Glamour Magazine: Find a better birth control

Found an article on birth control in a recent copy of Glamour magazine. It covers Barrier Methods, Hormonal Methods, and Long-Term Methods of birth control with reviews from women who use them.

I have not used hormonal methods of birth control for several years. Not using the pill may have made me more susceptible to developing uterine fibriods. Read: Risk Factors for Uterine Fibroids Same as Those For Endometrial Cancer, New Pill Study Finds. After my diagnosis of uterine fibriods I was put on the pill in the hopes that it would stop the bleeding. I asked and was told the the pill would not effect the size of my fibriods. I was on the pill for about six months and not only did the bleeding not stop it got worse. Also I could feel and see (as my abdomen area started to expand, like I was pregnant) my fibriods getting bigger! I have been off the pill for about 3 months now, doing my regimen, and I've seen marked improvement. I am not advocating any particular method. By not using hormonal birth control I am doing what I think is best for my body right now.

Here is another article on Birth Control Pills and Uterine Fibroids. It has a better list of hormanal birth control side effects however in regards to the pill promoting the growth of existing uterine fibriods it says this:

Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, control the body's estrogen and progesterone levels (progestin is a synthetic form of the body's progesterone). Even though estrogen and progestin have a role in uterine fibroid growth, birth control pills do not affect the size of fibroids. However, birth control pill use improves heavy menstrual bleeding, which can be caused by uterine fibroids.

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Estrogen dominance is it real?

I stumbled across this site Cure Zone, Educating Instead of Medicating while looking up info on Hormones in our foods. It seems to be a collection of blogs, articles and forums. There is some stuff there that I think is quack, but there is also some good information. I found these articles on Estrogen Dominance and on MILK - The hidden toxins that I thought was interesting.

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More On BPA And Other Toxins

I brought up the bad news about plastic and Bisphenol A (BPA) but I did not bring up any solutions. The best course of actions seems to be gathering information and avoiding toxins. According to The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) plastics with the recycle symbols 3, 6, and 7 should be avoided. For more specific information go to IATP's website and read the following PDF's: Smart Plastics Guide, Smart Meat and Dairy Guide, Smart Produce Guide, and Smart Fish Guide. Here is another article that I thought was informative Plastics and Children: Friend Or Foe.
I'm starting to feel like chicken little, but I think it's worth passing on the information. I am making a move back to all natural, organic, hormone free ect. Being in the field of Cosmetology I am also taking a look at my cosmetics. What I have found so far is not encouraging. Did you know that none of the cosmetics that we use has to be approved for safety by the FDA before hitting the market? There is a searchable cosmetics safety database called Skin Deep where you can research your cosmetics ingredients and see if and how toxic they are. Also you might want to check out these books: Not Just A Pretty Face the Ugly Side Of the Beauty Industry, Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What's at Stake for American Power and the Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients Found in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals.
I don’t know for certain if there is a direct cause and effect between environmental toxins and my getting fibroids. However I do believe that constant exposure to toxins might pose some health ricks for me and that putting effort into reducing my exposure to toxins could over all be good for my health.

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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.

Counsel Patients on “Weight Loss For Life” To Prevent Obesity Effects

Medical Complications of Obesity
Obesity FAQ’s;
Some studies show obese women are at increased risk of having fibroids;
Obese Women, Reproductive Problems, and Infertility;
Obesity has closer association with infertility menstrual and reproductive abnormalities;

Obesity and Cancer;
Facts About Fibroids;
Obesity 'fuelling cancer timebomb';
Heart attack

Cortisol Connection: Tips on Managing Stress and Weight

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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Bisphenol A: Something Else to Worry About

Bisphenol a came up during the lecture at the Herb Shoppe By Dr. Wylie. The next day I did a search and...WOW. Ok so the skinny on uterine fibroid growth (and some other abnormal growths) is that they feed on excess hormones, i.e that they are estrogen-dependant. The use of Progesterone to treat uterine fibroids is confounding, so I’m going to leave that alone for now. The bottom line is according to Life Extension’s book on Disease Prevention and Treatment

“That women with uterine fibroids should attempt to lessen the entry of exogenous estrogen substances into their systems.”

Life Extension goes on to say that

“Control of estrogen is difficult in our estrogen-laden environment...Various agricultural chemicals MIMIC the activity and structural description of estrogen, provoking heightened estrogen receptivity on estrogen receptor sites.”

So where does Bisphenol A (BPA) come in? Well if you do a google search you find a lot of information and a movement to have this stuff banned. According to an article on The Green Guide website written by Catherine Zandonella, M.P.H, BPA

“mimics naturally occurring estrogen, a hormone that is part of the
endocrine system, the body's finely tuned messaging service. "These hormones
control the development of the brain, the reproductive system and many other
systems in the developing fetus," says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., a
developmental biologist at the University of Missouri. Endocrine-disrupting
chemicals can duplicate, block or exaggerate hormonal responses. "The most harm is to the unborn or newborn child," vom Saal says.”

Trying to avoid BPA might be a little tricky, the article goes on to say

“Plastic water and baby bottles, food and beverage can linings and dental sealants are the most commonly encountered uses of this chemical. Unfortunately,it doesn't stay put. BPA has been found to leach from bottles into babies' milk or formula; it migrates from can liners into foods and soda and from epoxy resin-lined vats into wine; and it is found in the mouths of people who've
recently had their teeth sealed. Ninety-five percent of Americans were found to
have the chemical in their urine in a 2004 biomonitoring study by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

Also

“BPA was thrust into the spotlight by a laboratory mishap. In August 1998,geneticist Patricia Hunt, Ph.D., now at Washington State University in Pullman,noticed that chromosomal errors in the mouse cells she was studying had shot
up—from 1 or 2 percent to 40 percent, as published in the April 2003 Current
Biology. Hunt traced the effect to polycarbonate cages and water bottles that
had been washed with a harsh detergent. When her team replaced all the caging
materials with non-polycarbonate plastics, the cell division returned to
normal.”

And

“Meanwhile, new studies continue to reveal the potential for harm. A January 2006 study indicates that BPA may enhance the risk of developing Type II diabetes. Angel Nadal, Ph.D., and his team at the University of Miguel Hernández de Elche in Alicante, Spain, found that BPA altered the function of mouse pancreatic cells, which produce insulin. Unhealthy diet, a lack of exercise and a genetic predisposition are the main factors in triggering diabetes, says Nadal. "However, our feeling is that these factors could be exacerbated by the presence of environmental pollutants such as bisphenol A."”

If you can deal read the rest of the article by clicking here.

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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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The girls who started going through puberty at THREE

13/01/08 Daily Mail
The girls who started going through puberty at THREE
by NATASHA COURTENAY-SMITH

At the age of three, the worries of most little girls rarely stretch beyond what outfit to dress their dolls in, and how to ride a bike.
But for Hayley Smith, her third year brought a set of problems most children her age wouldn't even have heard of, let alone been able to comprehend - puberty.
While her baby-sized friends enjoyed the simplest of life's pleasures, Hayley spent her time laid up on the sofa with period pains.
She also had to put up with other un-pleasantries of puberty, including body odour, greasy hair and mood swings.
Not surprisingly, her parents, Debbie, 41, a chemist and David, 45, a project manager from Nottingham, were left both distraught and baffled by the changes in their daughter's body, and behaviour.
"I first noticed Hayley had body odour shortly after she'd turned three," says Debbie, who also has a 12-year-old son, Carl.
"Around the same time, she suddenly gained a lot of weight, despite not eating any more than she usually did. I thought it was very odd, and I mentioned it to my mother.
"When she told me that you wouldn't expect body odour until a child was approaching their teens, I felt sick with worry. I knew something wasn't right. Then, a few months later, I noticed pubic hair growth, and her breasts were beginning to grow too.
"Hayley was still going to nursery, and didn't seem unwell. All she wanted to do was make cakes and do colouring in. But David and I were very upset, and worried sick.
"Until then, Hayley had been a textbook child, hitting every developmental milestone at exactly the right time. We couldn't work out what was happening to her."
A series of tests with an endocrinologist - a doctor specialising in hormone-related disorders - revealed that Hayley's bone age was advanced, but no firm diagnosis was reached.
Instead, her parents say they were made to feel as though they were over-reacting. However, by the time Hayley was approaching her fourth birthday, it was clear to Debbie that she was on the verge of menstruating.
"Hayley started suffering from terrible stomach cramps and mood swings," says Debbie, who in a bid to raise awareness of the condition is appearing on ITV's Tonight programme this evening.
"She'd lie on the sofa, and tell me she felt tired and miserable. I kept a record of when she was unwell in my diary, and I quickly realised that her symptoms were coming in a regular monthly cycle.
"The thought that my three-year-old girl was getting her period seemed incomprehensible, but at the same time, it was becoming obvious to me that her mood swings and stomach cramps were to do with her time of the month.
"The endocrinologist may have dismissed my worries, but I could just tell that my daughter was entering puberty."
And Debbie's instincts proved to be correct. After numerous examinations and tests over the following 18 months, Hayley, at age six, was finally diagnosed with precocious puberty, a condition in which puberty begins at an unusually early age often due to abnormal production of oestrogen, thought to affect as many as one in six children under ten.
Although her periods didn't start until she was eight, her monthly cycle of stomach cramps and bad moods had been a warning sign that her ovaries were maturing, and were a sign of the fluctuating hormones that define puberty.
Her breasts also grew and Hayley, now aged 12, wears a C cup bra.

To read the rest Click Here.

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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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Fibroids Are Cramping My Style

Aloha, The purpose of this blog is to chronicle my holistic fight against my uterine fibriods and commune with other people who are dealing with fibriods/tumors. Even before my diagnosis my quality of life had been compromised because of excessive bleeding and chronic anemia, which over time has gotten worse. However I can't just give up my reproductive organs without a fight. I just can’t accept my doctors recommendation to have a hysterectomy without trying other methods. My goal is to shrink my fribroids using natural medicine to the point where I can be a good candidate for a myomectomy or UFE. If at the end of my fight I have a hysterectomy I think I'll be better able to accept it knowing that I tried.
I am a single 37 year old black American woman, with no children, who recently moved from the Islands to the Pacific Northwest. Spring of 2007 my doctor told me I had fibroids. Later I will write more about my experiences but for right now I want to sum up.
During the summer of 2007 I had two ultra sounds. My doctor told me I had numerous fibroids which caused my uterus to enlarge to the size of someone who was 4 to 5 months pregnant. Also that I was chronic anemic and that I may have cysts on my ovaries. In Dec'07 I was referred to an OBGYN who recommended a hysterectomy. At the suggestion of the OBGYN I had an MRI. I met with a Interventional Radiologist at OHSU about uterine fibroid embolization (UFE)however I was not a good candidate. I went back to the OBGYN and she strongly recommended that I have a hysterectomy. The doctor also said that there were problems with my fallopian tubes and that she was going to remove them too. In regards to the possible cysts on my ovaries the Doctor would not know whether I would keep my ovaries until they opened me up.
I felt that I have reached a brick wall with conventional medicine. A few days a go I purchased a book Herbal Healing Secrets for Woman; Safe Natural remedies for 40+ Women. The book symbolizes the beginning of my non-conventional fight.
After reading the book, doing some research on the Internet and meeting with a naturopath (who I am going to have a consultation with on Tuesday, Jan 15th, 2008) I have come to believe that I have high levels of estrogen. I have decided to use natural remedies and supplements to balance my hormones and see if this has any effect on my fibriods. I am going to use this blog to share my experiences and hope that others will share with me.

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