Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors that grow along the inside wall of the uterus. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, up to 80 percent of women develop uterine fibroids during their lifetime. Fortunately, most of these fibroids are asymptomatic and require no treatment. However, if your uterine fibroids severely impact your quality of life, you have several treatment options to choose from. One alternative therapy under investigation is diet and nutrition modification.
Causes and Symptoms
Physicians have linked genetic alterations, certain growth factors and excess estrogen and progesterone to uterine growth. However, the exact trigger for their development remains unknown, according to Mayo Clinic. If you suffer from symptomatic uterine fibroids, you may experience heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse, prolonged menstrual periods of up to seven or more days, constipation, frequent urination, difficulty emptying your bladder, and pelvic pressure or pain.
General Dietary Advice
Mayo Clinic reports that not enough research has linked diet to uterine fibroids; however, obesity puts you at a much higher risk for developing the growths. Maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle helps you avoid the many serious diseases and complications associated with obesity.
Beneficial Foods
The limited research conducted has shown that high-fiber diets help regulate hormone and growth factor levels in the blood. This, in turn, may help extract excess estrogen from the body. The best sources for fiber include whole grains, bran, oats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans. If you currently do not consume enough fiber, incorporate it to your diet slowly. Adding too much fiber too quickly can lead to gas, abdominal pain and bloating.
Foods to Avoid
Since excess estrogen may stimulate fibroid growth, you should eliminate or decrease foods with naturally occurring estrogens. Animals, including humans, store estrogen in fat cells, so eating large amounts of fatty meat can increase your estrogen levels. Several fruits and vegetables contain estrogen-like hormones called phytoestrogens, including apples, carrots, barley, plums, olives, tomatoes and yams. Other foods known to aggravate fibroids or promote their growth include dairy products, alcohol, sugar, salt, caffeine and fried fatty foods.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Uterine Fibroids; June 2011
- The National Women's Health Information Center: Uterine Fibroids
- NutritionMD: Uterine Fibroids: Nutritional Considerations
- LifeExtension: Uterine Fibroids
- Mayo Clinic: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet; November 2009
- Hollistic Online: Food and Estrogen
