By SUZY COHEN
Q: I have a vaginal fibroid that is about the size of an egg. It’s attached at the opening of the vagina and is very painful. What can I take that is natural to help shrink it? — C.A., Orlando, Fla.
A: Fibroids are noncancerous growths. Fibroids need estrogen to grow; if you reduce the amount of estrogen in the body, they retreat. This is why menopausal women seem to trade in their fibroids for hot flashes.
Some fibroids grow to the size of a grapefruit. Hysterectomies are sometimes performed as treatment. It’s understandable in certain serious cases when the fibroids cause extreme pain or cancer is involved, but I think it’s barbaric that doctors used to do routine hysterectomies to remove fibroids even if the patient had no symptoms. Besides, surgery doesn’t fix the hormonal imbalance that caused the fibroid in the first place. Try some of these following supplements:
Serrapeptase: This is an enzyme that eats cysts. It should shrink your fibroids with continued use. It’s sold widely online and in health food stores.
I3C or DIM: This supplement is extracted from broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables. It helps reduce estrogen in the body, so the same warnings exist for this supplement as for Myomin.
Evening primrose oil: This is extracted from the seeds of a wildflower. It provides gamma-linolenic acid. This can help relieve painful menstrual cycles, endometriosis and fibroid tumors.
Diet: Abandon fried food, dairy products or meat because these may fuel the growth of fibroids. Eat more salads and fruits. Drink juices that are red and fresh, such as pure pomegranate, grape or cranberry juice.
Medicine: Wean off your birth control or hormone replacement drugs (with your doctor’s blessings) because these forms of estrogen fuel fibroid growth.
This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist” and “Real Solutions.” For more information, go online to tulsaworld.com/ dearpharmacist.
Originally published by SUZY COHEN Dear Pharmacist.
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