Boobs, Chocolate & Healing

Got your attention? Good. I am writing about boobs (and chocolate), but probably not in the way that you expected. More specifically, this is an issue related to boobs, that I have been personally struggling with for a few years now.

Boobs: In 2006 I was a senior at the University of Oregon, finishing up my studies in general sciences and business and planing my move to San Francisco post-graduation. For my friends who know me well, they will be able to confirm that at the time I had a tiny (ok it was verging on obsessed) addiction to lotion. I used it EVERY day, twice a day…and thank God I did. My addiction to lotion is what helped me to discover a rather strange lump in my left breast. At first I didn’t really think much of it, but as it began to grow a bit larger I quickly became concerned and got my butt into the doctor. After a very invasive biopsy with a large hollow needle shot into me through something resembling a nail gun, I was told I had a fibroadenoma. I had no clue what that meant.

I came to find out that a fibroadenoma is  a noncancerous tumor that’s most common in females during their reproductive years (hello 21st birthday!). Having multiple fibroadenomas can indicate a slightly increased risk of breast cancer of approximately two times compared to those without. So what caused this tumor, why the heck did I have one, and what could I do to get rid of it? Because my tumor was growing, I was advised that the best course of action was to have it surgically removed. Maybe my doc recommended surgery because she got paid more to perform the procedure, or maybe she truly thought that removing the tumor was the best thing for me, I will never know. BUT, cutting out the the tumor (symptom) was not going to address what actually caused it in the first place (underlying cause of disease), or prevent me from growing another. Sadly, this thought just didn’t occur to me, so to surgery I went.

After my operation in 2006 I was tumor free for about 4 years and fibroadenomas were a thing of my past. However, since the beginning of 2010 I have discovered two more adnomas (both in my right breast). I’ve decided it’s high time for me to get to the root cause of this issue and take matters into my own, capable hands.

Chocolate: You’re probably wondering, “Ok, where does the chocolate come in?” Well here it is: after doing some digging, I found out that to avoid surgery and work on treating the underlying cause of this disease, all I need to do is  STOP EATING CHOCOLATE (and a few other tasty vices of mine)! Chocolate, caffiene, soda and soy all either contain estrogen or cause the body to produce it, and too much estrogen can actually enhance the growth and formation of fibroadenoma’s in the first place…who knew?

The Plan: I’m taking a look at my diet and creating a plan of attack to get rid of these pesky little lumps without resorting to surgery. I eat pretty clean as it is, but I have listed below a number of things that I will be doing, and that you can do too if you are in a similar position or know someone who is. I’ve enlisted my husband to be my “checker” and monitor my progress as I go along…what a rough job!

1. Eliminate soda, coffee, black tea and (GASP) chocolate. These substances contain a chemical called methylxanthine that can cause lumpy and painful breast tissue.

2. Eliminate unfermented soy based foods like Tofu. Unless the it’s organic and fermented soy can become a factor in creating estrogen dominance. Soy also contains a variety of toxic chemicals, which cannot be fully metabolized by the body unless it undergoes a long fermentation process. Unfermented soy increases the risk of mineral deficiency’s including calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc.

3. Cut back on alcohol (especially red wine), as estrogen is metabolized by the liver. The substances in red wine believed to have effects on estrogen levels and cancer are phytochemicals. Resveratrol is the phytochemical that has been studied the most.

4. Reduce sugar and simple carbohydrates (white flour, white pasta and white rice). These types of carbs are pro-inflammatory, which contribute to lumps in the breasts.

5. Increase fiber which helps flush estrogen from the body. Flaxseed (good source of fiber) contains lignans, which bind to estrogen and eliminates it from the body.

6. Eat all organic. Pesticides on fruits and vegetables and hormones or antibiotics fed to animals are called xenoestrogens, which act like estrogen in your body, increasing your levels.

7. Eliminate dairy, and animal products. Animals are fed estrogen-like hormones as well as growth hormones that are passed onto humans when eaten. Nearly on half of all antibiotics in the United States are used in livestock – 25 million pounds a year. These antibiotics can contribute to hormone disruptor exposure. Feeds used contain a myriad of hormone-disrupting toxins including pesticides, antibiotics and drugs to combat diseases in the animals.

8. Boost progesterone. Because of poor diet and toxins, many women are estrogen dominant, which means that their body produces too much estrogen and/or too little progesterone. Take a hormone test to determine if this is you, and then supplement with a natural progesterone cream or Vitex (aka Chaste Berry) capsules. High stress levels can also cause reduced progesterone production.

9. Use evening primrose oil. This oil is a popular remedy in Europe to help reduce breast pain caused by fibroadenoma as it is anti-inflammatory. Add the oil to your food or take it in capsule form.

So why am I writing about this on my blog? Two reasons. The first, and most important reason is that I hope to help other women prevent and  treat these fibroadenomas naturally. The second reason is for all of you readers to hold me accountable. I don’t eat meat and cutting out soy isn’t so bad, but chocolate and red wine are KILLER. I need you to help keep me on track with this treatment plan, and support me on my journey to becoming tumor free! Thanks for listening to my rant, I will keep you posted of my progress…

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