Surviving endometriosis with Dr Mphusu
Is there something specific that has made the biggest change in your health? A treatment plan you have formulated for yourself, maybe?
Dr Tumie Mphusu, a general practitioner has gained popularity on social media with her relatable and bubbly approach to discussing various health topics, as well as being candid and real about her life experiences. A firm believer of, ‘we are what we eat,’ she talks to Sun Health about her Endometriosis diagnosis. You have been diagnosed with stage 3 endometriosis. Take us through that experience.
I was shocked but I was relieved at the same time, that at least I was not going crazy about my pain and the heavy menses. Plus, I had had a myomectomy, the surgical removal of uterine leiomyomas, also known as fibroids, done last year and that was horrible experience; so being diagnosed with Endometriosis was hard but a relief in the same breath.
How does nutrition and endo relate? Can diet improve the symptoms of endometriosis?
Honestly, regarding to this, there needs to be more information for the public. Since I’m not a nutritionist I cannot answer but can advise around it. There are so many theories of what causes endometriosis. So you need to understand your body first to derive a conclusion. In my case I first developed fibroids and did the necessary tests to try and find the cause. Then worked backwards from there.
Research has shown that women with endometriosis often have higher levels of estrogen, and that estrogen can encourage tissue growth. Can an anti-inflammatory type of diet eliminate excess oestrogen from the body?
When attempting to relieve endometriosis symptoms naturally, begin by eliminating foods that lead to inflammation. This includes dairy, processed foods, refined sugars, caffeine and carbohydrates. Eliminate these foods from your diet for at least three weeks, paying close attention to your body changing throughout the process. Alcohol, soy and other high-estrogen foods should also be eliminated from your diet because of their estrogenic effects. Which means more super anti-inflammatory foods.
It is important to track symptoms so that potential triggers can be identified. Hence why journaling your progress is so important. Honestly those are some of the things I do which have been of big help. If you want more follow my page Dr. Tumie violet Mphusu. So we can discuss more.
I am a big fan of natural remedies. When I get sick I always go to Mother Nature before seeking pills. So with my case, I realized that when explored the Daniel fast, follow my page for more details, my menstruation became normal. The first month, I remember thinking I was just lucky, but when I reintroduced certain foods in my life, the old horrific cycle returned. The flow, my pain, my fatigue and other related symptoms. Diet is the key to how our lives will pan out in the future. You are what you eat.
What got you interested in food?
I went to a med school in China, and around the area I studied in, they were very passionate about their food intake, as it is with all Chinese but particularly in my city, Changsha. So we were blessed as students to be exposed to different remedies all the time. I got very ill whilst there, and they treated me with amazing methods. The only other people I know that use mother- nature as their healer are my grandparents in Lesotho. So I guess that’s where my motivation comes from, plus my mum practices alternative medicine all the time.
What is one of the wackiest nutrition myths you have heard of?
That swallowing gum may stay in your stomach for seven
years. My mum loved saying that to me hence I am not a big fan of chewing gum.
What are some of the changes and trends you have observed in the food world over the last 20 years?
I am not a certified nutritionist, I’m just a person interested in using what earth has given us. It saved my life. The dependency of pills and a lot of pharmaceutical products scare me. The world has woken up to see that we don’t live as long as we used to. Take the Asians, they outlive us and are very active in their old age and their diet is a big factor to that.
Your last word?
Please remember there is no cure for endometriosis, and surgical or medical treatments remain the most effective methods of managing the condition. However, making dietary changes is a complementary
approach that may help some women manage their symptoms. Keep in mind that just as symptoms of the disease vary from person to person, treatments that work best for one woman may not be right for another. Take your time to experiment with different remedies to find the approach that’s right for you.