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Dear Dr. Ruth,

Are there any studies showing reduction or elimination of fibroids using vegan diets?  I have several large fibroids and have had 3 miscarriages in the past 1.5 years.  I am willing to try a vegan diet if it will help me in any way. The problem is that I am not very disciplined to stick to it. Any guidance will be helpful.

Mary
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Dear Mary,

I’ve never had to do a search on studies of the effect of vegan diets on fibroids, but here is what we know. Women who eat animal products, including dairy, have much higher estrogen levels.  High estrogen levels stimulate reproductive tissue which, of course, includes the uterus and is what causes fibroids.  If continuing on with your history of fibroids and miscarriages is not enough to motivate you to change your diet, maybe this will help. Eating a low-fat vegan diet significantly lowers your risk of uterine and breast cancer, heart disease (which kills many more women than cancer), stroke, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia, and more. It also is a much more humane diet in that the cruelty involved in raising animals for food is horrible and disgusting. Lastly, there are the environmental costs of fouling our nest, the planet, from which we may never recover.

So, aren’t you glad you asked?  (:>)  Please, Mary, do it and you’ll find yourself healthier and feel so fantastic you’ll do what I did, ask, “Why didn’t I do this years ago?”  For help on recipes, order my ebook, CHEF. It’ll help keep you disciplined!

Ruth E. Heidrich, Ph.D., Ironman Triathlete
www.RuthHeidrich.com
Author of A Race For Life, CHEF, Senior Fitness, & Lifelong Running