'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

It can be really helpful to hear of real-life experiences and gaining insights of other helpful tips from others who are dealing with endometriosis. These feedback messages from other women may give you that bit of hope and inspiration.

Changing your diet can help with the following:

• Reduce symptoms of pain
  
• Relieve cramps
  
• Reduce inflammation
  
• Reduce bloating
• Reduce estrogen levels
• Reduce toxins – found in e-numbers, additives, preservatives, pesticides and chemicals

AND changing what you eat can also :

• Help sustain energy levels - and stop the blood sugar drops
  
• Support your immune system- your main defence mechanism
  
• Heal gut health issues - like Irritable Bowel

This is not about rigid dietary rules which may cause food anxiety and disordered eating patterns when already coping with chronic pain and stress. The aim to learn which is the best dietary regime for you that helps reduce your symptoms

AIM OF DIET TO REDUCE YOUR SYMPTOMS

Reduce inflammation

Endometriosis causes inflammation especially where there is damage caused by cysts and adhesions. Inflammation can also occur in the digestive tract which can be caused when endometriosis infiltrates the digestive tract, especially the bowel.  Changing your diet to an anti-inflammatory diet will help to reduce inflammation and in turn will help reduce pain

Balance hormones

When dealing with endometriosis you need to keep estrogen levels under control as estrogen feeds the development of endometriosis. Certain foods contain phyto-estrogens, however they are not as potent as the bodies own estrogens. Eating some phyto-estrogenic foods can help to block estrogen receptors which will reduce the effect of your own estrogen hormones. 

Reducing pain

Certain foods can cause pain and inflammation as they increase negative prostaglandins that are responsible for causing pain and inflammation in the body. By reducing your intake of foods that increase prostaglandins you will obviously be able to reduce pain and inflammation.

Gut health

Gut inflammation, leaky gut, and SIBO can contribute to poor absorption of nutrients which can result in poor immune health and inflammation.  Eating foods that support the gut and avoiding foods that irritate the gut will aid in the whole healing process. You could be eating the best diet to help endometriosis, and using anti-inflammatory herbs and spices, but if your gut health is poor, the likelihood that you are absorbing your nutrients is reduced.

Blood sugar balance

Blood sugar imbalances can lead to inflammation, immune flares, hormonal imbalances, and compromised brain function. Supporting balanced blood sugar is critical for recovery from any inflammatory condition and ensures much needed energy levels are sustained in order to reduce further stress on the body.

Nutrient density

Every system in the body needs a wide array of nutrients to function at its best, including the immune system, your reproductive system and even your brain. Nutrient-dense foods are central to the diet, giving your body the tools it needs to heal deficiencies and support every function of the body.

Reduce toxins

By eating a clean, nourishing diet and not eating toxic foods that contain chemicals, e-numbers, preservatives and pesticides will help to detox and reduce stress on the body.  This will help to speed the healing process.

Immune system support

Inflammation, leaky gut, hormone imbalances, blood sugar imbalances, and micronutrient deficiencies can all contribute to a compromised immune system. By reducing bacterial overgrowth and inflammation in the gut and supporting blood sugar regulation, the diet will help to support healthy immune function. Also, there is the need to calm an over-active immune system response by avoiding certain proteins like gluten and dairy, as these can disrupt the immune-system.   

So where do we start!

     Pain and hormones in relation to diet .....

Endometriosis is fed by estrogen synthesis in the body. This can take the form of:

• your own natural estrogen which is produced in the body
• estrogen that is taken up from foods that contain phyto-estrogens
• from chemical based estrogens that are found in toiletries and cosmetics in the form of xeno-estrogens
  
• the estrogen that is produced by endometrial implants

The correct diet can help to balance these different forms of estrogen

There is often fear and worry about eating to many phyto-estrogens (foods that have estrogenic properties). However eating a balance of these foods can help to block your own estrogen receptors which will reduce the amount of excess estrogen from entering your system. You also need to reduce your use of xeno-estrogens (found in highly chemical based cosmetics and toiletries) in order to reduce xeno-estrogens from your system - which can worsen symptoms. 

Prostaglandins and pain

Key inflammatory drivers when it comes to food . . . .  as well as dealing with estrogen levels, you need to address the levels of prostaglandins in your body. Prostaglandins are very complex natural fatty acids and are derived from dietary sources. There are many different forms of prostaglandins and new types  are still being discovered. The painful menstrual cramps you feel are actually due to prostaglandins, as well as the pain symptoms of endometriosis. A change in diet can alter the level and the types of prostaglandins in your body.

We actually have two main 'types' of prostaglandins - there are the 'good ones' and the 'bad ones'.

The aim of the endometriosis diet is to block the 'bad ones' because of their negative actions on the body, and increase the levels of the 'good ones' because of their opposite and positive effect. The action of the 'bad ones' will increase uterine contractions and pain, and increase inflammation. The role of the 'good ones' have a soothing effect and do the opposite to the bad ones. When you change the oils in your diet you can promote the good prostaglandins.

Omega 3 oils will reduce pain & inflammation

The good anti-inflammatory oils are found in the omega-3 fatty oil group, and lead to good prostaglandin production. Some of the best sources of omega-3 oils are found in marine and plant oils and include:

• oily fish
• walnut oil
• pumpkin seeds
• chia seeds
• dark green leafy veg

You can  also supplement with  omega 3 oil - aim to get the best quality possible. At the same time it is important to reduce intake of the fatty acids that stimulate negative prostaglandins which are found in saturated fats, animal fats and butter.

Fiber intake

It will help your symptoms if you increase your intake of fiber, as fiber will help to decrease the circulating estrogen in your system.  The easiest sources of fiber to digest are found in fruit and vegetables as the structure and chemical make-up provide a more soothing effect while also aiding digestion. Also, extra fiber in the form of grains, brown rice and pulses etc., are helpful especially for their nutritional value, but keep your fiber intake balanced between the two.

These can include:

Hormone Balancing

Foods containing natural plant sterols (phytoestrogens) can actually be helpful if consumed in careful balance. They can help to block the estrogen receptors, so in turn excess estrogen in the body cannot ‘lock-in’ to these receptors. These include:

A question that is often asked - Why is there no research into diet to help endometriosis

 - Research into diet and endometriosis does exist, but it is sparse, historically underfunded, and difficult to study through strict clinical trials.

What Current Science Shows

Symptom Management: Recent reviews, from Pubmed show that eating anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce pain and lower systemic inflammation

Suggested Foods to Reduce

This is a list of the food groups suggested to avoid or reduce to help improve symptoms of endometriosis. You may not have problems with all these foods, but many women do have success with reduced symptoms by avoiding some of these foods.

Some of the suggestions of which foods to avoid are common sense even for healthy people, and when you are dealing with endometriosis you need to be extra vigilant to not be eating foods that are renowned for causing inflammation and increasing pain. 

• Gluten - Many with endometriosis seem to have a negative reaction to gluten. A 2012 study (1) looking at endometriosis and the gluten link found that of 207 participants, 156 reported significant decrease in pain and bloating. 
• Red and processed meats - promotes negative prostaglandins which cause inflammation and can also contain growth hormones. A number of women report that they have no problems when eating grass-fed organic meat - this is totally individual. More on the topic of meat and endometriosis HERE
• Refined and concentrated carbohydrates - white bread, flour, cakes, pasta etc. made from refined flours. Most of the nutritional value has been removed and can have a negative effect on blood sugar levels
  
• Refined sugars - causes inflammatory reaction, produces a more acidic environment in the body which can increase the inflammation of endometriosis. (honey is fine if you can get hold of certified organic honey)
  
• Caffeine - found in tea, coffee, soft drinks - increases abdominal cramps and caffeine increases estrogen levels. Caffeine is a known phyto-estrogen. Coffee is also known to inhibit the absorption of iron. Too much caffeine creates inflammation in the body and aggravates the digestive system.
• Dairy produce - causes inflammatory reaction as it increase the inflammatory prostaglandins. Dairy products containing growth hormones and antibiotics can also worsen endometriosis symptoms.
• Fried foods - can stimulate negative prostaglandins
  
• Saturated fats and oils – Foods that are high in fatty acids stimulate the negative inflammatory prostaglandins. Fatty acids are found in saturated fats, butter, margarine, lard.
  
• Soy products and soy protein products - Soy is high in omega 6 which causes inflammation - traditional fermented  soy foods like tamari, tofu and miso are fine.  Read more about soy and endometriosis HERE
  
• Convenience foods - they contain a host of additives, cheap ingredients and have very little nutritional value
• Additives and preservatives - increase chemical load on the system
  
• Alcohol - consumes vitamin B which is stored in the liver. Good liver function is vital as the liver will help to eliminate excess estrogen from the body. Alcohol also increase estrogen levels. Alcohol turns to sugar in the body and puts stress on the liver as it tries to filter toxins out of the body

Remember - this is a suggested list and not a catalogue of everything you should stop eating! In short you will be creating your own endo diet. One that suits your needs and your own endometriosis health goals

A note about meat production:

Modern meat rearing now involves administering hormones to animals in the form of ear implants.  One of these hormones, zeranol, is a form of estrogen made from mould called fusarium.   Antibiotics have also been used as a growth promoter for forty years and we now get a small but insidious dose of antibiotics in nearly every meat and dairy product we eat.

In addition, a large percentage of women are noticeably zinc-deficient and some animals ingest copper-containing formulae which makes this balance even worse because copper is antagonistic to zinc.  Copper also keeps estrogen levels high.  Interestingly, copper is used in birth control pills as copper helps control the ovulation cycle.

You are strongly advised to go organic or eat white meat or oily fish to obtain your protein.  Some women are OK when eating grass-fed organic beef, but for many red meat can set off symptoms of pain and inflammation. 

To sum up

• Increase omega-3 fatty acids - especially oily fish
• Avoid inflammatory foods like dairy and sugar
• Increase fibre intake especially with fruit and veggies - will help remove excess estrogens
• Use only healthy oils in cooking 
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol - both inflammatory
• Avoid refined foods, e-numbers, additives
• Avoid gluten if possible
• Eat organic produce wherever possible
• Drink plenty of filtered water

A nutrition and diet book specifically to help endometriosis . . . 

The advice and recipes in this book are the bottom line, based on ingredients and nutrition tips that are best suited to help reduce the pain and inflammation of endometriosis - with over 250 recipes

The advice in the book also includes:

• In-depth recommendations of what to leave out of your diet and why
• Tips about estrogen and your diet, and how to keep it in balance
• Advice about diet and nutrition for fertility
• Recipes that are gluten free/lactose free as well as wheat free to help deal with issues of coeliac, candida, along with endometriosis 
• Details of substitute ingredients as alternatives to milk, and butter, egg substitutes for baking, as well as sugar substitutes
• Shopping list - to help get you started
• Tips how to gradually introduce diet changes
• Snippets of nutritional advice woven among the recipes as you work your way through the book

All customised for a diet to help reduce your symptoms

Order:

Many women as well as medical professionals are now realising just how much our foods can change or affect our bodies.