If you wonder what you can do to shrink the size of your uterine fibroids, living a healthy lifestyle is the first step. At USA Fibroid Centers, we believe in taking control of your health. Unlike other health conditions, however, fibroids have certain risk factors you just can’t control, such as your age, ethnicity, and family history. While a healthy and balanced diet is always recommended, it won’t necessarily stop fibroids from growing.
Nonetheless, there are still plenty of lifestyle habits you can adopt to help reduce your risk, manage painful or uncomfortable symptoms, keep fibroids from growing, and possibly even shrink your fibroids.
Our fibroid specialists recommend:
- Exercising regularly
- Getting enough sleep
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Controlling your blood pressure
- Eating a fibroid diet
A complete “fibroid elimination” diet is not realistic; however, some studies indicate that eating or avoiding certain foods when you have fibroids is a good form of preventative healthcare. While eating healthy can potentially help you avoid developing fibroids, there is no guarantee that a fibroid diet will work. If you suffer from painful and debilitating fibroid symptoms that regularly keep you from enjoying your daily activities, we recommend looking into specialized fibroid treatment.
Why Should I Consider a Fibroid Diet?
Beyond the general health benefits of a balanced diet, such as weight management and increased energy, a fibroid diet can potentially relieve symptoms or shrink the size of your fibroids. Although the exact cause of fibroids is still unknown, it’s likely there are several underlying contributors. Hormones that affect the uterine lining, such as estrogen and progesterone, along with genetics, other growth factors, and a substance called Extracellular Matrix (ECM), are all key factors in fibroid development.
Beyond that, there is an increased risk of developing fibroids when you are:
- Childbearing age
- African American
- Pregnant
- Overweight or obese
- Susceptible to high blood pressure
- Deficient in certain nutrients
As we mentioned earlier, fibroids cannot be directly predicted or easily controlled. That’s why we encourage our patients to do their best to maintain good habits to benefit their overall long-term health, in addition to seeking out fibroid treatment options. Since the food you eat impacts your hormones and health, reducing your risk for fibroids means maintaining a healthy weight, managing your blood pressure, eating a well-rounded diet, and getting enough of important nutrients like Vitamin D and potassium.
Think you might have fibroids based on these symptoms? Take our symptom quiz.
What Should I Eat On A Uterine Fibroid Diet Plan?
Along with helping you reduce the likelihood of developing uterine fibroids and experiencing related symptoms, eating a healthy diet has other health benefits. Fibroids can increase depression and anxiety, in addition to their physical symptoms, so a change in diet could help alleviate both physical and mental symptoms of fibroids.
What to eat for a fibroids diet includes:
- Fresh, lightly cooked vegetables, especially greens like spinach, lettuce, and broccoli
- A variety of brightly colored fresh fruits, such as pineapples
- Beans and legumes
- Fish, especially oily ones like salmon or tuna
- Lean, white meats like chicken or turkey
- Foods rich in Vitamin D like low-fat milk and eggs
- Whole grains
- Potassium rich foods like potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, and avocado
- Green tea
Worst Foods For Fibroids
What foods to avoid when you have fibroid tumors includes:
- Red meat
- High-fat, processed meats
- Any highly processed foods
- Added sugar of all types
- Salt
- High sodium foods
- Soda and other sugary drinks
- Excess calories
It’s also recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking.
If you have fibroids or are at risk for developing them, you may want to ask one of our fibroid specialists about visiting a nutritionist to get started on a uterine fibroid diet plan. It’s also generally a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any new diet.
What Should I Do When a Fibroid Diet Isn’t Enough?
Despite your best efforts to follow a healthy lifestyle and an appropriate diet, you can still develop uterine fibroids, experience fibroid growth, or suffer from worsening symptoms. While avoiding certain foods can help you with your fibroid symptoms, proper treatment recommended by your doctor or a fibroid specialist is always best. If fibroids get in the way of your career, social life, personal relationships, or self-esteem, we want you to know that you have options. Some women are often told that a hysterectomy is their only treatment choice, but this is rarely true.
At USA Fibroid Centers, our experts offer a non-surgical treatment alternative called Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). UFE is performed as an outpatient procedure, involves less risk than fibroid surgery, and has a relatively short recovery time of only one to two weeks. We believe in making minimally invasive fibroid treatment accessible for all, which is why we have dozens of clinics located across the country.
During UFE:
- One of our interventional radiologists will use ultrasound imaging to map your fibroids
- A tiny catheter is inserted into your numbed upper thigh
- Next, we inject embolic material into the uterine artery
- This block blood flow and nutrients to the fibroid
- Your fibroid will shrink and eventually wither away
Contact USA Fibroid Centers
If you are worried about developing fibroids, know you have fibroids, or if you have questions about treatment options, give us a call. Our onsite representatives are happy to answer any questions you have so that you can make an educated treatment decision. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always the best way to ensure you are doing the most for your health and reducing any risk for long term conditions, like uterine fibroids, but a proper treatment plan should be determined by a specialist.
If you are interested in learning more about how UFE can shrink your fibroids, eliminate your symptoms, and quickly get you back your freedom, schedule an initial consultation today with one of our leading fibroid experts. For your safety and convenience, we offer telemedicine visits, and we also accept most insurance plans.
