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FIBROIDS

FOODS THAT HARM

  • Beer

    FOODS THAT HEAL

  • Dairy products
  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Swiss chard
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Oranges

    FOODS TO LIMIT

  • Breads, pastas, and other foods made with white flour

    WHO’S AFFECTED

  • African American women
  • Women ages 40 to 50
  • Identical twins of women with fibroids
  • Women who took birth control pills at 13 to 16 years of age
    Uterine fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors of the uterus and are the leading cause for hysterectomies in the United States
    Fibroids are common in women during their childbearing years and can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, longer-lasting periods, cramping, lower back pain, pain during intercourse, and bleeding between periods
    Researchers are still working on determining what causes fibroids
    The current thinking is that hormones, especially estrogens and progesterone, play a role

    Nutrition Connection

    These dietary tips will help minimize the impact of fibroids: Reduce high-carb foods
    Researchers who study fibroids say that eating too many refined carbs (breads, pastas, and other foods made with white flour; sugary treats) leads to high, prolonged levels of blood glucose
    That can lead to higher blood levels of estradiol, a potent estrogen, which could theoretically fuel the development of fibroids
    Get milk
    Milk and other dairy products substantially lower the risk for developing fibroids
    Gobble oranges
    Women who eat a couple of oranges a day have a lower fibroid risk than women who ate fewer oranges
    But OJ is no substitute for the real deal—drinking it doesn’t lower a woman’s risk
    Graze on green veggies
    Eating more than a serving a day of green vegetables slashes fibroid risk by 50%
    Abstain from beer
    Women who have one or more beers a day increase their fibroid risk by 50%
    Drop a few pounds
    Women who have fibroids tend to be overweight
    Being obese ups your risk by 20%

    Beyond the Diet

    Some nondietary guidelines will reduce and help manage fibroids, including: Check your blood pressure
    The Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest studies on women’s health, points to a link between high blood pressure and fibroid development
    Do some deep breathing
    Stress could raise progesterone levels and increase fibroid development
    • Importance of well balance diet