Chances are that you or someone you know has fibroids. Fibroids (also called myomas) are benign tumors that grow in the smooth muscle cells in the uterine wall (the myometrium). They can form on the inside or outside of the uterus; above, below, or on the side of it. They're present in 25-40 percent of women in their childbearing years, and about 40 percent of women have one or more fibroids when they reach menopause. As a physician, I've cared for thousands of women with fibroids-including myself-treating them with everything from diet to drugs to hormone replacement to surgery.
Most women with fibroids don't even know they have one until their doctor discovers it during an annual pelvic exam. These benign growths are amenable to lifestyle changes such as diet, taking certain herbs, exercise, and changes in emotional patterns. Lifestyle modifications are likely to have an impact because fibroids are very sensitive to changes in hormone levels in the body. Your hormones can be influenced by everything from dietary modifications to changes in your thoughts and emotions!

The good news is most fibroids don't cause symptoms, don't require any fancy treatment, and almost never require a hysterectomy, despite what you may have heard. Unfortunately, fibroids are the number one indication for hysterectomy in this country. And many times the ovaries, a woman's source of testosterone, are removed along with the uterus to prevent possible ovarian cancer in the future. Though I certainly understand the rationale for this, many women suffer from unexpected side effects from ovarian removal and subsequent low testosterone levels, which result in a loss of sex drive and decreased vitality.

Of course, depending upon the size, number, and location of the fibroid, some women experience pain, heavy bleeding, or pressure. If the fibroid is large, 10 cm. or greater, the lower abdomen can swell slightly and make it appear that a woman is a few months pregnant, which is what happened to me. Even if her fibroids are causing problems, there's a lot that a woman can do besides taking drugs, having surgery, or undergoing the new Ex Ablate ultrasound procedure. (See below.)
In his excellent and comprehensive book Healing Fibroids: A Doctor's Guide to a Natural Cure (which he co-wrote with Elena Oumano for Fireside, 2002), Allan Warshowsky, M.D. (a board certified ob-gyn colleague and friend of mine), gives you everything you need to know to decrease fibroid symptoms naturally. If you have fibroids, I urge you to read his book. You're likely to find just the solution you're looking for. And keep in mind that the lifestyle changes you adopt to heal your fibroids will also improve the health of every cell in your body! Here are a few points from Healing Fibroids. There are many other fantastic insights in the book.

* Decrease or eliminate "white" foods. Foods such as white bread, cookies, cakes, and pasta increase insulin, which changes the way estrogen is metabolized, creating compounds that are more likely to cause cellular inflammation and fibroid symptoms, including enhanced growth of existing fibroids. (Further evidence of the diet-estrogen-fibroid connection is the fact that fibroids are more common in overweight women.)

* Eat soy and flax. Nearly all women can benefit from taking phytoestrogens-plant-based hormones found in soy and flaxseed. Not only are phytoestrogens a safe alternative to synthetic hormones, these phytoestrogen-rich foods decrease the effects of estrogen levels naturally by blocking the estrogen receptors on the cells in fibroids and other estrogen-sensitive tissues. Studies have shown that eating soy and flax helps the body produce smaller amounts of unhealthy estrogens. Flaxseed is high in both fiber and omega-3 fats, which help reduce inflammation and tumor growth throughout the body and rid the body of toxins, including excess estrogen.

* Consider herbs. There's a wide variety of herbs that help balance estrogen levels naturally. These include chasteberry, dong quai, and black cohosh-all of which have been used for centuries for various gynecological conditions. Dr. Warshowsky's book contains a comprehensive list of the herbs that work best for fibroids and includes instructions for exactly how to take them. (I also address the subject of herbs for menopausal symptoms in my book The Wisdom of Menopause [Bantam, 2001].)

* Add a tincture of time. Perimenopause and menopause are nature's own treatment for fibroids. Falling estrogen levels that occur in late perimenopause often shrink fibroids considerably. And nothing further needs to be done! Watchful waiting is especially good for women who have no symptoms from their fibroids or don't even know they have them!

When Natural Methods Aren't Enough
There is a new ultrasound treatment for fibroids called ExAblate, which was approved in the fall of 2004 by the FDA. ExAblate is a new device that combines MRI imaging to map out uterine fibroids followed by high-intensity, focused ultrasound that heats up and destroys fibroid tissue. Fibroid tissue is very well suited to this treatment because the blood vessels in fibroids help the body dissipate the excess heat that's generated. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and is noninvasive, leaving the uterus and ovaries intact. It involves lying on your abdomen in an MRI tube for up to three hours while ultrasound waves heat up and destroy the uterine tissue. Side effects may include blisters on the abdominal skin, cramping, nausea, and some pain that can be managed with over-the-counter medication.
I had my fibroid surgically removed during perimenopause some years ago, but didn't undergo a hysterectomy. (Though I had no symptoms, I simply got tired of looking pregnant-mine was very large-and I didn't want to continue to "dress around my fibroid.") However, if ExAblate had been available at the time, I would have strongly considered this treatment.
Studies show that ExAblate successfully reduces fibroid symptoms in about 70 percent of women, but that 20 percent will require additional surgery within a year. The FDA reports that though the procedure successfully reduces symptoms in the majority of women, these symptoms will return in some women. And so will the fibroids. This is why I also recommend that all women suffering from fibroids do their best to adopt the kind of lifestyle changes mentioned above-you'll be able to reduce fibroid symptoms over the long term and improve how your hormones are metabolized. Still, I feel that ExAblate is a major step forward and a very exciting use of technology.
Please Note: ExAblate should not be used by those who want to get pregnant because not enough data is available to determine what happens to the uterine wall and lining following the procedure. For more information about ExAblate, you can call 866-392-2528 or check out the InSightec Website, the company that developed the technology, at www.uterine-fibroids.org.

Symptoms Always Carry a Bigger Message
There are many treatments available for fibroids, including drugs, surgery, and the newer high-tech ultrasound treatment known as ExAblate. Regardless of which one(s) you choose, it's important to understand that fibroids, like all conditions, don't just jump out of the closet and land on you (or your uterus). They're a signal from your inner wisdom that something in your life needs to be addressed. This doesn't mean that you need to obsess or make a career out of them, but it does mean that you'll be happier and healthier if you regard them as messengers and then heed the message. (It might be as simple as losing ten pounds!)

Fibroids often represent creativity that hasn't been birthed yet, or creativity (such as a job or relationship) that's being directed down a dead-end path. I've written about this extensively in both Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. Addressing the lifestyle and mind/body factors that favor fibroid growth in the first place will also help prevent recurrence. And if you eventually need a medical procedure for your fibroids, your health will have improved greatly and you'll heal much faster.

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Provided from the September/October 2005 Issue of The Dr. Christiane Northrup Newsletter with Permission from Hay House, Inc., pg. 6.