Researching diet to treat constipation and fibroids

On a related note, I was looking up information about diets for chronic constipation and came across (again) The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). I've had some digestive issues for years, and since my delivery it has gotten worse. Why? I don't know. Is it hormonal changes due to nursing? The result of one more round of IV antibiotics during my c-section.

I feel my issues are due to an improper balance in my intestinal flora and I've been thinking for a while that I need to learn more about how to tweak things so I've got more favorable beneficial bacteria flourishing in my gut.

I've received IV antibiotics more than oral antibiotics during my surgeries and delivery -- I have had to remind myself that thing really could be thrown off by that.

Anyway, the SCD sounds interesting and I'm wondering if it might be worth trying out. I found the yogurt idea to be inspiring (I love to cook) and some of the dietary rules sound similar to what my naturopathic doc and acupuncturist have been telling me -- less simple carbohydrates, cooked vegetables, cut out sugar. I also found reference to this diet helping with eczema -- something else that is linked to intestinal flora issues and a leaky gut -- which might be helpful for my toddler.

BreakingtheViciousCycle.info - informational site for SCD that is based around the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle, which seems to be a SCD bible of sorts.

PecanBread.com - a site about using SCD with children, with lots of info about using it to treat ASD kids


I've also got a Susan Lark book on the way called Fibroid Tumors & Endometriosis that includes information about nutrition to treat fibroids that had good reviews on Amazon. I haven't bought a fibroid book in a while so I might as well try this one.

Other Causes of Pelvic Pain Besides Fibroid Degeneration

A common complain of women with fibroids is abdominal Pain. This pelvic pain can come from from fibroid degeneration, when the fibroid outgrows its blood supply and dies, but that's fairly rare and there are other possible causes of pelvic pain including (an incomplete list):

Appendicitis

Constipation

Adenomyosis -- endometrial tissue grows into the wall of the uterus and can form pockets that bleed each month

Endometriosis -- endometrial tissue grows on other pelvic structures outside of the interior of the uterus and swell and bleed with the hormones produced as a part of your menstrual cycle

Ovarian Cysts -- mature follicle that does not rupture and can grow pretty large, if they rupture they can be quite painful. Some cysts are normal and most of the time they are just reabsorbed. There are other forms of cyst which require medical intervention such as dermoid cysts, endometrioma, and sometimes chocolate cysts.

Ovulation -- mittelshmerz is pain that is felt around ovulation, perhaps from the release of the egg or perhaps from irritation from fluid released from the follicle

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease -- bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea, and chlamidia can all cause infections in the pelvic cavity

Pelvic Adhesions from prior abdominal surgery or infection -- a d&c or IUD can sometime result in an infection as well

Fibroid Pressing on blood vessels or other abdominal structure

Cystitis -- bladder infection

Kidney infection

There is also a diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine/acupuncture called blood stagnation which can cause pelvic pain and is generally associated with gynecological conditions such as fibroids. Liver stagnation is usually part of the diagnosis as well, the liver being the major detox organ in the body and one that is also associated with emotion and grief in chinese medicine. I've found acupuncture to be helpful in managing my pelvic pain, as well as breathing exercises that promote movement in the abdomen. Here's a link about blood stagnation that you might find useful.

All About Blood Stagnation
http://www.acupuncture.com/Herbology/bloodstag.htm

If your doctor checks you out and you are still having problems then
you might consider the blood stagnation possibility.