Integrative Approaches to Monthly Breast Pain

Breast pain can be related to an imbalance of hormones, including estrogen, in the body.  Balancing these hormones through dietary changes can help reduce your symptoms.

Try making these changes to your diet:

• Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet.
• Include cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, and kale.
• Reduce saturated fats.
• Have less or stop having dairy.
• Add phytoestrogens.

Find phytoestrogens in:

• Soy foods – Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk
• Legumes – Beans, peas
• Whole grains
• Ground flax seeds – Grind a week's worth in a blender or coffee grinder and refrigerate, then add 2 tablespoons per day to food or smoothies.

Certain habits can help. Try these options:

• Minimize plastics by using glass or metal for food containers when possible.
• Avoid herbicides and pesticides when working outdoors.
• When possible, buy organic, particularly for meat, dairy, and the dirty dozen.
• Focus on stress reduction.  If time is limited, think of ways you can do routine daily tasks in a mindful way.  Learn more.

Try these tips to get rid of extra hormones in your body.

Sweat!

• Find an exercise you enjoy, and move your body regularly.
• Use a sauna.

Have a bowel movement 1 to 2 times per day.  To do this:

• Hydrate with water.
• Eat plenty of fiber.  If you struggle to get enough through your diet, take a fiber supplement, like psyllium.
• Include cultured foods, like sauerkraut, unsweetened yogurt, or a probiotic supplement.
• If needed, consider magnesium citrate (300 to 600 mg daily) to increase bowel frequency.  Start low, then adjust the dose to have 1 to 2 bowel movements each day without straining.

Consider one or more of the following, in addition to the above lifestyle recommendations:

• Vitamin E d-alpha tocopherol 400 to 600 IU per day.
• Vitex 20 to 40 mg per day, or per package instructions.  Do not use with hormone-sensitive cancers.
• Evening primrose oil 3 to 4 grams per day.