According to Western medicine, no one knows for sure what causes fibroids. What we do know is that they seem to be affected by our hormones - in other words, excess estrogen in the body seems to make them grow, and they will often decrease in size after menopause (when overall body estrogen is lower). For women exhibiting symptoms, doctors will most often offer the choice of controlling growth through drugs, or removing the fibroids through surgery.
There is another option
If you've been diagnosed with fibroids, and are looking for an alternative to drugs and surgery, consider this: There are ways to minimize the size and symptoms of fibroids by using food therapeutically.
How do we do this? First of all, we work with you on food choices - finding those foods that will support your body in healing itself. In general, fresh whole foods - which are higher in fiber - help the liver in its job of processing and removing toxins from the body, including excess estrogen.
Stored emotions
Next we look at the flip side of the coin.
Dr. Christiane Northrup (author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom) calls fibroids an "illness of competition." At LSW, we believe that fibroids represent stored emotion - most typically anger or resentment. As modern women, we often don't have an outlet for the stressors in our lives, leaving them to be stored in our bodies as unprocessed emotions.
Investigating your relationship with these important emotions and finding healthy outlets for their expression can be a key component in your healing journey.
First steps
If you are suffering from fibroids, call us for a free consultation and find out more about how we can help. But in the meantime, start with these basic steps:
* Increase: whole grains, green vegetables
* Increase: rest, play time, down time
* Decrease: sugar, alcohol, caffeine
* For symptomatic relief: apply a hot water bottle - filled with warm to hot water (NOT boiling) - to the abdomen
Questions about fibroids?
Ask questions and leave comments at in our comments section below, and an LSW Counselor will respond. If you’re dealing with fibroids, this is a great opportunity to get your questions answered!
LSW is committed to helping you understand the amazing natural healing options that are available to you, so that you can make knowledgeable, powerful choices about how to care for your body and your menstrual and sexual health.
About Alisa
Laughing Sage Wellness Group was founded by Alisa Vitti, a Certified Holistic Health Counselor (AADP). Alisa is committed to empowering clients to reconnect with the wisdom of their bodies. She received degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She has taught at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and lectures regularly at Beth Israel Medical Practices and Westerly Health Foods in Manhattan. She travels nationally, reaching out to women who are ready to create vibrant health and amazing futures for themselves. She specializes in the areas of reproductive and hormonal health and creating real intimacy in relationships.
www.laughingsagewellness.com
