Trawl the internet, flip through self help books and chances are you wont find a definitive answer.
Whilst many scientists and doctors now believe fibroid growth is fueled by excess estrogen and probably progesterone (or the lack of it) no one really knows what kick starts the disease process in the first place.
I’m firmly of the belief that we reap what we sow! and I can certainly hold my hand up to the fact that in my late 20’s early 30’s I lead a less than healthy lifestyle.
I smoked, I drank alcohol, I worked hard and I played hard and stress through work was off the richter scale. My diet was chronic and exercise simply didn’t register on my radar. Frankly I was lucky that I only developed fibroids!
Fibroids, endometriosis, PMS, ovarian cysts, fibrocystic breast disease are all symptoms of inflammation and today I can look back over the years and see how and why I developed fibroids. Quite simply I had set the stage for chronic inflammation.
Inflammation is normal and beneficial to our health and we need a certain amount of it to stay healthy. It is only when inflammation gets out of control is it detrimental to our health.
But controlling inflammation is also incredibly important to our health as excess inflammation in our body can fester silently for years until a disease or symptom develops such as fibroids.
Some scientists believe that low grade or chronic inflammation is associated with everything from heart disease, diabetes to alzheimer’s and arthritus!
Both excess insulin and excess estrogen in our bodies are highly inflammatory molecules and are strongly implicated in the growth of fibroids. The good news is that both insulin and estrogen can be successfully controlled through exercise and diet.
The following conditions can increase your risk of chronic inflammation
- Being overweight
- Eating a poor diet
- Being insulin resistant
- Leading a sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Poor immune system
- Stress
Lifestyle changes that can help reduce chronic inflammation in your body
- Avoid pro-inflammatory foods such as trans-fats, all processed foods, fast foods, fried foods, foods high in sugar and fructose
- Eat a moderate amount of fish. The omega-3 fats in fish can help reduce inflammation.
- Learn to optimise your insulin levels - have your GP or doctor test your fasting blood glucose levels
- Exercise - regular exercise will get excess glucose and insulin out of your system faster - doing less damage to your body
- Improve your immune system - one method is to improve your gut flora, consider taking probiotics
- Take steps to reduce your levels of stress, stress causes the release of your ‘stress hormone’ cortisol. Your body makes cortisol from progesterone the most fundamental hormone needed to help balance estrogen within your body. Prolonged bouts of stress will deplete your body’s reserves of progesterone.
One such herb which helps reduce inflammation in our bodies is ginger. Fresh ginger from the root, widely available in most supermarkets, is wonderful grated over a salad or grated and steeped in boiling water as in a cup of green tea.
Turmeric, used in curries, is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects! Aside from its uses as a culinary herb it is also available as a health supplement.
Interestingly turmeric is a member of the ginger family!
