Fibroids (25 Nov '07)

Dear Kim, I am thirty years old and I’ve been diagnosed with fibroids. Although I do not have children at the moment, I look forward having some in the future. The fibroid is 13x11x7cm. Please help me. Spiwe

Hi Spiwe, Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) growths that can form usually on the uterus wall. Fibroids are actually quite common and tend to occur in about 20-30% of women. They usually develop during the late thirties and early forties, and then shrink after menopause. Most women who have fibroids never even know it. However, in your case the fibroid seems to be very large and no doubt is causing you great discomfort and perhaps also heavy bleeding which may have promoted weakness and fatigue.

In naturopathy, fibroids are often seen as the result of waste being dumped in the uterus, either because the normal organs of detoxification and elimination (such as the liver, colon, and kidneys) are overloaded or not functioning optimally. Therefore, one of the first things I would recommend is to cleanse your body. There are many detoxification programs that you can choose from, however, by simply changing your diet you’ll be able to substantially help your body get rid of wastes and toxins that have been accumulating.

During the cleanse, I recommend that you cut out all meat (incl. chicken), all wheat based products, and dairy. In addition avoid all processed and refined foods, sugar, sodas, tea (although herbal tea is fine), coffee and alcohol. If you smoke, then it’s important that you stop. When you wake up in the morning squeeze a lemon in some water and drink it. This is very cleansing for your blood and liver. Make sure to eat lots of vegetables that have not been overcooked, and strictly limit the amount of oil and salt that you use. The rest of your diet should consist of fruits, beans, lentils, seeds, nuts (preferably not groundnuts) and wholegrains (always choose rollermeal over breakfastmeal). Garlic and onions are great for the liver and have been shown to inhibit tumour growth, hence these should be eaten on a daily basis. Remember to drink plenty of water.

If fibroids are causing heavy bleeding, then it is important to increase your intake of green leafy vegetables and perhaps even buy an iron supplement from the chemist in order to prevent anaemia.

Finally, if the doctors advice you to operate then I want you to be aware that you don’t have to remove your whole uterus (hysterectomy), there are other options. For instance, a myomectomy only removes the fibroids while leaving the uterus intact, hence allowing you to bear children in the future. Note though that there is a 50% chance that the fibroids may reoccur.

Morning Sickness (2 Dec '07)

Dear Kim, My name is Hope and I am 25 years old. I am currently 6 weeks pregnant with my first child. I suffer from nausea and vomiting almost every day. Is this normal? Should I be concerned? Thank you for your help. Hope.

Hi Hope, What you are experiencing is usually referred to as morning sickness (although it can occur any time during the day) and is experienced in about 50% or pregnant women, usually between the 6th and 12th weeks of pregnancy. So no need to worry!

The best natural remedy to help ease nausea is ginger. Either boil ginger in some water and take as a tea, or use the powdered root (about ½ tablespoon in some warm water). Of course you can also use lots of ginger in your cooking. Research shows that ginger acts on both your nervous and digestive system to prevent nausea and vomiting.

Other top tips include keeping some crackers or whole wheat bread near your bed and eat some before arising. During the day, it helps to keep some food in your stomach at all times. Also remember not to sit up or get out of bed too quickly. Although it may sound strange, try pressing on the point located in the middle of the inner side of the forearm two and one-half finger widths above the wrist crease. This is an acupuncture point that has been shown to relieve all types of nausea, including morning sickness.

Finally, keep in mind that morning sickness usually does not last beyond the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. If you suffer from persistent nausea and vomiting later in pregnancy, consult your doctor.

Does smoking affect reproduction? (9 Mar '08)

Hi, I am a journalist from a healthcare publication and am doing an article on smoking, and was interested in hearing your perspective on a few points. (1) Does smoking have different effects on women and men, if so how and in what ways? (2) In women, does smoking affect their reproductive system? Thank you, Paxina P.

Hi Paxina, Whether you are a women or a man, smoking has very serious consequences that may even result in death. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals, of which more than 50 have been identified as carcinogenic (able to cause cancer). It’s no surprise then that smokers have an increased risk of various cancers (e.g. lung, mouth, larynx, oesophagus, kidney, pancreas and bladder). Smoking is also strongly related to various respiratory diseases and is indeed one of the most important risk factors in heart disease. Statistical evidence reveals that smokers have three to five times the risk of heart disease compared to non-smokers. Please note that even passive exposure to cigarette smoke is extremely damaging. Hence if you are living with a person who smokes, or perhaps spend a lot of time in smoky environments (e.g. bars), you will be exposing your body to its harmful effects. In fact, studies have shown that second hand smoke is even more toxic!

There have been some research indicating that women may be more sensitive to cigarette smoke. However, the reasons behind this have not yet been confirmed.

Smoking definitely has a negative effect on the reproductive system which may lead to difficulties conceiving and even infertility. Increasingly, studies are showing that decreased ovulatory response, as well as the fertilization and implantation of the zygote may be impaired in women who smoke. It is also thought that chemicals in tobacco may alter the cervical fluid, making it toxic to sperm causing pregnancy to be difficult to achieve. Reproductive difficulties are not however unique to women smokers. Indeed, men smokers are 50% more likely to become impotent compared to non-smokers.

It is very important to stop smoking if you wish to become pregnant, and indeed during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy (or being around tobacco smoke; second-hand smoking) is associated with preterm delivery, low birth weight, miscarriages, and neonatal death. New borns whose mothers smoked during pregnancy have the same nicotine levels in their bloodstream's as adults who smoke, and they go through withdrawal during their first days of life. Children born to mothers who smoke experience more colds, ear aches, respiratory problems and other illnesses than children born to non-smokers.

Bottom line: smoking is dangerous to everyone!