Though the exact cause of fibroids is unknown, they’re linked to hormones, particularly estrogen. But can your diet help fibroid growth? Yes! Since certain foods can influence hormone levels, your diet may impact fibroid growth.
Below, the Fresno Fibroid Center team highlights what foods help affect your fibroid growth and how we can help you get relief from symptomatic fibroids here in Fresno, California.
Consider adding these to your diet:
Beans, 100% whole grains, lentils, and fresh fruits and vegetables are all fiber-rich and can help balance your hormone levels and improve digestion.
A high-fiber diet may reduce estrogen dominance — a factor linked to fibroid development. Eating more fiber can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Because excess weight can increase your risk of fibroids, fiber is another benefit.
Tip: If you’re trying to decide whether to blend or juice your fruit and veggies, choose blending. Blending retains the important fiber while juicing eliminates the fiber.
Vegetables like spinach, kale, and arugula contain vitamins and minerals that help support hormone regulation and help reduce inflammation in your body.
You can eat dark leafy greens as a salad, but that’s not your only option. Spinach can be easily added to smoothies, stirred into soups, or steamed as a warm side dish. Arugula can be a tasty topper to homemade pizza, added to sandwiches, or even mixed into pasta.
Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain compounds — specifically one called sulforaphane. They promote estrogen metabolism and can help with estrogen dominance. You can eat these veggies steamed, mixed into rice bowls, or in hot or cold salads.
EPA and DHA (omega-3 fatty acids) can lower the levels of specific proteins that affect fat accumulation and cell signaling in both healthy and fibroid cells. In fibroid cells specifically, they also reduced proteins linked to inflammation and hormone production.
What does this mean for your fibroids? This research suggests that omega-3s could help manage fibroid growth and might be worth exploring as a potential treatment option.
You can find omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, flaxseed, walnuts, and chia seeds.
When it comes to fibroids, what you don’t eat is just as important as what you do eat. Consider avoiding (or limiting):
Researchers who studied the effect of different fats on fibroid development found that trans fatty acids increase your risk of developing fibroids.
Trans fats can be found in fast food, fried foods, microwave popcorn, pastries, and other refined snacks.
Studies have linked the consumption of red and processed meats to higher rates of fibroid growth. A study conducted in the Great Lakes region in America also found that fish consumption increases the risk of fibroids, too.
Replace these with lean proteins like chicken or plant-based alternatives.
Caffeine and alcohol can disrupt hormonal balance and may contribute to fibroid growth when consumed in excess. Limiting your intake of coffee, alcohol, and sugary drinks may help.
What you eat can go a long way in supporting your reproductive health, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. If you already have fibroids, treatments such as uterine fibroid embolization, can help eliminate problematic fibroids and also reduce symptoms like painful periods, heavy bleeding, and pain in the back of your legs.
After fibroid treatment, your dietary choices can aid in reducing your risk of future fibroids.
Need help with fibroids? You can reach us at 559-216-0746. Or, simply click here to book your appointment.
