Re: caffeine, chocolate & fibroids

[Guest guest]

Yes, caffeine and chocolate (because it contains high amounts of caffeine)

can both promote the growth of fibroids, so can alcohol. There is a great

book called " Fibroid Tumors & Endometriosis Self Help Book " by Dr.

Lark that lays out all the contributing factors to fibroid growth and how to

help ease the symptoms and possibly even reduce the fibroid. After my 2nd

miscarriage I started doing alot of research on my own and had started

seeing a Naturopathic doctor due to the lack of compassion and knowledge

that my then OB/GYN had. I did have some success in dealing with them

naturally. By changing my diet and taking some supplements and herbal

formulas that my Naturopath gave me, I was able to shrink my fibroid by 1

cm. in 6 months. However, I am having a myo next month because I'm 35 and

really want children, so I'm just ready to be done with it. If I was younger

I would have definitely continued with the natural treatments. Also,

acupuncture can help shrink fibroids - only small ones though - typically

nothing over 4 cm. So for those of you out there who don't want surgery and

are not concerned with having children anytime soon, there are alternatives.

-

[Guest guest]

,

Can you tell me what supplements and herbal formulas you are taking.

Thanks

NIda

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> Yes, caffeine and chocolate (because it contains high amounts of caffeine)

> can both promote the growth of fibroids, so can alcohol. There is a great

> book called " Fibroid Tumors & Endometriosis Self Help Book " by Dr.

> Lark that lays out all the contributing factors to fibroid

um, no offense, but that book was written at least 8 years ago and was

not based in any scientific research that I'm aware of. in fact, a

dietary study of over 1000 women which came out of Italy in 2000 was

unable to substantiate any association of caffeine or chocolate to

growth or symptoms of fibroids. zip. same with alcohol. no

correlation found.

Lark's book is based on her own theories. Theories. Not substantiated

in recent research at all.

Her book represents a healthy vegetarian diet and is definitely worthy

of taking a look at for that tremendous benefit. As for fibroids.....I

question her " theories " a great deal and simply don't think they hold

much water. As a vegetarian who has Lark's book and has followed a

similar vegetarian diet for many, many years, it didn't stop me from

eventually needing treatment for out of control fibroids. Not in the least.

Fibroids, in some women, can come and go in growth and symptoms with the

constant perimenopausal tide of changes as a woman heads towards

menopause. It's important to be cautious in placing any specific

importance towards remedies which may have seemed to work for you for a

given period of time -- because without greater research showing similar

benefits across large groups of women, it could have merely been the

tidal changes coming and going within your own body. We don't have

enough research to give us the kind of definitive answers on this that

we would like, just yet.

On the other hand, all changes in lifestyle which improve one's overall

health certainly can't hurt you any and are always worthy of consideration!

Carla Dionne

[Guest guest]

Hmm, I wasn't aware that there is a time frame placed on when information

becomes irrelevant. I, personally, did have success when I changed my diet -

that and the work I did with my Naturopath. Within two months of my dietary

change, my cramps were so light that I didn't have to take anything for them

(whereas before I could barely get out of bed the first day) and my bleeding

lessened by about a third. So hopefully maybe someone else will have also

have success if they try it.

-

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> Hmm, I wasn't aware that there is a time frame placed on when information

> becomes irrelevant.

" Theories " become irrelevant once scientific findings replace them with

appropriate study data that leads us to more than simply " theories. "

.....not unlike what has happened to HRT recently....the mythology of HRT

being cardiovascular protective has suddenly been replaced by some

science showing otherwise....and docs all over the place don't want to

believe it.....how old, how established, how well followed by women and

docs alike, and how financially lucrative to pharmys was this theory

before science came along and reputed it?

A good diet that leads to better health is not in dispute here. Every

single lifestyle issue that any woman can gain control over and manage

to improve can lead to a better health outlook and more control over

managing symptoms. Some even help with improving symptoms a great deal.

But, shrink fibroids? I personally don't know and I also don't know a

single credible fibroid researcher willing to take a definitive stand on

this issue to say any of it would shrink fibroids.

Diet, exercise, and reducing stress levels are all healthy lifestyle

changes that we can all stand to pay more attention to and which, if

modified appropriately, could lead to feelings of better health.

Ironically, a very unhealthy lifestyle item is actually fibroid

protective.....smoking.....damages the vascular flow and hinders the

growth of fibroids.....not that I'd recommend this course of

" treatment " .....as it has more than its fair share of additional health

issues associated with it......

[Guest guest]

For those who are interested, I found this article below, which found

that Caffeine in excess of two cups of coffee a day was associated

with higher estrone levels and lower testosterone levels in older

women. The statistical confidence level was pretty small meaning the

association is not a sure thing. Estrone is an estrogen that is about

10 times weaker than estradiol and in some studies high levels have

been better linked to breast cancer than high estradiol. Premarin,

the common horse derived HRT, is more converted to estrone than

estradiol in the body. Estrone is the major estrogen produced by

women after menopause. So, there could be something happening with

caffeine intake that may not be desirable. You'll have to make up

your own minds about the level of risk you think it has.

Caffeine intake and endogenous sex steroid levels in postmenopausal

women. The Rancho Bernardo Study.

Ferrini RL, Barrett-Connor E

Tish

[Guest guest]

Diet, exercise, and reducing stress levels are all healthy lifestyle

changes that we can all stand to pay more attention to and which, if modified

appropriately, could lead to feelings of better health.

yes, this helped me (especially after embo) ...

Ironically, a very unhealthy lifestyle item is actually fibroid

protective... smoking..... damages the vascular flow and hinders the growth of

fibroids.....not that I'd recommend this course of " treatment " ... as it has more

than its fair share of additional health issues associated with it......

very strange, I am a heavy smoker and I have fibroids ... no way to reduce

their size or stop them from growing - only the embo helped !

but maybe because of smoking they where not that big ...?? (about 5 of them,

size about 4-5 cm each)

luciana