If you suffer with uterine fibroids there are free and frugal fixes for females with fibroids that can be considered to offer (possibly fast, or improved) relief with symptoms! In addition, if a hysterectomy has been suggested by your Doctor, some of the "fixes" below may be used to ensure a more successful surgery, and/or assist with shrinkage of large fibroids before removal.
1. Change your diet
Foods to Avoid:
A. Refined, processed sugars - not as easily digestible, body stores as bad fat.
B. Caffeine - low to moderate consumption.
C. Foods high in saturated fats- clogs arteries, heart, all other organs
D. Fast food - it's just bad for you.
E. Extremely spicy foods - can cause digestive discomfort, enzymes not able to breakdown properly.
F. Foods high in sodium - can cause high blood pressure.
G. Soy products (promotes production of estrogen).
G. Alcohol - depletes the system, especially when drunk often.
H. Smoking - self-explanatory, only adds impurities into the body and makes it work harder to.
maintain, affects most major organs; carcinogenic
Benefits:
- Some weight loss
- Your body re-adjusts on healthier foods which provide more nourishment,
- Increase in energy.
- Possible increase in sleep quality.
- Noticeable decrease in fibroid symptoms (growth, heavy periods, pains, headaches, etc.) because you're feeding your body, and not the fibroids.
2. Hydrate (Free Fix)
Begin drinking more water everyday. Make a conscious effort to drink half your weight in ounces of water (ex.: If I weigh 130lbs, I strive to drink up to 60 or more ounces of water every single day).
Benefits:
- You will be hydrating your organs that will allow them to work better, you will be gently cleansing yourself from the inside as you constantly flush your liver and kidneys.
- The more waste you can eliminate, the sooner your body will be able to get back to working as it should, in a more healthy state.
- Promotes a decrease in estrogen = decrease to the fibroids.
- Promotes great skin and bright eyes.
- Consistent hydration allows for all cells to work optimally.
3. Do a gentle short-term cleanse - Take 24 to 72 hours and give your body a break!
(Frugal Fix)
(Frugal Fix)
A cleanse can help you slowly re-adjust/re-set your body so that it functions better; you also feel better. My suggestion is to do a 24 to 72 hour cleanse once every 7 to 10 days. Of course you may opt to cleanse for longer periods of time, however please consider a gradual approach. In addition, to maintain nutrients during this time of lean/liquid consumption, drink vegetable smoothies, broths and purees along with intermittent doses of water.
Benefits:
- Allows you to feed your system on minimal food intake which gives your digestive track a break.
- Same process allows for maximum nutrient intake with fruit and veggie smoothies and broths.
- Weight loss
- Helps to expel impurities in the body, which may assist in decreasing fibroids and symptoms
3. Sweat - Time to step up your work out routine (Free or Frugal Fix)
When you exercise, you are working your machine (the body). If you don't work so said machine, it will start to breakdown fast. Being busy or moving around while on your job is not going to cut it. You must make time to workout. Exercise builds muscle, increases circulation, works the heart, makes you feel good, increases stamina, and makes you sweat.When you sweat, more impurities are released by the body which lends to a cleaner internal system (in addition to glowing skin). Doing things to promote a more homeopathic internal state is one of the main things on which we females with fibroids need to focus.
Use the wall, floor, chair and bed to support and anchor your body for good stretching and endurance workouts. As well, use nearby trail, park, or mall for added cardio.
Benefits: Self-explanatory
4. Meditation/Deep Breathing (Free Fix)
Benefits:
- Helps to relieve stress that manifests internally, and can promote fibroids. (Eliminating and relieving surrounding stress can improve fibroid symptoms and size.)
- Increased intake in oxygen, and like water is music to the ears of your cells.
- Promotes a sense of peace and clear thinking.
- Helps to redirect internal energies.
5. Naturopathic/Holistic Medicine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturopathy. In addition, naturopathy promotes healing techniques that or non-invasive. Sometimes, surgery is not the only means to cure. Being educated about various options will help you better decide your course of action in fighting your fibroids.
6. Vitamin/Herbal Supplements (Physician-directed)
(Frugal Fix)
Consider taking a tests to check for any vitamin deficiencies. If your diet is includes all the things listed above under 'foods to avoid if you have fibroids', you are probably depleted of necessary vitamins and nutrients that are needed to keep your body (and mind) running optimally. Vitamin deficiency can take a drastic toll on the body over time; fibroids may come as a result of internal imbalance that deficiency may cause.
7. Traditional Chinese Medicine / Acupuncture
Traditional Western Medicine employs standard diagnoses of medical afflictions based on what Doctors are taught in Medical school. In many cases, Doctors are not aware, open to, or versed on alternative healing techniques that have reputedly been successful. In other words, a traditional American Doctor will not suggest you seek out solutions that may be less or non invasive, that could possibly offer you the same or better benefit of having surgery. In addition, the focus of Western medicine seems to emphasize correction/cure more so than prevention (my opinion). That's why I chose to research everything I could regarding uterine fibroids immediately after I had been diagnosed with fibroids by my Gynecologist (read episode here). I didn't want to have surgery because it meant that:
1. I would have to give up my uterus (that, in turn would cure the fibroid situation)
2. Considering other surgical, but less drastic procedures would not be able to remove all of the
fibroids, and if so, there was no guarantee that they would not come back.
She didn't tell me of any procedures/techniques/medicines that could be used to shrink the fibroids and make them disappear. The two drugs I was told about that did shrink fibroids were only used prior to surgery. In addition, they were extremely expensive ("Why?", I wondered) and couldn't be sustained through insurance coverage for long term use (it would cost about $600 for two to three shots per month). I chose an alternative, non-invasive, safer way to shrink my fibroids - Acupuncture. Check out the results here.
By the way, I saved a lot of money and time by using Acupuncture as a means to help me shrink my fibroids and reduce/eliminate my symptoms. At the time I began Acupuncture, I had no insurance. But the weekly treatment and prescribed Chinese herbs were affordable..... and worked. I didn't have to take out a loan, or miss any 'life' activities with Acupuncture. Not the same for a hysterectomy procedure.
8. Chinese Herbs (Frugal Fix)
Chinese herbs can be used alone or along with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Naturopathic healing techniques. They tend to be very potent, and should be used under the supervision by a Certified Health Professional or Herbalist. I currently take this one now.
9.Yoga (Free and Frugal Fix)
10. Tai Chi (Free and Frugal Fix)
Benefits (of both)
- Promotes emotional, spiritual, physical awareness, as well as and relaxation.
- Specific poses done to open up and promote circulation of the lower chakras (which can lead to a decrease in symptoms and size of fibroids).
- Promotes relaxation, increases flexibility, and internal movement of energy (qi) in the body.
- Various exercises also promote the draining of the lymph nodes and adrenal and thyroid glands, which all work together within the realm of female hormonal balance.
- Promotes better circulation which (in the abdominal area) can decrease blood supply to fibroids. This in turn, starves them of sustenance and they can begin to deteriorate.
- Weight loss, body toning
- Improved movement/flexibility
- Promotes a more positive body image
- Promotes mental physical and emotional peace.
11. Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy (Free and Frugal Fix)
This therapy is something I recently came across when searching for specific massages that would stimulate more circulation where my fibroids were concentrated. I found out that this technique is beneficial for women as it concentrates on the health, position, energy flow and stimulation of the pelvic region. Check out this link for more details. This therapy is non-invasive, safe, and can be done by a trained professional, or you can be taught to do it yourself.
So there you have it Ladies - eleven free and frugal fixes for females with fibroids that I bet your Doctor never told yu about. Again, I stress the importance of being educated about any diagnosis you receive, and research ALL options related to preventive measures, as well as cures.
The purpose of this particular blog post is to raise awareness about different options and other alternatives to a hysterectomy that exist, and have shown to help decrease uterine fibroids and symptoms.
This is Part 1. Part 2 is here
Happy Health!
K
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