5 hormone balancing african ingredient “twists” which are tasty and help avoid fibroid dominance
Food For Hormonal Imbalance
Introduction
I have lived with fibroid growth throughout my life.
I am also a British-Nigerian woman who has experienced the joys of tasty and nutritious Nigerian and African food and recipes while growing up in London, UK .
Fibroids are are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb (uterus).
They are a common occurrence in women of African and Caribbean descent
Statistic:
“It is estimated that 50 % of UK women have fibroids at some point in their childbearing years, however up to 80% of Black women will develop fibroids”
A few women are lucky enough to experience no symptoms.
There are, however, many have fibroid growth to such as extent that they experience symptoms such as heavy bleeding (causing anaemia), constipation and period pain.
Research has linked fibroid growth to excess oestrogen (a female reproductive hormone) in the body.
The more excess oestrogen in your body, the higher the chance of fibroid growth and dominating symptoms.
Eating African food was second nature to me as it may be with millions of others.
Like many other hormones, oestrogen is hyper sensitive to certain foods. (e.g processed food and high in fat and sugar).
Refer to this article for more information on improving your hormone balance and fibroid dominance.
Studies also show that excess oestrogen is difficult to get rid of in women who are overweight or obese (as it can be stored in muscle and fatty tissue).
As a sufferer of fibroid growth, I did a lot of research on nutrition and the impact on oestrogen balance and fibroid growth.
In particular, I looked at the impact of african nutrition with, unfortunately, limited success.
I came across a few useful youtube channels which did talk about alternative african ingredients for paleo and gluten free diets (thanks to Flo on her All Nigerian Recipes YouTube channel) which was a good starting point.
Key Takeaway:
- African ingredients and dishes are nutritious and growing in popularity
- By applying a “twist” in an ingredient, it is possible to keep the tastiness of african dishes and strive for better oestrogen balance
- Be flexible! Although many african dishes are cultural and traditional, there is nothing to stop you making a “twist” which benefits your health and still retain the “africanness” of the dish
- If you are unsure about these recipes and the impact on your health, your first action should always be to seek advice from a medical practitioner or/and a nutritionist
I discovered the following 5 “twists” on common african ingredients while looking online for information on nutrition to support my fight of fibroid dominance online.
Not everyone may take to these twists but as I mentioned earlier, there is no written rule here! Try it and if you don’t like it, there are other options.
If you come across an ingredient that you have tried and it works, let me know in the comments.
For each twist ingredient, I will state the traditional and "twist" dish and nutritional benefits which help regulate oestrogen levels and avoid fibroid dominance:
Twist Ingredient: Cauliflower
Traditional African Dish:
- Nigerian Fried Rice
African Dish with Twist:
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
Benefits:
- High in fibre
- Supports detoxification of liver
Twist Integration: Carrot
Traditional African Dish:
- Vegetable Oil
African Dish with Twist:
- Carrot Oil - frying and cooking alternative
Benefits:
- High in beta carotene
- High in fibre
- High in antioxidants
- Good for cleansing the colon and gut health
Twist Integration: Coconut
Traditional African Dish:
- Vegetable Oil
African Dish with Twist:
- Virgin Coconut oil - frying and cooking alternative
Benefits:
- High in fibre so good for gut health and avoiding constipation
- Helps improve muscle function
Twist Integration: Almonds
Traditional African Dish:
African Dish with Twist:
- Almond Stew with Fish or Chicken
Benefits:
- High in fibre and protein
- Good for regular bowel movement
- Good antioxidant and detoxification properties
Twist Integration: Brown Rice
Traditional African Dish:
- Nigerian Fried Rice
African Dish with Twist:
- Brown Rice Fried Rice
Benefits:
- Ideal for gluten free eaters
- High in fibre, B vitamins and other nutrients, e.g manganese
- Lower glycemic index than white rice
- Cook in plenty of water or use organically grown to reduce risk of arsenic
In Summary
So there you are!
Fighting fibroids naturally is neither complicated nor inaccessible to black women who enjoy african food.
There are plenty more online resources out there but keep an open mind, do your own research and try and test keeping in mind your own taste buds as well as your health and wellbeing.
If unsure, seek healthcare advice, e.g from a nutritionist.
Once you have that, it puts you in a better position to explore african nutrition options for fighting hormonal imbalance and fibroid dominance.
Takeaway
Need basic and simple recommendations to regulate your hormone levels and help relieve fibroid dominance?
Click here to download a FREE basic example of a grocery list that includes food items liked by women who enjoy african food