Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Fibrocystic breast disease is very common among women. It is described as a non-cancerous condition characterized by round lumps that move freely within breast tissue. The condition is often accompanied by persistent or intermittent breast discomfort and tenderness. Symptoms range from mild to severe and typically peak just before a menstrual period.

The Causes
In Chinese medicine, the cause of fibrocystic breast disease is associated with the presence of excess sugar that the body cannot eliminate ­ so it is stored in the body as mucous and the area becomes inflamed. In fact, western medicine has noted similar associations. A recent research study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention points out a link between high carbohydrate diets and an increased risk of breast cancer. In that study, the simple sugars sucrose and fructose demonstrated the strongest connection with breast cancer risk. Sucrose is most commonly found in table sugar and sweetened prepared foods and beverages. Fructose is a component of sucrose and is also found in fruit.

Chinese medicine considers that emotional factors play a part in fibrocystic breast disease as well. Specifically, excess worry and long-term unexpressed frustration or anger can cause most people to tighten their chest and breast area, further restricting the breakdown of the mucous and inflammation. When a person consumes foods and beverages with cold temperatures, like ice cream or iced tea, they experience additional tightening and contraction in the chest, thereby adding to the problem.

Alleviating Symptoms
There are ways to alleviate symptoms through simple lifestyle changes, including diet, the release of stuck emotions and daily breast massage. Each of these areas is covered in greater detail below.

Reduce Sugars in Your Diet and Eliminate Intake of Cold Food and Drink
The first step to improvement is eliminating or radically reducing the excess sugars in your diet. Simple sugars include fruits, juices, sodas, and sugary snacks like cakes, cookies, ice cream and candies and also alcoholic beverages. Simple carbohydrates include breads, pasta, and starchy vegetables like carrots.

Ideally, it is best to eliminate all simple sugars and carbohydrates from your diet until your symptoms disappear. Then, you may slowly reintroduce minimal servings of the offending foods after that. But if that is too difficult to achieve, reduce your intake of these items to no more than one small serving of a simple sugar and one small serving of a simple carbohydrate per day. Be advised however, that your progress toward being symptom free will be significantly slower than if you choose to eliminate these items completely. Also remember to avoid eating and drinking cold foods like ice cream and iced beverages.

Use Imagery to Eliminate Trapped Emotions
Next, it is important to work through negative emotions. In Chinese medicine, the stomach and liver meridians pass through the breast area. The emotion associated with the stomach is worry while the liver is associated with frustration and anger. While any kind of stress reduction like yoga, journaling, and meditation may be helpful; biofeedback imagery can specifically target the release of emotions that have become trapped in a particular area of the body.

To use this technique, set aside five to ten minutes of time every day. Assume a relaxing position in a quiet place and close your eyes. Pick an image that appeals to you: perhaps it is flowers or running water or even hitting a tennis ball! The idea is that this image represents the tightness in your chest. You will watch this image transform and be removed, as if it is your blockage.

For example, picture your favorite flower as a bud. It blossoms in your chest area. Then, visualize its petals falling off (representing the fibroid) and being blown away by the wind, falling to the ground, and being reabsorbed by the earth (that represents your body).

Or if you prefer tennis - imagine the blockage as a ball, bouncing it and then hitting it far, far away and outside of yourself with your racquet.

Breast Massage to Disperse Blockages
Another helpful technique for dispersing and avoiding fibroids is breast massage. Here's how:

1. Rub your hands together vigorously to create heat by bringing the energy of your body into your palms and fingers.
2. Place your hands on your breasts so that you feel the heat from your hands enter your skin.
3. Rub your breasts slowly in an outward, circular motion: your right hand turning counter-clockwise, your left hand, clockwise.
4. Continue in this manner between 36 times to 360 times, once or twice a day.

More Information
For more information on preventing and treating fibrocystic breast disease, contact Dr. Wonson's office at 415-544-9104 or send us an e-mail at drwonson@drwonson.com.

Written by: Dr. Wonson, DC, LAc