If you have endometriosis it is important to consider your diet and lifestyle when tackling the condition. What you eat affects how you FEEL.

Some foods can help to naturally control hormones, which play a key role in endometriosis symptoms. Certain foods may also have a negative effect, triggering symptoms.

For a general overview of what foods to include and limit in an endometriosis diet, please see below.

No.1 Fibre

Soluble fibre aids digestion and helps the body to naturally expel hormones. It does this by binding to any excess oestrogen and inhibiting reabsorption. Sufferers are therefore encouraged to consume the recommended 24 grams of fibre a day.

Key foods that are rich in fibre include:

Peas quinoa grain foods oats nuts chia seeds

apples pears plums beans lentils citrus fruits flax seeds

No.2 Iron

Having a healthy liver is important for good hormone balance. This is because the liver detoxifies chemicals and waste products including excess hormones. An adequate supply of vitamins and minerals, particularly B vitamins and antioxidants, are therefore important to include in a diet for endometriosis. Such a diet will support the liver in functioning well as well as supporting aspects for general health such as the immune system. Ensuring to include some iron-rich foods in your diet can replace iron that may be lost through heavy periods - a common symptom of endometriosis.

To ensure you're getting enough iron in your diet, try to include the following foods:

dark green leafy vegetables like cabbage, kale, spinach, watercress

broccoli beetroot meat, fish, eggs tofu beans and pulses nuts and seeds iron-fortified cereals or bread brown rice.

No.3 Essential fatty acids

EFAs help to control inflammation, contribute to positive prostaglandin production and aid tissue healing. These aspects can all help to relieve endometriosis symptoms.

When looking at your diet, look to include foods rich in essential fatty acids, such as:

chia seeds flax seeds oily fish pumpkin seeds walnuts

No.4 What to limit

① Processed foods

Some processed foods can contain certain additives and preservatives that may contribute to inflammation in some people. They may also be high in saturated or processed fats that can promote the production of inflammatory prostaglandins, while potentially offering little in terms of nutritional value. Read labels, taking note of the guideline daily amount or traffic light labeling guidance as well as reading the list of ingredients to see if perhaps there are healthier products you could choose.

Try to avoid or cut down the following:

packaged/pre-prepared meals and snacks soft drinks fried foods smoked and processed meats baked goods white flour and refined grains sugary foods.

② Gluten

Interestingly many people with the condition report symptoms ease after limiting gluten. The link between the two is unknown, but it is thought that a gluten sensitivity may trigger bowel symptoms which may then increase pain levels. If you suspect a negative response to gluten-containing foods, try limiting your intake and eating naturally gluten-free options such as wild rice, quinoa and sweet potato to see if you experience an improvement.

③ dairy

Full fat dairy products are relatively high in saturated fats and may therefore contribute to inflammation. Choose low fat options for products like yoghurts and milk so that you can still benefit from these foods as a source of calcium if you wish. You may want to limit cheese intakes to moderate amounts. Alternately, if you find you do better with less dairy in your diet then you can opt for calcium-fortified alternatives such as almond, coconut and rice milk.

④ Other foods to avoid

Alcohol – Extremely inflammatory and affects vitamin D levels in the liver.

Caffeine – Can increase menstrual pain and oestrogen levels. Soya – Contains high levels of phyto-oestrogens and toxins

that can trigger endometriosis symptoms. Red meat – Like dairy, is inflammatory and can be difficult to

digest. Saturated fats – Found in margarine, butter and lard, these

fats trigger the production of negative inflammatory prostaglandins.

It is recommended that you find a professional who has experience in treating endometriosis. Someone with experience in the area of diet and lifestyle changes (and someone who has received the necessary training) will have the knowledge and expertise to help.

If you want to seek more professional advice about endometriosis diet and natural treatment,

please contact herbalistlee@yahoo.com

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