Do you think lichen sclerosis can be cured with diet? If so which protocol would you advise? – CJ

Great to hear from you CJ!

When it comes to lichen sclerosis, there are a few theories about it which could sway your healing direction in more than one way. I will outline those here in order to present the differing sides.

Firstly, lichen sclerosis is a condition that creates white, patchy skin that is thinner than normal, healthy skin. The condition is most often found on the vulva and anus in women.

Here are the theories of why this condition may come about, and some healing suggestions.

As far as what I believe, I can’t speak to cures for legal reasons, but I can say I’ve seen great success in women who find their underlying cause(s) and follow a lifestyle and nutrition change to support it.

Autoimmune

In women with lichen sclerosis, there are often high levels of circulating autoimmune antibodies. Not to mention is often coexists with other autoimmune conditions such as autoimmune thyroid conditions and lichen planus, another unpleasant vaginal condition.

Inflammation

Inflammation and your immune system go hand in hand, so it’s hard to separate them. Rather I believe it most likely a combination of autoimmune and inflammation in many cases. However, inflammation is present in many women with lichen sclerosis, as they have a proliferation of monoclonal T lymphocytes (aka fancy white blood cells).

Natural Remedies

Please note that I am in no way saying the following will help your particular case, these are just suggestions that have shown promise. Always take the advice of your primary health care practitioner.

Address leaky gut
- If you have symptoms of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, skin issues, or mood irritability- your gut may be impaired.
- Gut health is of the utmost importance in any natural healing regime
- Drink lemon water on rising to help set your digestion for the day
- Don’t eat crappy food- this ends up undigested and sending potentially harmful (and inflammatory) substances into your blood stream
Eliminate food sensitivities (might consider IgG test or elimination diet)
Reduce stress: Stress freaks your body out and chronically can increase inflammation, muck up your hormones and perhaps lead to autoimmune-related conditions.
- Do something to reduce your stress every single day. Rotate to keep yourself interested, or based on the time you have. Yoga, meditation, gardening, walking outdoors, reading and having a bath are all great choices.
Balance sex, stress and thyroid hormones: We’ve seen that autoimmune thyroid issues are often present in women with lichen sclerosis.
- Try hormone balancing herbs like those in my Detox Tea to rebuild your hormonal pathways and support your immune system.
- Walk outdoors daily at the same time, to bring your sex hormones naturally into rhythm
- Enjoy high mineral foods like dark leafy greens, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, bone broth and sea vegetables like arame, wakame, nori, kelp, dulse and others to support your thyroid gland.
Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet or some principles of the autoimmune paleo diet
- Remove foods your are sensitive to
- Consider reducing foods like tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, potatoes and other night shade vegetables which can be inflammatory
- Enjoy an abundance of dark green, red, purple and orange vegetables to support the whole shebang
- Use good amounts of healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, flax oil, walnuts, coconut milk and oil, ghee, fatty fish like salmon and sardines, etc

The last thing I will mention is very important. Before making any drastic change in diet or adopting any specific protocol, it is best to consult with a trained natural health practitioner to make sure you are on the right track.

Have you experienced this uncomfortable condition? What natural remedies did you try?

Got a question? Great! Write to me for the next Ask The Diva post!

Foods

The best thing you can do for yourself is to pay close attention to what you’re putting in your body. Eating foods to balance your blood sugar and increase the health of your digestive tract will balance your hormones and mood very quickly. See below for my food recommendations.

Gut healing: bone broth, grass-fed collagen protein powder, organ meats (especially liver)

Vitamin C foods for tissue repair + adrenal (stress) health: citrus, strawberries, rose hips, leafy greens

Zinc foods for immune and mood balance: pecans, seame seeds, cashews, dates, flax, oyserts, cacao, crab, poppy seeds, beef, eggs

Omega 3 foods for inflammation and mood balance: fish of all kinds (especially fatty fish like salmon and sardines), GRASS-FED beef, eggs

Balance of protein, fat and carbs with EVERY meal- avocados, collagen protein powders, healthy meats/fish, coconut products, nuts/seeds- avoid processed grains (products using flours, even if GF), as many green vegetables as you can eat

Detoxification

Something important to note is that while detoxification is 100% necessary, it should not be undertaken while breastfeeding, as toxins can be dumped into breast milk, and then into your baby. Here are some steps for successful post-baby detoxing:

Primarily eat organic foods- with as much green as possible

Include gentle exercise- yoga, pilates, barre classes, gentle strengthening with bodyweight or exercise bands

Be mindful and practice stress reducing techniques like meditation or yoga

Herbs- milk thistle is very helpful, and even safe while breastfeeding- it helps to repair/regenerate liver cells for proper hormone metabolism + mood balance

Stress Reduction

Reducing stress using radical self-care practice is essential to ward off the post-baby blues. Here are some suggestions:

Get help/support with your baby whenever possible. Have others cook, do laundry and run errands so you can rest.

Meditation/deep breathing/yoga

LOTS of sleep- whenever you can, even if it’s short naps

Monitor hydration – aim for your bodyweight in ounces of water per day

Implement a laptop curfew (no technology 2 hours before bed), stick to a bedtime routine, sleep in complete darkness

Cognitive behaviourial therapy has been shown helpful for mood issues after baby

Regular sex- you are absolutely right that sex is important! Have it as often as possible to restore hormonal balance, reduce stress and encourage proper vaginal tissue tone

Bring Back Your Period

Now that you are done breastfeeding, bringing your period back is one of the best ways to ensure your hormone levels get back to normal.

There is some evidence that parsley tea can be helpful in bringing on a missing period. Assuming no kidney issues or possibility of pregnancy, 3-4 cups daily can be consumed.

Reduce stress as much as possible with the suggestions above

Blood sugar balance- your ovaries have a very finicky relationship with blood sugar, and having too many dips and spikes (from poor diet) will prevent a period (and ovulation) from happening

Cinnamon and/or ginger daily. Both help to increase blood flow and reduce stagnation in the reproductive system. They can be consumed as tea, powder used in cooking or you can try capsules.