Fibrocystic Breasts and General Breast Care
Tender or lumpy breasts are one of the most common reasons why women consult their doctors for assessment and treatment. Many women experience painful or sensitive breasts a week or two prior to their menses. This is often due to many factors:
- increased sensitivity of breast tissue to estrogens
- estrogen dominance issue during the luteal phase of the cycle (in other words: progesterone deficiency)
- increased level of estrogens due to exogenous sources such as oral contraceptives, diet rich in animal products or animal fats, etc…
- increased exposure to methylxanthines (a chemical found in caffeine, chocolate, tea, soda pop, medications with caffeine….) which also stimulate breast growth
- poor diet
- poorly functioning hormone clearance pathways in her body.
General guidelines for breast care
- Practice monthly breast self-exams; know your breasts well, be able to detect any new and unusual changes, thickenings, or lumps
- Have a yearly breast exam from a licensed physician
- Metabolic detoxification: the liver is the primary site for the body to process estrogens. A compromised liver function can lead to a state of estrogen dominance. To assure that estrogens are being metabolized properly, it is necessary to provide nutritional and herbal support for the liver. Please consult with Dr. Vo for more information on metabolic detoxification and estrogen clearance
- Enhancing digestion and elimination: After the liver is done metabolizing the hormones, they are passed down to the gut to be excreted. Having regular bowel movements enhances more estrogen excretion. Avoiding constipation as much as you can will help with the fibrocystic breast problem. The good friendly bacteria in the gut, Lactobacillus acidophilus, are very important in making sure the estrogens stay inactive and are not being converted back to the active forms and absorbed into circulation again. Healthy transit time of the bowel is very crucial for estrogen metabolism. If you feel you have a sluggish bowel issue, please consult with one of our doctors for proper treatments.
- Avoidance of methylxanthines (caffeine): Restriction of caffeine for 3 months has been shown to reduce fibrocystic breast symptoms significantly. Caffeine is quite prevalent in many foods and drinks. Reducing or avoiding methylxanthines is an important step towards healthy breast tissues. Items such as black tea, coffee, decaffeinated coffee, cola, chocolate, medication with caffeine such as Excedrin, Dexatrim, Midol, NoDoz, etc…. contain high lever of methylxanthines and should be avoided.
- Reducing dietary fat: Studies have shown that reducing the dietary fat intake to 20% of the total calories results in significant decreases in circulating estrogens in women with benign breast diseases. The simplest way to accomplish the necessary levels of fat reduction is to avoid animal fats in all forms. A vegetarian diet rich in whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, olives, seafood, iodine-rich foods such as seaweed is worth considering.
- Treating hypothyroidism and/or iodine deficiency: One of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is fibrocystic breasts. Iodine therapy has been shown to be useful in some cases where symptoms of breast pain or lumps are much reduced.
- Nutritional supplements of vitamin E (800IU/day), evening primrose oil (3000mg daily), beta-carotene (100,000 IU/day) have been shown to be beneficial in treating fibrocystic breasts.
- Botanical treatment: Herbs such as dandelion leaf, cleavers, yarrow, uva ursi, poke root have been used to reduce the symptoms of breast pain, swelling, and cystic nodules in the breasts. Liver supporting herbs also help improve how the liver metabolizes hormones.
Doctor’s Recommendations:
The general goal for fibrocystic breast or any other benign breast disease treatment is to
encourage the normal pathways for the metabolism, excretion, and re-circulation of estrogens. Comprehensive naturopathic care is necessary for such task, in which it includes liver/gut care, restoration of hormonal balances, dietary and lifestyle changes to promote healthy breast tissues. With natural hormone balancing treatment, we can reduce the tissue sensitivity to estrogens, address the estrogen dominance problem, and balance the ratio of progesterone and estrogens during the luteal phase. At the same time, we need to strengthen the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract, support the liver and its metabolic detoxification functions and make the necessary diet and lifestyle changes to support healthy breast tissues.
If you have any questions regarding your breast health, feel free to consult with Dr. Vo for a more customized care plan to fit your needs. Please remember to do regular breast self-exams. Most of the breast cancer cases are detected by the women themselves via breast self-examination. The above recommendation for breast care is not intended to treat or cure any malignant breast diseases. Please follow up with one of our doctors, your family physician, or your gynecologist immediately upon the discovery of any suspicious hard lump or nodule in your breasts.
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