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Polycystic Liver Disease Support Group	To keep a cystic liver in optimal heath, AVOID hormones, caffeine, soy, flaxseed, estrogen, bleach, xenoestrogens, pesticides, herbicides, and estrogen disruptors such as phthalates and methylparabens. By purposefully halting any exposure to estrogen, this may succeed in halting liver cyst growth. One way to accomplish this is by considering alternatives to pregnancy, avoiding birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, false estrogens, certain plant phytoestrogens, exogenous estrogen, estrogen disruptors, estrogen mimickers, and xenoestrogens. Sometimes what is perceived as a weak estrogen disruptor, may become intensified by the combination of weak disruptors creating a super estrogen disruptor. This is what I perceive has happened with soy, flaxseed, and oily fish - all are to be avoided with liver cysts. FAQ Some Frequently Asked Questions

What things cause liver cysts to grow?

Caffeine and estrogen (false estrogens, xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens) all cause liver cysts to grow. Additionally as a cystic liver enlarges, the metabolism of estrogen by products is lessened. There are four types of estrogen. Estrogen by product is one type of estrogen. I suspect that this is very in high in pregnancy and in cystic liver disease.The liver interprets estrogen look-a-likes as true estrogen and this triggers further liver cyst growth. Caffeine and hormones cause liver cysts to enlarge.

Individuals with massive liver cysts might consider alternatives to pregnancy. Pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, and birth control pills all can cause cystic livers to enlarge. If one adds to this the caffeine PKD research by George and Judy Tanner that caffeine elevates PKD blood pressure and earlier PKD research on caffeine by Dr. Grantham, that caffeine also stimulates cyclic AMP causing cyst production to begin. Coffee ends up a big double whammy for individuals with PKD Polycystic Kidney Disease and PLD Polycystic Liver Disease. There are many exogenous estrogens in our environment. Some are man made, some are called natural yet main contain added estrogen to it; others are artificially added to foods, cosmetics, appearing in many unexpected places.

Article on Caffeine:
Caffeine consumption raises blood pressure.
Caffeine exacerbates hypertension.
Caffeine increases risk hypertension in women.
Caffeine intake and folate in women.
Caffeine intake and kidney stones.
Caffeine intake and Parkinson's.

What is estrogen? Estrogen is a hormone manufactured by the body. This is increased during pregnancy. And there is synthetic estrogen made from horse urine (mare urine, hence the word pre - mare - in) given to women for a number of medical reasons. I purposefully keep exposure to estrogen and all hormones to a minimum. This has resulted in diminished liver cyst growth. Following my liver resection surgery ten years ago, I have not had any new growth of my liver cysts. For a more details see hormones , hot flashes, phthalates, and methylparaben.

What are some foods that contain hormones?
Beef
Poultry
Milk
Cheese
Butter
Steak
Many animal proteins

What are common plant estrogens or phytoestrogens?
Soy
Flaxseed
Phytoestrogens are present in some foods like soy and flaxseed. Individuals with liver cysts find soy products encourages the growth of liver cysts.
With flaxseed, I am sorry to report increases liver pain, discomfort and cysts. I use hemp seed oil, coconut, sesame seeds, and almonds for my essential fatty acids and omega 3's. Fish oil, another source of omega 3's also causes my liver to ache. For this reason, I avoid all oily fish and fish oil, especially cod liver products sometimes present in many cosmetics. For more on cosmetics, shampoos, and soaps click here.

What are xenoestrogens? Up until 1991, the term, xenoestrogens did not exist. When I was in school I remember science projects of several friends. A youngster in high school was concerned about food heated in a microwave oven packaged in plastic containers. She observed some of these containers to melt into heated food. This became her science project. A local laboratory allowed use of their facilities for testing. She discovered by heating oil in the microwave with a saran wrap cover, this produced 100 times the allowable amount of foreign chemicals to permeate the food. Independent of this, a second laboratory, in another part of the country, was using plastic test tubes to evaluate if certain chemicals would trigger the growth of breast cancer cells. The manufacturer of the test tubes changed the chemical formula to include lexan. These nalgene tubes made from lexan resulted in a more durable test tube. The surprise outcome of this experiment was that all chemicals tested in the improved tubes caused breast cancer cells to grow at an accelerated rate. For this reason, I avoid heating foods in the microwave and stay away from plastic wrap, plastic storage containers using glass in its place.

I opted to wait to have my liver resection surgery performed until the possible onset of a natural menopause occurred; but in fact this never happened. I had a very detailed and sophisticated assay performed called a saliva hormone test to determine how much estrogen I was producing. Written all over the laboratory sheet were question marks asking if this patient was pregnant? This was because my estrogen was so high, as high as someone pregnant. For other additional reasons (family history of ovarian and breast cancer and a huge uterine fibroid which was contributing to anemia) I had my ovaries and uterus surgically removed at the same time as my liver resection. Following the surgical removal of many sources for body estrogen, I stilled continued to have breast swelling and bloating once a month. I questioned the doctors and was told that I had kept myself thin, so estrogen was not stored in my fatty tissue; perhaps it was coming from the pituitary gland?
I have learned that there is something called xenoestrogens (xeno meaning foreign) that exist in the environment. These are sometimes referred to as estrogen disruptors. I have hypothesized that it was exposure to hidden xenoestrogens that caused the cycling menstrual symptoms that had previously occurred before my periods. Now with the onset of surgical menopause, the swelling continued even though my menses had stopped. This was a mystery. Where was this source of estrogen?
These xenoestrogens, even with limited exposure to tiny quantities, are cumulative over a lifetime and the smallest amount can trigger the hormone receptors in the liver to start reproducing liver cysts. Xenoestsrogens can signal the body to produce sometimes 10x the normal amount of estrogen. Even in infinitesimal portions, xenoestrogens can decrease a man's sperm count, can cause fertility problems such as miscarriages, can cause PMS, can cause endometriosis, can cause breast cancer and in my own personal opinion, can cause liver cysts to grow. The body mistakes these estrogen like molecules for true estrogen and utilizes them within the body to manufacture various hormones. In addition to this a body with liver cysts slows down the metabolism of estrogen like end products through the liver. There was a two fold process going: exposure to false estrogen and and a slowing down of processing estrogen waste through the liver resulting in an increase in circulating estrogen like molecules causing an increase in liver cyst growth.

What are some common xenoestrogens?
XENOESTROGENS
Synthetic chemicals shown to have unintended estrogenic effects - estrogen disruptors
• 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) (sunscreen lotions)
• butylated hydroxyanisole / BHA (food preservative)
• atrazine (weedkiller)
• bisphenol A (monomer for polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin; antioxidant in plasticizers)
• dieldrin (insecticide)
•  DDT (insecticide)
• endosulfan (insecticide)
• erythrosine / FD&C Red No. 3
• heptachlor (insecticide)
• lindane / hexachlorocyclohexane (insecticide)
• methoxychlor (insecticide)
• nonylphenol and derivatives (industrial surfactants; emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization; laboratory detergents; pesticides)
• polychlorinated biphenyls / PCBs (in electrical oils, lubricants, adhesives, paints)
• parabens (lotions)
• phenosulfothiazine (a red dye)
• phthalates (plasticizers)
• DEHP (plasticizer for PVC)
• Phytoestrogens
• Diethylstilbestrol (pharmacological estrogen with unintended side-effects)

Coffee even decaffeinated coffee.
Laundry detergent which may not be totally rinsed out. Instead switch to one without the alky phenols that mimic estrogen. To read more about parabens.
Parabens in shampoos, cosmetics, and skin creams labeled as methyl paraben, propyl paraben or butyl paraben. This is currently being investigated by the European Union as a contributor to breast cancer.
Bleach
Ammonia
Pesticide spraying. Xenoestrogens are stored in the body fat and may remain stored in the body for decades. Exercise which causes sweat or sauna treatments may be used to help eliminate this. Maybe this is why in Guam the incidence of breast cancer is so much less than in other parts of the United States? Guam temperature is a constant 84� to 89�, much like a xenoestrogen eliminating sauna.
Plastic & Plastic wrap heated in oil in a microwave oven contained 500,000 time the minimum amount of xenoestrogens to stimulate breast cancer cells to proliferate. Lexan and Nalgene plastic bottles with Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is used in some plastic Bisphenol-A (BPA) coatings inside food cans, cling wrap, and dental sealants. I avoid all plastic associated with anything which I might put into my mouth such as vitamin bottles, plastic cutlery, dishes, saran wrap, non-stick cookware.
DRY CLEANED CLOTHING Human evidence comes mainly from women working in the dry cleaning and pharmaceutical industries, and in agriculture. (One Finnish study concluded that female dry cleaning workers exposed to the chemical perchloroethylene were three to four times more likely than the general population to spontaneously abort during pregnancy. I first discovered this when I continually returned to my vascular surgeon at the Mayo. It was he who told me that matted spider telangectasias are only seen when the liver fails to properly metabolize estrogen or estrogen like molecules. It was this group of docs who turned me on to researching xenoestrogens.
I have found that if I eliminate plastic Bisphenol-A (BPA) from contact with things I eat, (food, vitamins, bottled water) this has helped decrease the spider angiomas surrounding my ankles. These angiomas are oftentimes painful, awakening me in the middle of the night with intense burning. The doctors could only tell me this was caused by the liver's inability to metabolism estrogen and estrogen like molecules. I have discovered they were calling xenoestrogens, estrogen like compounds or estrogen disrupters.
I am intrigued with this research about xenoestrogens. I have been measuring my girth (around my liver) as form of self-testing to see which things maybe harmful or beneficial to me. It turns out that the very same things that I have experienced as being harmful (causing my liver to grow in size) are these very same xenoestrogens. I did not know their name, or what they were called. I knew it made a difference to me, to eat organically, to stay away from many animal products (including dairy, beef, pork, chicken, ground meats, cheeses) and to avoid bleach, ammonia, chemicals, pesticides, cleaning solutions and powders of soap. I had this abundance of empirical knowledge that chicken, for instance, will cause my liver cysts to grow. In Consumer Reports Magazine, I read that chickens in the USA are dipped in a bleach bath to prevent salmonella. What I experienced was a deep ache in my liver from eating poultry.
I thought I was doing everything by eliminating bleach products, alcohol and alcohol products, ammonia and ammonia based products and pesticides. I had not even thought about bleach in toilet paper, napkins, paper towels and coffee filters. Coffee is a phytoestrogen that exacerbates cystic disease. Coffee made with bleached coffee filters results in a triple whammy of xenoestrogens from the bleach in combination with a phytoestrogens and the hot liquid combines with coffee bean oils and this is heated and passed through a plastic filter. All have an added synergistic effect releasing elevated dangerous amounts of dioxin in cumulative amounts over the years.

What about plastic? Why eliminate plastic (Bisphenol A) from coming into contact with food, water, vitamins, and supplements?
Bisphenol A BPA has been widely used in cosmetics and foods. However bishenol A is an estrogen disruptor. Bisphenol A was investigated in the 1930s during the search for estrogen mimics. From this study the synthetic compound diethylstilbestrol was shown to be a better competitor with estrogen. Bisphenol A, can activate estrogen receptors, leading to similar physiological effects as the body's own estrogens The first evidence of the estrogenicity of bisphenol A came from experiments in the 1930s in which it was fed to rats with their ovaries removed. Liver cysts have estrogen receptors. Some hormone disrupting effects in studies on animals and human cancer cells have been shown to occur at levels as low as 2–5 ppb (parts per billion). It has been claimed that these effects lead to health problems such as, in men, lowered sperm count and infertile sperm. Recent studies have confirmed that bisphenol A exposure during development has carcinogenic effects and produce precursors of breast cancer. From Wikipedia is more information.
What about matted spider telangectasias? How to diminish these? I have been trying to diminish my spider angiomas on my ankles, also known as matted telangectasias. Each year when I return to the Mayo clinic I see the vascular surgeon hoping he might sclerose the tiny spider web formation of arteries surrounding my ankles. Each year he tells me I am not a candidate and that I need to discover how to increase the metabolism of estrogen and estrogen like molecules through the liver. I need to diminish my exposure to estrogen and estrogen like molecules. I understand estrogen. I no longer have ovaries, a uterus, and my body fat percentage is purposefully kept low. This elimination of estrogen also keeps liver cyst growth at a minimum. Liver cyst cells have estrogen receptors. Breast cancer cells also have estrogen receptors. It is these estrogen receptors which bind with estrogen and estrogen like molecules that will stimulate the growth of liver cysts and breast cancer cells. Because one has liver cysts in no way does this mean that a person is more likely to have breast cancer. Simply put both have estrogen receptors. What this means for me is I am on the look out for all research that is published about breast cancer. I read all articles I can get my hands on. Through this research I am able to see how I can further eliminate estrogen and estrogen like molecules from my diet.

What are estrogen like molecules? These are compounds which have a similar molecular structure to estrogen. It is so similar that the body cannot differentiate between the two. The body takes the estrogen like molecules to be true estrogen. The estrogen-trigger begins increasing the growth of cells which have estrogen receptors. If one has polycystic liver disease then there is an increase in liver cysts. If one has spider angiomas then there is an increase of fine spiders arterioles seen on the ankles, chest, back and face. If one has an existing breast cancer then estrogen like molecules can trigger a further growth of breast cancer cells.
Some of these estrogen like compounds are:
Pesticides
The end residual by product left from pesticides and DDT spraying. This was stopped in the United States in the 1950’s but what remains in the soil and rivers are the residual molecules that have become chemically changed from the original pesticide molecule. These changed molecules are then taken up by animals, which graze on the grasses or drink from the rivers. This is then stored in the fatty tissue of the animal. For this reason perhaps a well marbled steak may be particularly high in estrogen like molecules. For this reason, eating organically helps diminish estrogen exposure. I juice, juice, juice. This provides the body which much needed micronutrients not found in a vitamin tablet. Cabbage juice with 5-7 almonds is the one food product I have found that increases the liver’s metabolism of estrogen. Added benefits a few of us have discovered who drink daily cabbage juice with almonds is that our gray hair seems to revert back to its natural color. Much of the gray is eliminated.
Dairy
Butter and cheese are high in estrogen like molecules. Now many dairy farmers have taken to giving cows in the United States bovine lactating hormone to keep the cows producing 10-100 times the amount of milk that these cows would naturally produce. The milk, cheese, butter, and meat from these cows not only has estrogen like molecules from their grazing on contaminated grass but it also has artificially added true estrogen given to the cows.
1. One way to avoid this is to eliminate dairy. If one has kidney disease then diary is good thing to choose to eliminate. Dairy is high in sodium and it has many solutes that dehydrate the body and increase the workload of the kidneys by making it difficult to eliminate. Dehydration is one of the worse situations for hastening kidney failure. A perfectly healthy person when deprived of water can lose their kidneys. Milk is so high in sodium that it raises my blood pressure. For these reasons I have eliminated all dairy from my diet.
2. If one cannot eliminate diary then be sure the dairy taken in is organic, free of pesticides, produced without any bovine growth hormone, and the dairy is from skim milk. Estrogen is stored by the body is fatty tissue. Perhaps 2 ounces of skim milk drunk in the winter months would be beneficial in providing Vitamin D for people living in Northern countries. A better way to assure an adequate intake of Vitamin D is to take daily walks in the sunshine.
3. If one cannot eliminate all fat from dairy then the next possibility is to choose dairy which is cultured such as French butter called Plugra. This butter is produced from crème fraiche; a cultured cream; then it is churned into butter. Yogurt is made from a cultured starter. Buttermilk also utilizes a culture.
4. If one must have cheese then choose a light white cheese with half the fat such as enmenthaler (called Swiss cheese in the USA), Try and find salt free cheeses. Dairy alone is high in sodium. Soft white goat and sheep cheeses may also be better choices. Avoid any yellow cheeses and any hard cheeses; also avoid mozzarella.
PCB PolyChlorinated Biphenyls - were manufactured by a one company - Monsanto Chemical - starting in the 1930s. They were promoted as a nearly indestructible replacement for hydraulic oil, pump oil, and the oil bath for electrical transformers and capacitors. It was known even in the 1930s, when production began, that they were extremely toxic. Exposed workers began showing signs of toxic exposure almost immediately.
Plastic Bisphenol-A (BPA)
Polyvinyl chloride was discovered in 1930. I asked a researcher if any work had been done linking the discovery of plastic with the increase in all types of cancers. I was told that when food is heated in plastic (such as in a microwave oven) the plastic imparts some of its molecules to the food which is then eaten. I then learned in Germany there is another researcher who is very concerned with mineral water and that it is bottled in plastic. She is developing an easy to use inexpensive test (made from breast cancer cells, and when I dye is added to these cells and estrogen or estrogen like molecules are present then one can see instantly and not use that food product).
I have been traveling since November; I am trying to put a plan into effect. I purchased stainless steel cutlery, and a cup, a ceramic bowl and plate. I buy Perrier mineral water in a glass container. If I must use the microwave I make sure I stand back at least a foot away to avoid the gausing waves from the microwave, and other maChinese which contain an electrical engine source such as a hairdryer and heating pads or electric blankets. For the first time in five years my spider angiomas are lessening. I am eliminating all plastic cooking utensils by using wooden or stainless steel. If I am out without my stainless spoon and fork, I ask for wooden chopsticks. (I happen to be in Guam where chopsticks are readily available.) In place of plastic rice cookers for the microwave I purchase an inexpensive slow cooker with a ceramic bowl. One of the major difficulties is buying a juicer that is all stainless, lightweight and easily packable while traveling. I have found the omega 9000 (also called the atlas or olympic) to be the one, which fits most of the criteria. The omega juicer still has a plastic push tool, to push the end bits of fruits and vegetables through the chute. I lost my omega juicer while traveling. In Guam I could only find one juicer and that is an all-plastic one. I plan on drinking the juice immediately after I make so there is not much time for the juice to come in contact with plastic and I can only hope that this will help.
Soy
Many with liver cysts avoid tofu, soy sauce, tempe, soy milk as they have noticed it makes their liver cysts grow. In New Zealand soy has been eliminated from all infant formulas when babies were found to have difficulties thought to arise from the soy infant formulas. Young infants were becoming sterile and little girl babies were getting breasts and early menses. Additional farmers at Monsanto were planting genetically altered soy and mixing it up with non-genetically altered soy. This new soy would withstand a strong dose of weed killer which kill everything but the genetically altered soy. Soy is generally thought to be a good substitute when used to replace red meat in the diet; however it does increase liver cyst growth. This could be in part from the genetic manipulation started by Monsanto so young soy plants can withstand a bombardment of Monsanto weed killer known as roundup. The genetically modified soy has a way of creeping into the food chain with this attached weed killer (a known xenoestrogen). The European Union asked the United States to at least separate the two soy plants, but the USA refused. To read more on soy.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed contains phytoestrogens. A researcher looked at flaxseed. If cancer cells were placed alongside flaxseed in a petrie dish, the cancer cells grew. This has yet to proven with live subjects, but in the meantime I have eliminated flaxseed. I am relaying on the essential fatty acids contained in hemp seed oil and in 5 almonds for my daily intake.
Chemicals
I have eliminated all chemicals from my cleaning cupboards. I use no bleach, ammonia, or alcohol containing cleaning products. Instead I use orange oil, static cloths from 3M, water sprayers to eliminate grim, washing soda, borax to clean toilets, vinegar to make glasses sparkle. I wear a mask when placing powdered detergent in the wash machine (washing soda). I try to use pellets of soap for the dishwasher.
Dry Cleaned Clothing I have stopped dry cleaning any clothing. If you have any suggestions email us.

LEMON WATER
Some find it easy to take lemons. This is a very good thing to enjoy to help the body process estrogenic compounds. A recipe for hot lemon.

SAFFRON TEA
i get saffron for about $35 for a huge tin from vanilla saffron imports.
I have been getting my saffron from Juan at vanilla saffron imports for years. He supplies all the major restaurants with saffron. This tin easily lasts 2-4 months depending on how frequently you use it. At first the taste was bitter. Now I actually enjoy drinking saffron tea. To make it :::
1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads (not the powder) in one cup of water.
Put this on the stove and allow it to cook until it is reduced to a half a cup.
Then strain and sip it.

ESTROGENIC MEATS
Poultry, red marbled meat contains many hormones. These are stored in adipose tissue. Others in foods are soy, and other produce that is heavily sprayed with pesticides . The soy bean was genetically modified by Monsanto so it could withstand a ton of weed killer and all the other plants would wilt away and die whereas the soy bean would stand tall absorbing all the pesticides. Milk, butterfat and cows graze over lands that have previously used DDT and other pesticides. The residual by products of these pesticides stay within the soil long after farmers have stopped using them. This why cow meat and milk is especially harmful for us wishing to keep the second hit of PKD inactive.

HOT CHILI PEPPERS
All hot peppers will increase vessel growth, but along with this increase in vessel growth the body lays down nerves alongside each new vessel. Do not be surprised in venipuncture (blood sticks) hurt much more than in the past. How terrific that you grow your own. Though peppers are a nightshade and normally to be avoided, I do eat a few in season while avoiding the canned ones unless I wish to stimulate my blood vessel formation.

DIVERTICULITIS
Individuals who do have divertic are cautioned not to eat little seed fruits like strawberries, tomatoes, and to avoid nuts as these undigestible bits can get trapped in the outpouchings of the interstinal divertic and cause a painful infection known as diverticulitis. The syndrome is known as diverticulosis.

How does one avoid plastic?

There is a researcher, a woman, asking this very question. She has invented a test kit (available in Germany) to test for xenoestrogens, especially in plastic. She became very concerned that drinking water was bottled more and more in plastic.
With drinking water, I am going to get a water filter and store the water in the refrigerator. Otherwise I buy glass bottled water. In addition to liver cysts, I have kidney cysts; when I travel I drink plenty of water even if it comes in plastic containers.
Paper - I use paper cups when traveling or I will bring along a ceramic mug in my suitcase.
Plastic utensils – I use wooden chopsticks or bring a stainless steel spoon with me. No knives are allowed on airplanes.
Coffee Filters that are bleached can pass on a lifetime of exposure to dioxin, a known carcinogen. If you use coffee filters, try for the unbleached kind.
Toilet paper, I am using a bidet and a hand held shower nozzle. When traveling I use toilet paper.
Tissues – I carry a handkerchief
Napkins – I use cloth napkins
Paper towels – I use rags and washable cloths.
To replace freezer bags, I use glass bowls with glass lids. Many vegetables come from the store in plastic. I try to remove it shortly after transporting to my home. I also sometimes wrap fish in butcher paper instead of plastic.
I steam vegetables in patypar paper in the microwave instead of saran wrap. I cook in glass or stainless steel. I do not use teflon.
Toothbrush – I am searching for a wooden toothbrush with natural bristles. Anyone seen one?
Vitamins – I purchase from suppliers that sell supplements bottled in glass such as standard process or new chapter vitamins.
Household cleaners (plus the fact that liver cysts have estrogen receptors) are the reason I think more females are affected with liver cysts than men.
I use the 3M statically charged cloths to clean everything. I have found out in Hawaii, paint, caulking for bathrooms, tiles, everything is pre-treated to retard the growth of fungus. Thank goodness because bleach is a real liver ache for me.
The people in Hilo do not spray for bugs, they use sonic devices, mosquito netting, or baits (little hotels where the bugs can check but cannot check out).
If anyone can think of more ways, please share them by sending an email

Have you found anything which will increase the metabolism of estrogen through the liver?

Broccoli Sprouts- DIM Diindolylmethane
(And cabbage juice with almonds too!)The cruciform vegetables are members of the brassica family. Broccoli, cabbage, rutabagas, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, watercress, and over 3,000 species worldwide belong to brassicaceae biological classification. In addition to cruciform vegetables being rich in anti oxidants, vitamins and minerals, cabbage and broccoli especially helps balance the hormones (both male and female) by increasing the estrogen metabolism through the liver of not only estrogen, testosterone, but also of phytoestrogens and xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are found in chlorines, bleach, plastic, DDT residual DDE, pesticides, ammonia, window sprays and chemical cleaners. The body mistakes these xenoestrogens as true estrogens because they look like estrogen. There structure is almost exactly the same. Xenoestrogens can trigger hormonal receptors to produce mutated cells like breast cancer cells or prostate cancer cells or liver cysts. The xenoestrogens is almost exactly the same as a true estrogen molecule except it is missing one little thing. The xenoestrogen causes the body to produce cells that are also missing one little thing. That is how we get cysts in place of healthy liver or kidney tissue.
One way this abundance of anti-oxidants manifests is a slight return to your natural hair color. The gray seems to lessen. The burning pain of my spider angiomas along my lower legs has also lessened by my avoiding plastic and increasing my daily intake of broccoli and cabbage. Take caution if you are about to have surgery and stop all cruciform vegetables two weeks prior to surgery. Broccoli, Cabbage, and watercress are high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E; all which can alter bleeding times. Check with your doctor for other foods to stop before surgery (garlic, ginger).Broccoli Sprouts
I have to be extra careful with sprouts so as not to contaminate the seeds or the seed water. I use a glass jar that is clean. I pour hot water in it and let it sit or run it through the dishwasher after washing the sprout container.Once it is cool, I pour organic broccoli seeds in the jar and fill it with cool water. I let it soak for about 3-4 hours. I place cheesecloth over the top and secure it with rubber band, then I drain the water off. I rinse my sprout seeds about three or four times a day, always with cool water. By the third day you will have sprouts. I take about a cupful out, clean the jar and add more seeds so I am assured of a continuous supply. I make broccoli sprout wraps which include chopped onion, garlic, parsley, avocado, some cooked beans, some spice. These sprouts could top a salad, a taco, veggie wrap, or veggie tamale.
Broccoli sprouts bought from the store are pricey. I paid $2 (US) for less than a half a cup. Sometimes the store bought variety gets contaminated with bacteria from sitting in a plastic bag with residual trapped water.

Cabbage juice is an excellent source of DIM diindolylmethane as well as other cruciform vegetables. I juice a third to a half of a cabbage daily through a juicer and throw in seven almonds through the feed tube of the juicer. Watercress especially when eaten raw is another super nutrient. It is a particularly nutrient dense vegetable. Additionally, one can purchase the supplement DIM Diindolylmethane as a capsule. I take one called broccolive by New Chapter Vitamins.

Other useful herbs are organic turmeric and organic saffron. Both increase the metabolism of estrogen through the liver.

FAQ Frequently asked questions.

I work as a hairdresser and am wondering about ammonia and chlorine ?

Can you wear a mask? I have noticed some individuals doing pedicure wear masks. Hair coloring is harmful to all livers. There are some natural hair colors from the health food store such as whole foods or wild oats. I have not read the ingredients. If they contain any chlorines or chlorides these also would be harmful.

Carp livers harmed by chlorine
Harm to rat livers
Human liver cells harmed
Chlorine in pools gets leached through to the skin and can cause liver cysts to grow and expand. I use a shower filter that blocks or changes the chlorine in some way.

"The American Chemical Society estimates that "we could receive from 6 to 100 times more chlorine by breathing the air around showers and baths than we could by drinking water." Not only is chlorine absorbed through the skin, but it also vaporizes in the shower, is inhaled into the lungs, and is transferred directly into the blood system. "

I avoid perfumes that contain alcohol, using fragrant oils. I think inhaling is a detrimental method of absorbing chlorine. The lungs sit right next to the liver.

"Chlorine byproducts found in swimming pools are linked to higher incidences of asthma, lung damage, stillbirths, miscarriages and bladder cancer, according to credible research conducted in the U.S., Canada, Norway, Australia and Belgium.
One researcher noted that 10-year-old children spending an average of 1.8 hours per week in a swimming pool environment suffered lung damage she would expect to see in an adult smoker. For conscientious swimming pools managers, the question this raises is are there viable alternatives to chlorine? Ozone and ultraviolet are the two most commonly cited technologies."

A number of safe, non-toxic options exist, such as treating water with ozone gas or ultra violet light."

A wellness shower filter is designed to eliminate chlorine, contaminants and enhances the water for healthier and better-looking skin and hair. I think exposure to chlorine might be cumulative, so any little bit you can do to help might lessen the load on your cystic kidneys.

How can one diminish estrogen like molecules and toxins within the liver ?

There are several useful treatments to diminish false estrogen molecules such as a sauna and clay baths increase the metabolism of estrogens through the liver is a sauna. This uses sweat to eliminate liver toxins. Bentonite clay or Aztec clay encourage the body to rid itself of toxins. Do not drink it but rather use it as a soap by mixing it with olive oil a teaspoon of honey and the clay to make a paste, more information on clay baths
Cabbage juice, other cruciform vegetables such as broccoli or capsules of DIMs increases the metabolism of estrogens by products through the liver. Avoid cruciform vegetables (cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, rutabagas) with thyroid problems. Milk thistle, artichoke and turmeric are useful for cystic livers.

Can you send me some links to articles on xenoestrogens? Here are some links on xenoestrogens:
False Estrogens What are PCB's? How might I be exposed to PCB's?
False estrogen damages Liver from PCB (chlorinated compounds)
Estrogen Metabolism - Great Smokies lab An active metabolite of estrogen may be even more powerful than estrogen itself in stimulating the growth of certain breast cancer cells. Fortunately for me, I discovered that whatever worked to reduce breast cancer risk, also worked to reduce liver cyst growth. This article is from great smokies laboratory. The lab offers detailed liver functioning tests that showed that certain phases of liver metabolism was greatly slowed.
Chemicals - How to reduce your exposure to chemicals in produce. These precautions apply to liver cysts. Liver cysts have hormone receptors just like many breast cancers.
Teflon linked to cancer
Soy Monsanto soy and why it should be avoided.
Soy to be avoided.
More on Soy
Ovarian cysts and xenoestrogens It seems that ovarian cysts are also triggered by exposure to too many xenoestrogens. This is from the yam progesterone people. I tried yam progesterone cream and it resulted in liver cyst growth. Progesterone, the yam creams are all to be avoided with severe polycystic liver disease.
Estrogen like compounds avoid. These affect fertility. If there is enough estrogen like molecules to affect fertility -they will affect liver cyst growth.
False Estrogen like molecules can affect DNA. This will affect liver cysts, which are triggered by a change in the DNA, a dropping off of a substance.
False Estrogen or Xenoestrogens interfere with normal hormones
False Estrogen or Xenoestrogens cause PMS
False Estrogen What you can do to diminish exposure to xenoestrogens
False Estrogen Estrogen Disruptor won't appear on the label.

What do you eat if you are vegetarian? Do you avoid milk, butter, cheese, eggs and soy?
I eat nuts, grains, seeds that have been soaked overnight in water to make them more digestible and to rid them of phytates. I use almond milk, coconut milk. I eat spelt non-yeasted breads avoiding wheat. I eat a variety of raw, steamed, roasted vegetables daily. I drink chamomile tea with tupelo honey, fresh juices, and roasted grain beverages. Click here for coffee alternatives. This is a list of things to diminish symptoms from liver cysts. The liver diet is another page to read. I avoid eggs, soy, and dairy– milk, butter, cheese. For a sample menu try alkaline diet menu. For a list of alkaline foods go to this link. For detailed instructions on testing your urinary pH to assure you remain alkaline, click here.

I get shoulder pain and under the rib pain. Is this related to liver cysts?
From experiencing similar pains, these are from liver cysts. Doctors sometimes mistake these pains for gallbladder pains. Others who have only had their gallbladder without a liver resection or transplant found these pains continued or increased following the gallbladder removal.

We with liver cysts have a strong estrogen influence on our bodies (Men included. Women also have testosterone influences). Estrogen metabolism is greatly diminished with cystic livers. Anything we eat; we are exposed to; anything in our immediate environment goes to the liver both before and after it is utilized by the body. Our cystic livers, where they rarely fail, they do slow down many of the processes. Among these are the metabolism of estrogen and estrogen by products throughout the body. This is what creates the strong estrogen influences in bodies that have cystic livers. Our bones are more flexible; little vessels or spiders appear on our legs, face, and chest; we easily lay down new blood vessels and alongside these blood vessels are nerves. Alongside the blood vessels are minute tiny nerves, plenty of them. It is for this reason I take Vitamin B daily, for my emotions; to calm the nerves a bit. Otherwise I am jumping around like a startled cat. Our pain sensitivity is increased. This is sometimes coupled with the chronic pain of PLD.

What is estrogen? Well it can be hormones manufactured within the body. It can be those taken in through a patch, cream or tablets. It can be a pregnancy. And it can be exposure to false estrogens. These are things that look the same as estrogen. False estrogen looks so much like estrogen that the body mistakes this false estrogen for real estrogen and starts using false estrogen to stimulate liver cyst growth.

What does estrogen influence to do a body with liver cysts? Our cystic liver grows and expands similar to a pregnancy. As this grows the bones soften. The expanding liver cysts push the bones outward sometimes deforming our rib cage. We become in a sense more flexible. If we go to a chiropractor, we can be easily adjusted. Our bones may pop and crack. Between the estrogen influence and the expanding liver this can lead to chronic bone and joint pain.

Last updated Wednesday, August 10, 2011 8:06 PM

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