Just a mention of the word tumor can cause patients to experience a wave of terror, but according to health experts uterine fibroids that are generally non-cancerous tumors and grow in a woman's uterus are much more common that one would imagine.
Fibroids are muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus.
They can grow as a singular tumor or there can be many of them in the uterus, ranging in size from an apple seed to as large as a grapefruit.
Dr. Vanessa Ingraham, a licensed naturopathic physician and certified yoga instructor, said fibroids are very closely tied to an estrogen/testosterone ratio imbalance in women, and in The Bahamas the contributing factors to that imbalance are typically diet, the environment and cosmetic choices.
Ingraham and her husband Dr. Stephen Truszkowski, a trained sports-based chiropractor and contemporary medical acupuncturist, own and manage The Blake Integrative Medical Clinic.
"We know that consuming foods that contain xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens from plants or actual estrogens from either lactating animals or dairy products, or from chicken and animal foods, not only decreases the age of puberty in young girls but they also add to the estrogen burden on women throughout their life," Ingraham said.
"The xenoestrogens, which are all the plastic residues and agricultural chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and all of the things they spray on conventional crops, all of these things act as xenoestrogens.
"That means that even though they are not estrogen hormones they are able to bind to hormone receptors and trick the body into thinking there is estrogen, telling the tissue to separate or telling the tissue to do whatever it's meant to do when estrogen binds it."
When it comes to the women that Ingraham treats for fibroids, the understanding about the condition, its causes and how to limit the potential for recurrence ranges from patient to patient.
As noted by Ingraham, international statistics show that black women are three times more likely to develop uterine fibroids, though the exact cause of this is unclear.
Ingraham said that common skin care products, hairstyles involving glues and perfumes used by Bahamian women are often highly carcinogenic and can cause hormonal imbalances in the body.
"Lotions, make up and lipsticks that contain heavy metals such a lead, all of that," Ingraham said.
"Also the cleaning products, and women traditionally do more cleaning and are exposed to more household chemicals than men.
"All of the bleach, Febreze and scented products have an impact on hormone imbalance."
The four primary types of uterine fibroids include subserosal fibroids, which develop in the outer portion of the uterus and continue to grow outward, and intramural fibroids, the most common, which develop within the uterine wall and expand making the uterus feel larger than normal.
Then there is submucosal fibroids that develop just under the lining of the uterine cavity and can have the most effect on menstrual bleeding. This type of uterine fibroid is also associated with infertility and miscarriage.
Pedunculated fibroids grow on a small stalk that connects to the inner or outer wall of the uterus.
Natural treatment
According to the National Uterine Fibroids Foundation, 12 hysterectomies are performed in the United States every 10 minutes, but nine of them probably did not meet the guidelines set out by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists for hysterectomy.
Even more startling is that between 170,000 to 300,000 of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the United States are the result of uterine fibroids.
The foundation notes that 60 percent of women who undergo a hysterectomy have their ovaries removed.
Some of Ingraham's patients have had hysterectomies performed, giving them the impression that there they are in the clear, but as pointed out there are many forms of uterine fibroids.
For women with fibroids, The Blake Integrative Medical Clinic focuses on significantly reducing stress, balancing hormones naturally via high-quality supplements.
But before treatment begins Ingraham and her team of consultants conduct an assessment in an attempt to identify the cause of the condition.
Nutritional therapy, diet and supplements can stabilize and lower the levels of estrogen in the body.
As estrogen amounts drop, existing fibroids should subside, reducing in size and even new ones can be prevented from developing.
Diet and supplements can also reduce some of the symptoms of fibroids, Ingraham suggested.
Supplements of both the herbal and non-herbal types are commonly used to shrink fibroids, including good sources of zinc, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
"These are kind of standardized to know exactly how much of each phytochemical in each formula is used," Ingraham said.
"We use a lot nutritional supplements as well. A lot of the foods we eat are not as nutritious as they used to be because of shipping and containers, and not keeping things fresh and cold enough, or picking them too early.
"Foods do not have the same mineral profiles as foods did 50 or 100 years ago so we use a lot of dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals and amino acids."
There is range of products available, but Ingraham recommends using high-quality supplements after a consultation, and being mindful of vitamins made from coal tar and petrochemicals (source of artificial color that is used in many foods).
Petrochemicals and their byproducts, such as dioxin, are known to cause an array of serious health problems, including cancer.
What to avoid
Avoid pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and wash your food well, particularly fruits.
Bathe the washed food in a produce wash for around 20 minutes before cooking.
Have a good water filter for your source of water.
Use only organic whole foods where possible.
Buy hormone-free meats and dairy products where possible.
Do not microwave food in plastic containers.
Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food.
Do not leave plastic containers, especially drinking water, in the sun.
If a plastic water container has heated up significantly, throw it away.
Avoid using a fabric softener as it can put petrochemicals right on your skin.
Use a simple laundry and dish detergent with less chemicals.
Use organic soaps and toothpastes and avoid fluoride.
Avoid creams and cosmetics that have toxic chemicals and estrogenic ingredients such as parabens and stearalkonium chloride. Instead use more natural products. Inexpensive brands usually have more toxic ingredients.
Avoid nail polish and nail polish removers.
Use naturally-based perfumes as perfumes are petrochemically based.
Avoid surfactants found in many condoms and diaphragm gels.
o Recommendations provided by Beyond Vitality: Holistic Health, Nutrition and Fitness.
o For more information on the wide range of services or supplements offered at The Blake Integrative Medical Clinic visit www.purehealthbahamas.com or www.blakeclinic.com.

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