Another term used for Breast Cysts is Fibrocystic Breast Disease. It makes it sound like an illness you can catch, but for many women it is a normal part of their lives. Breast Cysts are small sacks of fluid in the breasts. At different times these sacks can become fuller, and therefore larger, harder and more noticeable. They are not cancer, but the danger is that because you become used to having them there they may not notice, or even ignore a cancerous lump. One way of telling the difference between the two is if the lump changes size and shape in accordance with your menstrual cycle. This is because these little sacks are influenced by the amount of estrogen in the woman’s body. The more estrogen there is in your body the more likelihood of water retention. The more water retention the larger and harder the lumps become. If your lumps seem to grow right before your period, then fade away or disappear there is a good possibility it is simply a cyst. To be sure a doctor can do a needle biopsy of the lump, taking a small amount of fluid from it to determine what the fluid is made of.
I myself have had these lumps ever since I was a teenager. During the last couple of years they have faded, and a no longer a bother to me. To be honest I don’t know if it is the lifestyle changes I have made, or the fact I am getting older. Since I have not yet achieved menopause I lean more towards the former than the latter. Taking care of our overall health is one of the most important things in making yourself more comfortable, and to lessen the dangers of any cancer, including breast cancer. Not being afraid of the lumps goes a long ways towards accepting them and understanding they are a part of who you are.
One thing you can do is to strengthen your immune system. This allows your body to be in better balance, including your hormones. Out of balance hormones can make breast cysts worse. To strengthen my immune system I take two things: Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes and Enriching Gifts Sterol Max. Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes strengthen your immune system by taking the strain of digestion off of it. Without good digestion food particles get in the blood stream and your immune system will work very hard at cleaning it out, rather than looking for bacteria, viruses, or mutated cells that can cause disease. Enriching Gifts Sterol Max on the other hand actually feeds your immune system, making it stronger and increases the number of cells available to keep you healthy.
In addition to strengthening the immune system I would also make sure I am getting good complete nutrition. Enriching Gifts Complete Vitamins Plus comes in very handy here. Especially if you have a demanding stressful life you need to make sure you are providing your body with all the vitamins and minerals it needs. I also take either Enriching Gifts Metabolic Complete or Enriching Gifts Heart Algae on a daily basis. This ensures I get all the anti-oxidants I need to keep my body healthy. Most nutritional recommendations for breast cysts call for plenty of antioxidants to keep the hormones in balance and reduce breast pain. Both Enriching Gifts Heart Algae and Enriching Gifts Metabolic Complete are more potent than what is available in most other antioxidant formulas.
Detoxifying your body is another suggestion from the herbal experts. By detoxifying your body you can reduce the excess hormones in your system and reduce the buildup of the cysts. My favorite detoxifier is Enriching Gifts Daily Detoxification. As the name says this is gentle enough to be used every day if that is what is needed. Otherwise trust your body to tell you when it needs a little help.
If you find new lumps in your breasts don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for a second opinion. Most of the doctors I have seen over the years can tell the difference pretty easily. If they are unsure there are choices that range from watch and wait to having a biopsy. In my case I have done both. As I mentioned I have had various lumps over the years. A few years ago I had one that felt different from the others. It didn’t show up on a mammogram, but it did show up on a CT scan. After much deliberation we decided to have the lump removed. It turned out to be a blocked milk duct. I now have a barely noticeable one inch scar, and a better understanding of what is normal and abnormal in my own body.
Sources:
The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B. White MD and Steven Foster, copyright 2000 by Rodale Press
Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar copyright 1993 by Rosemary Gladstar.
