Anti-inflammatory foods to help endometriosis

There is scientific evidence that an anti-inflammatory diet can help manage endometriosis symptoms, though more high-quality research is needed. An anti-inflammatory diet is feasible in patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine Online.

'The main goals of diet and lifestyle advice is to reduce inflammation, to help your body to cope with inflammation better and to support hormone regulation.' - The Endometriosis Foundation

​Many women are now finding the benefits of using diet to help control their symptoms of endometriosis.  The disease of endometriosis causes an inflammatory reaction in the body which is caused by endometrial implants, adhesion's and cysts as well as damage caused by surgery. 

Inflammation is a natural response of the immune system when there is damage in the body, and the body is trying to protect itself.  But when this inflammation persists it causes worsening symptoms of pain.

One of the most effective solutions to reducing inflammation and pain does not need to rely on medication which can have many negative side-effects.  Simply changing the foods you eat can have a dramatic and positive effect on inflammation and pain.

The basis of the diet for endometriosis is to reduce foods that cause inflammation as well as foods that can increase pain caused by negative prostaglandins.  Interestingly, it has been found that an anti-inflammatory diet can help relieve mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Many food groups can cause inflammation including:

  • certain red meats - (mostly processed meat) grass fed is noted to be safer
  • gluten - it triggers an immune response that causes inflammation in the body. 
  • sugar - triggers the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines and can lead to low-grade chronic inflammation
  • dairy - Dairy products containing growth hormones and antibiotics can also worsen endometriosis symptoms. There are mixed research results as to whether dairy is inflammatory but for many with endometriosis, giving up dairy has helped reduce symptoms - mostly bloating
  • fried foods - The process of frying can create inflammatory oxidized fats. Studies have shown a link between eating fried foods and changes in gut bacteria that are associated with increased inflammation.
  • refined oils - During the refining process, valuable nutrients are stripped away, and the oils become unstable and prone to oxidation
  • food additives -  emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and food dyes, can promote inflammation
  • alcohol - increases the production of inflammatory cytokines. Alcohol turns to sugar in the body and puts stress on the liver as it tries to filter toxins out of the body
  • saturated fats - can activate inflammatory pathways in the body



Many of these inflammatory foods are responsible for causing endo belly which is a painful and distressing symptom suffered by many with endometriosis.  Stress can also make symptoms worse and can cause a flare, so reducing stress can also help along with diet changes.

As well as reducing your intake of inflammatory foods, it can help to focus on foods that can actually help to fight or reduce inflammation.  The food groups that help to reduce inflammation also have additional health benefits by providing quality nutrition with vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and amino acids.


Anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your diet

A breakdown of the key anti-inflammatory foods groups and how to incorporate them into your own nutrition plan.


anti spices

Anti-inflammatory Herbs/Spices

Many herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory properties and can easily be added to your savoury dishes. 

The following are commonly used anti-inflammatory herbs and spices: 

Basil, Cayenne pepper, Cilantro/Coriander, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Dill, Ginger, Garlic, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Turmeric 

Turmeric and cayenne can also help with pain and help reduce inflammation

Ginger can help with bloating and endo belly and is also a great anti-inflammatory. Ginger is also a great addition when making healing smoothies.

The simplest way to add the spicy options into your cooking is with spicy dishes like curries, and warming soups

Herbs can be added to omelettes, stews, casseroles and even added to certain baked recipes. 




anti oils

Anti-inflammatory Fats

Interestingly certain fats/oils can help with inflammation. These oils contain omega 3's which are great for helping to reduce the inflammatory response in the body.

The following is a list of fats that can help inflammation: 

Almonds, Avocados, Brazil nuts, Cashews, Chia seeds, Hazelnuts, Hemp seeds, Olives, Peanuts, Pecans, Pistachios, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds.

Many of these foods are high in nutrition, especially avocados, chia seeds and hemp seeds.

You can add many of these foods into smoothies - like chia seeds, avocado, hemp seeds

Nuts are a great way to have something to graze on when you feel the need for a little boost

Brazil nuts are high in selenium which is a great nutrient to support thyroid health




anti inflam veg

Anti-inflammatory Vegetables

Anti-inflammatory vegetables can be used in many recipes either as part of a main dish or as a side dish.  Adding plenty of veggies to your diet can also help to excrete excess estrogen from your system.

The best anti-inflammatory vegetables include:

Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Garlic, Eggplant/Aubergine, Lettuce, Kale, Leeks, Onion, Peppers, Shallots, Spinach, Tomato, Watercress, Zucchini/courgette.

Beets and celery are really good for detoxing your liver which will also help to speed the removal of estrogen 

Many of these veggies can be use in green smoothies which will be packed with nutrients and anti-oxidants

The one ingredient that may cause problems are onions, and they seem to cause gut distress for a number of women with endometriosis. 




anti beans

Anti-inflammatory Beans & Pulses

Certain beans and pulses can help with inflammation and are easily incorporated into many recipes like casseroles, curries and soups.

The best anti-inflammatory pulses include:

Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Cannellini Beans, Garbanzo/chickpea Beans, Green Beans, Lentils, Butter Beans, Navy Beans

Most of the beans and pulses are available as dried ingredients but to save time then using canned is OK. 

One issue with bean and pulses is that they need to be well cooked otherwise there is the possibility of them causing gut distress with some bloating and wind. It is advised to experiment and see how you respond. Personally I found that if beans were cooked well then I had no issue tolerating them but if you are using ready cooked canned beans then this will reduce the problem.




antiinflam fruit

Anti-inflammatory Fruit

Fruit is a good addition to your diet to help with inflammation and help with digestion.  It is advisable not to have too much fruit as the sugars in fruit can upset some with endometriosis, but having some fruit in your diet helps to provide balanced nutrien

The best anti-inflammatory fruits include:

Apple, Apricot, Banana, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Dates, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Mango, Orange, Papaya, Pineapple, Plum, Strawberries, Watermelon.

Pineapple is really good at helping to relieve pain and is also good to aid digestion. 

Lemon water is good to drink first thing in the morning to help stimulate digestion and helps the liver

Obviously most of these fruits are ideal to make into smoothies. 

Try not to overdo it with fruits as the high sugar content will cause problems





As well as reducing foods that cause inflammation and adding in foods that reduce inflammation, as mentioned earlier, you need to reduce foods that promote the negative prostaglandins which are responsible for causing pain and inflammation.  You can read more how prostaglandins affect endometriosis here.

Additionally, your diet needs to include foods that help to balance your estogen levels.  Including foods that contain phyto-estogens can help to block the excess estogen in your system as well as block xenoestrogens that are found in chemicals in the environment and in household cleaners and toiletries. 

You do not want to have too many phyto-estrogens in your diet, but consuming enough to be of benefit will help block excess estogens from entering your receptors.   You can read more about balancing phyto-estogens in your diet here

Everyone is different and as such will respond differently to diet changes.  But most women with endometriosis who leave out inflammatory foods are finding a reduction in the symptoms they suffer.  Adding in foods that can help to reduce inflammation will help even more in the fight against the debilitating symptoms of this disease.


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About the Author

Hi, I am Carolyn Levett, the Founder here at endo-resolved - I am an Integrative Health Coach having studied nutrition, naturopathy and aromatherapy as well as being a published author of three endometriosis books. I used to suffer from severe endometriosis and was fortunate to be able to regained my health and recover from this disease with the support of nutrition, natural therapies and lots of determination.

My motivation is to help other women with endometriosis to heal their bodies so they may start to overcome this awful disease without having to totally rely on toxic drugs and surgeries which can cause further damage  -  with healing thoughts, Carolyn.



Reference:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation

 https://www.webmd.com/diet/anti-inflammatory-diet-road-to-good-health#1

 https://www.drseckin.com/the-relationship-between-endometriosis-inflammation-and-diet

 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324803964_Diet_and_Endometriosis-Revisiting_the_Linkages_to_Inflammation

Trans Fatty Acids and Systemic Inflammation in Women:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15051604/

Affects of red meat and inflammation

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15254009/

Influence of diet on endometriosis

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28326519/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9983692/




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