tumors.
Diet and Lifestyle Therapy:
If possible go to a specialist in female health problems, and get lab tests run to see what your hormone levels are and which ones are out of balance. Get a female exam as well to know for sure there are not any other underlying problems causing your bleeding. There can be other serious female problems such as cancer that can cause pain and bleeding. You can pay for your own lab tests if a doctor won’t order the tests. Go online to UltaLabs where you will order your tests, pay for them, and pick a center to have your blood drawn. The results will be visible in about a week.
Drink more water:
Water helps the kidneys and bladder to disperse excess estrogen. Water does not mean sodas, iced tea, coffee, and juices. A minimum of 4-8 ounce glasses should be consumed daily.
Eliminate dairy products and red meat
These products contain growth hormones including estrogen. Hormones are given to cows to promote weight gain. Eat organic red meat and chicken.
Eliminate caffeine:
Cut-out sodas, iced tea, black tea, coffee, and caffeine drinks such as Red Bull all stimulate the production of estrogen.
Elimination of fast foods:
Stop eating junk food, high-carb foods, alcohol, and all refined foods. The fast-food American diet stimulates excess estrogen production
Eat Whole grain foods and beans for better nutritional balance and to keep a healthy hormonal balance.
Increase Vitamin C-rich foods which help to keep estrogen in balance.
Add Fiber:
Fiber helps to eliminate excess estrogen from the body which helps to prevent and decrease the growth of fibroid tumors.
Reduce your stress level:
Meditation, music, gardening, counseling, religious support, or hobbies are indicated to lower stress and lower the production of excess estrogen. Stress is one of the greatest problems in the overproduction of estrogen.
Maintain Normal Weight:
Studies show that obesity stimulates estrogen production.
Start and maintain an exercise program:
Exercise lowers Estrogen levels, thereby preventing and lowering the growth of fibroids. Walking is the best exercise you can do. Almost anyone can begin at their own pace.
Warning on Exercising with Fibroids Tumors:
A word of caution, when fibroids are large, exercise equipment in gyms that put pressure on the uterus can cause a fibroid to bleed. One of my emergency trips was due to this. The attending physician advised me not to use gym equipment that puts pressure on the uterus. An intense walking program was advised instead. If you have large fibroids and are experiencing severe bleeding problems, seek the advice of a physician before starting an exercise program. Even sexual intercourse can stimulate bleeding with large fibroids. I used the gym and certain equipment to work the stomach muscles, not knowing this, and ended up in an emergency. My doctor gave me a stern reprimand. He was right. Even sit-ups at home started the bleeding. Fibroids can grow into dangerous areas of the uterus, so that is why you need medical tests. You will not know if it is a problem until too late.
Hatha Yoga helps to reduce congestion in the uterus, improve blood circulation, and relax uterine muscles. Let your instructor know about your health problem and again ask the doctor first if it is safe.
Herbs that help control severe uterine bleeding: It is advised to use these alternative methods under the supervision of a holistic doctor. There are holistic doctors who work with women and women’s health problems.
Shepherd’s Purse:
15 drops taken 3 times a day help some women in controlling uterine bleeding.
False Unicorn root:
Mix 15 drops in water and drink hourly until bleeding is controlled.
Cayenne Pepper:
This is the method I used personally. Take 1 capsule of cayenne pepper orally by mouth every two hours until bleeding normalizes. Take cayenne with food or yogurt. There are some cayenne capsule formulations that are combined with other herbs that are easier on the stomach if you are sensitive. I never needed to go into the emergency room once I began using this method. The prescription medicine they gave me to stop the bleeding did not work after the first time. I ended up in an emergency over 5 times. I experienced two emergency D and C’s after the bleeding could not be stopped. At one point, I woke up one morning with the sheets soaked in a pool of blood. I lost a week of work. After I found the Cayenne worked, I never had to visit emergency again. That was a good thing because the doctors told me they did not want to see me again unless I agreed to get a hysterectomy. That was their only option in my case. I could not afford to lose work for a month to recover.
Herbs that help reduce fibroid tumor growth:
Herbal Formulations that aid in fibroid control:
It is advised to seek a holistic doctor to help you make sure you are taking the proper formulation correctly. If the formulation is not taken properly, you will not get the fibroid tumor reduction results you need. Herbs in these formulations include red raspberry, ladies’ mantle, yarrow, white dead nettle, goldenseal, motherwort, stone root, and ginger. Again, I do advise working with a holistic doctor on this problem.
Liver Support and detoxification herbs:
The liver is responsible for helping the body to eliminate excess estrogen. If your liver is not working well, it contributes to excess estrogen production. A liver herbal formula will include herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion, and yellow dock.
Essiac:
The herbs in essiac help to detoxify the body and especially the liver and kidneys. The herbs assist the liver in getting rid of the excess estrogen. Essiac was the therapy I used very successfully along with diet to reduce my fibroids and avoid a hysterectomy. I took it twice daily, 2 ounces added to cranberry juice. I tried several brands of Essiac, which did not seem to work. The brand that did work included Cats Claw, which is a detoxifier and was not one of the original herbs in the Canadian formula that is famous. I took it daily for half a year and did see my fibroids shrink month by month. I later had an ultrasound to confirm that. I also had biopsies performed to make sure that my very large fibroids had not become cancerous. Most fibroids are benign and do not result in cancer but it is wise to keep a medical eye on them. Getting an ultrasound, allows you to evaluate the success of your alternative therapy.
Chinese Acupuncture: Many insurance companies will pay for acupuncture treatments. Blue Cross/Blue Shield does.
The Chinese protocol attributes uterine fibroids to blood flow that is being obstructed. Acupuncture is used close to the site of the fibroid tumor. Acupuncture also works to correct the balance between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovaries. This balance is important for the proper balance between progesterone and estrogen.
Chinese Herbs: Chinese herbs are complex so visit an Asian doctor who uses holistic therapies.
Chinese physicians use herbs to restore normal blood flow in the pelvic area and reduce the production of abnormal cells. Their treatment seeks to restore hormonal balance, boost immunity, and restore blood deficiencies such as iron deficiency anemia caused by abnormal bleeding.
I would suggest you visit this site to review these Chinese therapies and how they work with fibroid tumors here.
Reproductive organ massage:
Specialized massage to unblock pelvic congestion and improve blood flow. It is explained here on this site.
Read my other articles on avoiding hysterectomies with fibroid tumors HERE
References:
www.nurtureacupuncture.com/…uterine_fibroid_tumors.php
Alternative Medicine, the Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition, Ten Speed Press, authored by Deepak Chopra, M.D., pages 968-969
The Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by Gary Null, PhD, published by Bottom Line Books, revised 2008, ISBN 0-88723-492-5pages 254-260
Disclaimer: The FDA and AMA have not approved the contents of this article. This article is for education only. It is not meant to be used to prevent, treat, or prescribe any illness. Get permission from your doctor for any supplement that you take. There are interactions between herbs and drugs so be aware of that.
