Fibroids – What To Eat When You Have A Uterine Fibroid
When you have fibroids, what to eat is an important consideration. Indeed, although dietary modification is not the only step you should take to help both alleviate your symptoms and bring about shrinkage, it is probably the single most effective step you can take.
Fibroids form due to a number of primary and secondary factors which interact with a woman’s unique genetic make up. There is no doubt that some women are simply more “prone” than others to this condition which explains why women with very similar life situations may display have very different experiences-some might have large fibroids but others, nothing at all.
There is so much information and advice out there about what constitutes a healthy diet and following the general principles of this is a good starting point. You should aim to eat organic foods wherever possible and base your diet around fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, filtered water, small amounts of lean meats, beans, nuts and seeds. With fibroids, what to eat is important but so is what you should be avoiding. You should not eat processed foods or those with artificial additives. Sugar and refined carbohydrates are also best avoided, as are animal fats and trans fats. Avoiding dairy produce is also beneficial for most women and it goes without saying that you should not drink alcohol or smoke.
With fibroids, what to eat can vary depending on what you are trying to achieve, For example, if you experience heavy bleeding at the time of your menstrual period, you should eat plenty of iron-rich foods, such as spinach, kale, small amounts of lean beef, blackcurrants and lentils. For actual shrinkage, concentrate on leafy green vegetables and sprouting vegetables.
Of course changing your diet is only a small, albeit important part, of a system to shrink your fibroids. You will also need to undertake detoxification and cleansing protocols as well as looking at ways to manage stress.
Frequently Asked Questions
- QUESTION:
Absess in my mouth and a uterine fibroid OMG I am almost 57 years old?
A tooth ache. Does anyone identify with me. a bleeding fibroid. what is a girl to do, does anyone have any answers for me. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Also I am voting for McCain. But I would of voted for Hillary.- ANSWER:
I’m sorry you are going through this. I think it’s best to ask your G yn dr. If you don’t have one (my mom never went) then ask your family dr. who he can recommend for you. I had two uterine fibroids and also adenomyosis that was diagnosed (although adenomyosis is usually diagnosed after a hysterectomy because the ultrasound showed what it looked like. The dr. said he could feel two fibroids (not big or anything but they gave me so much trouble and two years after I had my third baby I ended up having a hysterectomy at age 29. I was like you and sick and tired of being sick and tired. There are treatments such as a myomectomy but usually that’s for women who still want to have a baby. Another option if you are bleeding very heavy like going through a pad in an hour or less can be something called UAE or uterine artery embolization. I didn’t want to do this since my chouices were either a hysterectomy (we didn’t want anymore kids and I was really bleeding very heavy). I would go through a tampon in about 20 minutes. I also am aware that fibroids depending on the size can affect the bladder or make it difficult for someone to be able to have a hard time peeing if the uterus is pressing on the bladder. Also incontinence (wetting like when someone sneezes). I did see a urologist before my hysterectomy and was diagnosed and treated for urethral stenosis. My urologist told me that I’d feel so much better after a hysterectomy which I was planning on having done. I had to have support from my family because it is major surgery. Some women depending on the size of the fibroid can have a vaginal hysterectomy if the uterus is not any bigger than 9 weeks pregnancy size. An ultrasound can show how big in measurement a uterus is. Also a gyn dr. can feel if the uterus is enlarged, boggy (adenomyosis or endometriosis in the uterine muscle), or if the bladder is being pushed on making it difficult to pass urine or keep it in you like if you sneeze, cough, or do something else.With the technology today there are many tests to determine which treatment or cure is right for you. You are not alone. Many women do have fibroids. With some they don’t bother anyone meaning they don’t cause any bladder problems or heavy bleeding while with others they have problems.
You can feel free to email me (emails are private and not given on here when you click on my email button). This site will give you a box that you can send email to and will not display your email address. I’m very confidential from being in the medical field already and I don’t share anyones medical history or give out their email if they want to actually email me at my address I can give out if you want when you message me. I’ve went through so much since I was 28 and my energy level was low (probably from bleeding so much and feeling the pressure om my bladder due to the firbroid.
From what I know there are three treatments for fibroids and as I mentioned before one is a myomectomy, another is UAE (uterine artery embolization), and another is a hysterectomy. You and your dr. will have to talk to see how you can make the best decision for you. My hysterectomy was one of the best things I had done and I don’t have any regrets. My sex life was so much better and I didn’t have to worry about anymore problems going to the bathroom. A urologist can help you if you have any bladder isssues and if necessary then there are other things that can be done either with a hysterectomy or to the bladder or urethra (for me as I had urethral stenosis in which I had to be dilated which worked awesome). The urologist told me it was most likely due to the pressure of my uterus on my bladder. Although I had three kids, I was actually at more of a risk for having problems with holding in urine or not having so much leakage without wearing something to protect my underwear. I was in so much pain. Usually fibroids don’t cause pain but they can cause bleeding. There’s also a site at www.hystersisters.com in which a woman can go to and read stories of how people were treated. One message board is for people who don’t know what to do and they can type pretty much everything they have been going through in detail if they want.
I wish you luck in finding the right treatment or cure for your situation. There are many ways one can have a hysterectomy. I had a vaginal hysterectomy and kept my ovaries. If my uterus was 10 week pregnancy size or bigger I would not have been able to have a vaginal hysterectomy. There is also an abdominal hysterectomy in which the belly is cut and the dr. removes the uterus that way. Some women who have bladder issues may decide to keep their cervix and that’s up to them and can get advice on if keeping the cervix will help “hold” the bladder up so they don’t have to many issues anymore. Your best bet would see what your dr. thinks is right for you to do. Be honest with your dr. I wrote down on paper of what I was going through in detail. I wanted to keep my ovaries so I could get the hormones needed.
As for the abscess in your mouth, if it’s in a tooth you should see your dentist. If it’s not in a tooth I would still see a dentist. Here is one link about what to do for an abscess.
http://www.2homeremedies.com/abscess.htm
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
Hysterectomy side effects- what about Uterine Fibroid Embolization?
I have a bleeding over 3 weeks, my uterine is large and I have Fibroid. My OBGY wants me to have Hysterectomy, I am getting Provera 10mg since last Sunday, and I had increased the doze to 20 mg.
I am afraid of the surgery, I have heard about Uterine Fibroid Embolization which is non surgical treatment.My OBGY does not believe in that and refused to help me. I went to my primary care and got refer to see another OBGY for a second opinion.
Ladies please tell me about your own experience which procedure did you have.
What are the side effects of Hysterectomy, mood swing gaining extra weight? How long it takes to heal and be away from work? Thanks,- ANSWER:
A complete hyst would have more side effects than a UFE because of the fact that if they take your ovaries out, you will need to be placed on hormone replacement therapy. The moods swings, hot flashes, etc. are awful from what I’ve been told.Here’s a website that might shed some more light on your situation. Good luck to you!
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/601.html
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
I have heavy prolonged uterine bleeding. it took 4 yrs and 6 drs to find a fibroid.?
at the onset of my menstruation (12) I was also diagnosed with severe depression at 13 and anxiety at 19. since April 1st, I have had only 20 days where I am not bleeding. I have PMS all the time. The Mirena IUD was suggested but I don’t really want it (because of depression). I feel like a bundle of psychiatric diagnoses and it took 33 years for a psych. to see the correlation between my depression and period. I have had to ask my dr to check for cancer. and I am so sick of the blood loss – but not anaemic (go figure). Their best answer is a hysterectomy. Has anyone else had this situation
Thyroid is normal. and I have been on the pill, but I have to take it continuously and even then I have bleeding anyway. I was given progesterone pills which stopped the bleeding for a while, but had to increase the prozac which caused panic attacks. I am on seroquel and prozac. I think I will not go with the IUD I have heard it is nothing but problems. There is no endocrinologist here- ANSWER:
At the age of about 38 years of age, I got panic attacks right before I started every period. These were the worst ones. I had heavy bleeding flue like symptoms and nothing worked. I asked the doctor to give he a hysterectomy. Since I was ovulating on the day of the surgery, my body prepared itself for a period. I had a panic attack on the day I was to start but after that I had no more when a period would have started. I still had them after the hysterectomy but not nearly as severe and have taken xanax and an antidepressant for many years. I went two years without taking anything and then they returned do to a specific problem. I have an excellent doctor who is an authority on panic attacks who found the correct meds for me.
I would never recommend hysterectomy to anyone, I can just say that it helped in my case. Now. many more drugs are on the market that may be able to help you. You need to sit down and have an honest thorough talk with your doctor to find out what is best for you. Best wishes.
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
Is it suggestible to go for hysterectomy at the age of 35 years for having 4.2 x 3.9 cm uterine wall fibroid?
complaint: heavy bleeding due to intramural anterior uterine wall fibroid compressing adjacent endometrial echo.- ANSWER:
Discuss with gynecologist / suitable doctor, not with lay people on YA!
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
anyone here ever had bad uterine fibroids?
I think I may have developed a uterine fibroid(s). I’m having mucus and bleeding discharge while I’m taking progesterone, and I’ve read they are about the only “female” issue that gets worse with progesterone exposure instead of better. Also, my mom had one of the worst cases they’d ever seen when they were doing an autopsy on her over a year ago, and I’ve read they are genetic. Does anyone want to share how their symptoms presented? I do have a doc appointment on Thursday.- ANSWER:
It does sound like you might have a uterine fibroid. My Mum used to get them all the time and experienced very heavy and painful periods accompanied by pelvic pain and also had heavy bleeding between periods. Before my Mum was diagnosed with her fibroids her doctors thought her pain was caused by her endometriosis (another condition she had).I haven’t personally experienced fibroids, but I do believe that some conditions are hereditary as my Mum had suffered from ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis and eventually had a hysterectomy. I too suffer with ovarian cysts regularly and was diagnosed with endometriosis last year.
I would recommend you follow through with your doctors appointment on Thursday and hopefully they will be able to give you a better indication as to what could be causing your bleeding.
Good luck 🙂
- ANSWER:
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