Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

Who is most likely to have fibrocystic breasts?

More than 50 percent of the female population may have fibrocystic breasts. The condition is most prevalent during the childbearing years.

What causes fibrocystic breasts?

Two conditions are associated with fibrocystic breasts:

*underactive thyroid gland

*poor lymphatic circulation

How do fibrocystic lumps form?

The lymphatic system carries fluids in and out of your breasts. When the fluid is trapped, or when there is too much fluid for your lymphatic system to cope with, small spaces in your breasts fill with fluid, and are surrounded by fibrous tissue. Hence, the name, fibrocystic breasts.

What symptoms are you likely to have if you have fibrocystic breasts?

Fibrocystic breasts are characterized by:

*round lumps that move freely and are either firm or soft

*tenderness

*swelling and pain before and during menstruation

*change in size and number of fibrous masses, but they are benign

NOTE: a cancerous growth usually doesn't move, usually isn't tender, and does not go away

Are there self-care measures to use to reduce or eliminate fibrocystic breasts?

Self-care actions you can take to reduce or eliminate fibrocystic breasts include...

*eat a low-fat, high fiber diet including more raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains and dried beans and peas

*avoid alcohol, animal products (meat, butter, dairy products except low-fat yogurt), oil (except olive oil), fried foods, salt, sugars, tobacco and all white flour products (breads, muffins, cakes, pies, etc.)

*take 1,500 mg of primrose oil daily to reduce size of cysts

*eliminate all caffeine from your diet including any of the following that list caffeine as an ingredient: coffee, tea, drugs, chocolate, and other substances

*include garlic, shiitake mushrooms, and onions in your daily diet; they contain germanium which help improve oxygenation of tissues

*use poke root or sage herbal poultices to relieve breast tenderness and soreness

*avoid wearing push-up or tight bras; if you must wear a bra, wear sports bras and never more than 8 hours a day; this will allow the natural cleansing process of your lymphatic system to operate the rest of the day

*massage your breasts once or twice daily upon rising and retiring to enhance lymphatic circulation: the right hand circles in a counterclockwise fashion and the left hand in a clockwise motion up and out around the breast; avoid touching the nipples

This article is for information purposes only. For treatment, consult your health care practitioner.

Sources and Resources:

J.F.Balch, M.D. and P.A.Balch, CNC. "Fibrocystic disease of the breast," Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Avery Publishing, 1997.

Dr. S. T. Chang, "The deer exercise for women," The Complete System of Self-Healing: Internal Exercises, Tao Publishing, 1991.