Expert: Dorene Petersen - 10/14/2011

Question
i have what appear to be fatty tissue on neck.had mri done and the emt said it is lipoma.he did a fna to see if there were cancer cell that test was negative.what herbal remedy can i use to shrink the swelling? do you know what cause lipomas?

Answer
Dear Marvin, 

Thank you for submitting your question. I am sorry to hear about your current health challenge and commend your efforts to proactively research potential solutions, including alternative medicine protocols. 

Your health concern is very specific, however, and outside the scope of what I can address in this forum. I highly recommend further consultation with your naturopathic physician; he/she will be able to provide the support and depth of evaluation needed. If you need help locating a naturopathic physician in your area, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians maintains a website with a practitioner directory. Here is the link: http://www.naturopathic.org/AF_MemberDirectory.asp?version=1

To help rebalance the body in general, there are a few things you can try. I like to use the change of seasons as an opportunity to review my daily diet. It is important to maintain a diet based on locally grown, in-season produce. Foods consumed out of season have often been grown in hothouses or have been shipped to your grocery from other parts of the world. This affects the quality of your produce, as it has frequently been refrigerated and/or preserved in some way. For more information about eating seasonally, there are two books I personally use and keep in the Apothecary Shoppe College Store for American College students--Cookbook for All Seasons includes healthy recipes based on a seasonal diet and Staying Healthy with the Seasons includes tips from both the Eastern and Western traditions for how to optimize health year-round. If you want to read more about these texts online, here is the link: http://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=season

You may also want to consider a week-long cleanse. A cleanse provides the liver and digestive system with an opportunity to rest, in essence flushing out the body. There are several types of cleanses you can use depending on the end result you are seeking. Some of the more common use fasting, juicing and/or wheatgrass, and an eliminate regime based on alkalizing fruits and vegetables. Cleanses can be very effective, but they must be administered properly. Therefore, I recommend further discussing whether or not a cleanse is right for you with your naturopathic physician before making any changes to your diet and/or health routine. 

I hope you find this information useful, Marvin. Please let me know how I may be of further assistance.

Best regards,
Dorene Petersen