Showing posts with label anemia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anemia. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Obesity and Fibriods






Since about 2004 I had been leading a sedentary life style. Because of that I gained a lot of weight. I had at least two jobs and worked several graveyard shifts on top of a regular 40 hours a week day job. I ate whatever I wanted anytime I wanted to and I justified it by telling my self that I worked hard. I “treated” myself to a lot of fast foods and sweets. I don’t drink carbonated drinks like soda, I don’t smoke, I rarely drink alcoholic beverages, and I was not using birth control pills.

In 2006 I started to feel very tired all the time. I had joint pain, and I would have these wicked leg cramps. I was hungry all the time. I was stressed out. I could eat and eat and never feel satisfied. My periods started wigging out. I went from no cramps, no PMS and 4 days of light bleeding to 7 to 9 days of cramps, acne breakouts, PMS, and heavy to moderate (including blood clots) bleeding. Over time my period got worse, i.e. heavier and longer to the point where I became anemic. I was depressed and tired all the time. I tried dieting to lose weight, but it was so hard or harder than usual. I lacked the energy to exercise, and my hunger and craving were overwhelming. I’m telling you all this because I think my excessive weight (my FAT) and my completely non-nutritious diet was a direct contributor to my fibroids. In effect I feel as though I was poisoning myself, and I was not listening to what my body was telling me. It wasn’t until the Doctors told me that they wanted to take my uterus and maybe my ovaries out of me, that I woke up.

Obesity seems like a ticking time bomb that is fueled by our diets and sedentary lifestyles. For me (so far) my bomb was fibroids, but obesity can manifest in our bodies in all kinds of nasty ways. There are so many articles about obesity and hormone imbalances, obesity and cancer, obesity and infertility, obesity and heart attacks, the list goes on. Check out the links below.
OHSU Research Reveals The Complexities Of Obesity/cortisol Interactions
It is shear luck that I stumbled across a book that got me thinking that maybe I had other options besides surgery. My holistic regimen is about taking control of what I put and do to my body, understanding my body, balancing out my hormones (i.e. my estrogen to progesterone ratio) and supporting/healing my liver (so that it can do it’s job of removing/detoxing excess estrogen and other toxins) with lots of reading and talking to medical professionals, an anti-inflammatory diet, supplements and herbs. I know there are lots of overweight and skinny women who are perfectly healthy, and I’m glad for them, but I had to listen to my body I had to empower myself. I do all this so I can hopefully keep my uterus and ovaries. I eat right to live right; to live longer and healthier, I eat right to keep myself whole, intact and healthy. Crazy as it might sound so far its been working.

To sum it up: Being, fat, over weight, sedentary, obese, however you want to put it….FAT is BAD. Estrogen overload is BAD. Not listening to your body, ignoring signs like menstrual and reproductive abnormalities, can lead to BAD things.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2008

My Thoughts on My Diet and Nutrition

Due to heredity I may have a predisposition to getting fibroids, however I have to take a look at the environmental factors that may have had an effect on my health. I am taking a serious look at my diet and nutrition.

I could rant about big food companies throwing fillers and additives and whatever in to our mass produced processed foods all in the name of making a buck. Their attitude being that if it sells, taste’s good and doesn’t kill people (quickly) it’s all good. But all I am going to say is processed foods may not kill us but it sure as hell is not making us stronger.

I can’t really go off on any of these companies, because I was a willing participant. Hell I love big mac’s, jumbo jacks, bacon, pork chops, Kraft mac & cheese and sugar (to name a few). I would roll my eyes and chuckle every time I saw some article about how hot dogs and big mac’s would kill us. And I can’t blame my parents for my bad eating habits. My parents raised me on a very healthy and nutritious diet. I was eating Spirulina, carrot juice, tofu, meat alternatives, protein powder and other tree barks and grass clippings back in the 70’s long before Jamba Juice and Whole Foods.

Once I left home I started pigging out on whatever I wanted. I did not consistently think about nutrition or what I was putting into my mouth would do to my body. With out a care in the world to long or short term consequences, I just satisfied one craving after another. In my twenties, if I gained a little weight I would diet, lose it, stop the diet and gain it all back. Then when I hit my thirties it became harder and harder to lose the weight. Now I am single, overweight with fibroids, jacked up fallopian tubes, anemia, and staring down the barrel of a hysterectomy.

I am not blaming and I am not saying that there is a cause and effect relationship. I know that there are quacks, chicken littles, and scam artists on both sides. Also that information needs to be scrutinized and I am skeptical. With that said I think that taking a holistic approach and changing my diet can make a difference. I think that balancing my hormones and providing my body with the nutrients that it needs, and not flooding it with crap that it does not need (and could be harmful), will make a difference. I am watching everything I am putting in my mouth. I am eating to live a healthy life. I am respecting my body. What I am saying is that I am on guard about food and my environment. Check out these searches on Processed Food and Hormones In Food.

Got something to say? Ideas? Suggestions? Leave a comment.

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Monday, January 14, 2008

My Regimen

*Note: I see JJ Tuesday January 15th, 2007, for a full consultation, so my holistic regimen may change. If it does I will update this post.

My Uterine Fibriod Tea consist of the following herbs:
Dandelion Root (helps decongest the liver, detox)
Yellow Dock Root (detox)
Ginger Root
Licorice Root
Vitex (Chaste) Berries (normalize estrogen levels by stimulating progesterone production)
Nettle (Rich in Iron helps in relieving Anemia)
Red Clover Leaves
Red Raspberry Leaves
Wild Yam
Burdock

JJ Worked out the actual amounts and I think I ended up with 10 ounces of tea. To make the tea I use 4 tablespoons per quart. I drink 1 quart a day. I put in parentheses what the book Herbal Healing Secrets for Women says about the herb. From what I’ve read the herbs in this tea are helpful in detoxifying, and balancing my hormones.

Shepard’s Purse: For the uterine bleeding (Menorrhagia) I drink 1 cup of tea a day made with 1 tablespoon of Shepard’s Purse.

The Herbal Healing Secrets book had formulas for cramp relief and insomnia relief, both of which I was having problems with. I take these as needed. I put a few droppers full of the cramp relief in what I am drinking. I put a 2-3 droppers full of the insomnia relief in heated almond milk. Yummy!! JJ says I can use Hazelnut milk too. I love Hazelnuts!!

Cramp Relief Formula:
1 ounce Cramp Bark Extract (relax muscle spasm)
½ ounce Valerian or Hops Extract
½ ounce White Willow Bark Extract
¼ ounce Ginger Root Extract

Insomnia Relief Formula:
1 ounce Valerian Root Extract
½ ounce Hops Extract
½ ounce Passionflower Extract

JJ recommended some Milk Thistle Powder. According to my Herbal Healing book, the Silymarin in Milk thistle protects the liver, helps stimulate the growth of healthy new liver cells and improves it’s the ability to detoxify estrogen. Sorry JJ but that powder taste NASTY!! I purchased GAIA Herbs Milk Thistle Seed caplets. I take 2-3 a day.

I also take Premier Science’s Indoplex (DIM). It says it “Supports healthy breast, uterine, cervical and prostate tissue*” Also Premier Science’s Calcium D-Glucarate. It says it “ Enhances detoxification and promotes estrogen metabolism to support cellular health”

At night I do a Castor Oil Pack.

I will use Natual Progesterone cream 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon twice a day on days 12 to 26 of my menstruation Cycle. (First day of Menstruation is day 1. See Natural Progesterone Cream article)

I still take my Repliva a prescription Iron supplement. Right now I need it.

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