Fibrocystic Breast Disease
5 Ways to ‘Bust’ Painful Breasts
Fibrocystic breast disease is a benign breast disorder, which means it’s not harmful. The term “fibrocystic breast disease” is misleading and, frankly, scary. That’s why many medical professionals now call this condition, “fibrocystic change.”
If you suffer from painful, fluid-filled cysts in your breasts, don’t assume you have a benign breast disorder. Just to rule out anything more serious, see your doctor and have a breast exam including a mammogram.
Once your doctor has ruled out a serious condition, there are things you can do to help yourself. One of the easiest is looking at your diet and making some changes.
Remember your B vitamins. When you think about estrogen, you don’t usually think about your liver. But some doctors now link estrogen-related disorders, like fibrocystic changes, to liver function. To keep your liver healthy, you need B vitamins. In fact, fibrocystic-change symptoms improved in one study where test subjects received supplements of this group of vitamins. To eat foods high in the B-complex vitamins, choose whole grains, beans, peas, and liver. They help your body turn carbohydrates, fats and protein into energy, and they just might turn the tide against fibrocystic changes.
Consider vitamin E. There is some evidence that daily doses of vitamin E, between 100 and 1,200 international units (IU), can reduce the number of cysts you develop and even how large they become. If you’re thinking about taking supplements, check with your doctor first. Vitamin E supplements can raise blood pressure in some people. Green and leafy vegetables, wheat germ, whole-grain products, nuts, and seeds are good, safe ways to add vitamin E to your diet.
Get more magnesium. Some experts think a supplement of magnesium is helpful in treating breast cysts. Eat nuts, legumes, whole grains, dark green vegetables, and seafood for magnesium the natural way.
Don’t ignore iodine. The mineral iodine may protect you from breast lumps and cysts. Studies show that if you don’t have enough iodine in your diet, you could be at a higher risk of developing fibrocystic changes. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for iodine is 150 micrograms (mcg). One cup of milk or a little less than a half teaspoon of iodized salt, or an iodized salt substitute, supplies close to the RDA. Other dietary sources are vegetables; seafood, especially halibut and cod liver; fish liver oils; eggs; and bread. The antiseptic iodine, which is used on cuts and scrapes, is not the same thing and should not be taken internally.
Fight back with omega-3. One of the most annoying symptoms of fibrocystic change is painful breasts. You can control this discomfort by adding more omega-3 fatty acids to our diet. Fish oil is a wonderful source of these important nutrients. You can supplement with fish oil capsules, but a better solution is to get it naturally by eating cold-water fish. Try albacore tuna, lake trout, sturgeon, salmon, and anchovies.
Low-fat Way to Fewer Lumps
Studies show that women with various forms of breast disorders eat more high-calorie, high-fat foods, especially the saturated fat found in meat and dairy products, then women who do not suffer from benign breast disorders. It may be that saturated fats and excess calories cause a higher production of female hormones. Those, in turn, cause lumps and cysts to form in your breasts.
A good rule of thumb is to make dietary fats only 30 percent of your daily calories. It’s also important that you lower your percentage of body fat by maintaining your ideal weight. If you take care of the rest of your body, your breasts will benefit as well.
Cut Caffeine to Cut Pain
Caffeine is everywhere – in the coffee and tea you drink, the soda you swizzle, and the chocolate you let melt in your mouth – and it may be linked to fibrocystic changes.
If you suffer from painful breast lumps, experts suggest you cut caffeine completely out of your diet for about three or four months. This doesn’t mean dropping back to only one cup of coffee a day, or drinking a couple of sodas only on the weekend. It means the end of caffeine. Substitute decaffeinated coffee or grain-based products, caffeine-free sodas, and carob for your usual fare. Also, check the labels on any pain medication you’re taking. Some pain relievers contain hidden caffeine.
If you can quit “cold turkey,” that’s good. But if you’re really used to a regular intake of caffeine, wean yourself off of it gradually. After four months of complete abstinence, see how you feel. For some women there will be no difference. Others will notice fewer or smaller breast lumps and less pain.
Get Rid of Excess Fluid to Soothe Breast Pain
Just before you get your period, your body signals your kidneys to retain fluid. This extra fluid makes you feel bloated, and it can cause discomfort in your breasts.
Certain foods act like diuretics, which means they help your body eliminate fluid. Adding some natural diuretics to your diet, especially just before your period, may provide short-term relief from the pain and heaviness of breast cysts.
Foods that are considered natural diuretics are grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, lemon water, and watermelon. In addition, limit your salt and drink six to eight glasses of water each day to flush out excess sodium.
Herbs and herbal teas that have a mild diuretic action are rose hips, parsley, lovage root, horsetail, ginger, dandelion, chicory, buchu, and borage.
© FCA Publishing
