Natural healing endometriosis diet


Your diet can have a healing effect on the disabling symptoms and pain of endometriosis.  If you’re looking for a natural way to heal endometriosis symptoms before engaging in more invasive treatments like laparoscopy surgery, try this good-for-you diet adjustment for a few months. Its goal is to decrease estrogen levels, stabilize hormones, increase energy, alleviate painful cramps and stabilize emotions. As with any good nutritional diet, it will also improve your sleep, sharpen mental alertness, improve bowel movements and even aid in healthy weight loss.  Simply eat a balanced, preferably organic diet, prepared using fresh ingredients, while avoiding particular foods that promote negative prostaglandins and other inflammatory reactions in your body.  

This page is adapted from the great work done by Carolyn at www.endo-resolved.com . Please visit her website for a more thorough exploration into this whole food based diet which has cured the symptoms of many endometriosis sufferers. She also sells a comprehensive cookbook which is “wheat free, meat free, dairy free, sugar free, and soy free- but not taste free!” on her website.

Endometriosis diet guidelines (From www.endo-resolved.com)

  • increase omega-3 fatty acids
  • avoid meat, dairy products, wheat and sugar
  • increase fiber
  • modulate estrogen
  • avoid caffeine and alcohol
  • avoid refined foods, e-numbers, additives
  • minimize or avoid soy products as they contain high levels of phytoestrogens, and soy contains a particular toxin which seems to be particularly detrimental for women with Endometriosis
  • peel fruit and vegetables to remove toxic chemicals
  • eat organic produce wherever possible
  • drink lots of filtered or mineral water

 

Endometriosis is an estrogen-sensitive condition, but the painful menstrual cramping that occurs is predominantly due to prostaglandin synthesis in the body. Prostaglandins are naturally occurring fatty acids, which are derived from dietary sources. The body can produce different types of prostaglandins through a complex series of pathways.

There are the ‘good guys’ and the ‘bad guys’ of the prostaglandin group. The goal of a controlled diet is to block the ‘bad guys’ for their negative actions on the body, and increase the ‘good guys’ for their opposite and beneficial actions. The action of the bad guys is to increase uterine contractions, and the good guys have a soothing effect. Fatty acids that will stimulate the bad guys are found in saturated fats, butter, animal and organ meat, lard.

In addition to decreasing bad fat intake, the diet should also consist of high fiber. Not only does this help with good digestion, but it is also thought that a diet high in fiber can decrease total circulating estrogens. It is recommended to incorporate 25 grams per day of fibre. Good sources are:

  • whole grains excluding wheat and rye
  • beans, peas and pulses
  • brown rice
  • vegetable and fruits
  • oatmeal

 

The following foods are recommended to modulate estrogen levels by incorporating one or two servings a day:

  • mustard greens
  • broccoli
  • cabbage
  • turnips

 

Particular foods to avoid

  • wheat * - this includes breads, cakes and pasta products, all based on wheat
  • red meats - promotes negative pro-inflammatory  prostaglandins
  • refined and concentrated carbohydrates - bread, flour, cakes made from refined flours
  • refined sugars and honey - causes inflammatory reaction
  • alcohol - consumes vit B stored in the liver
  • caffeine which is found in tea, coffee, soft drinks -increases abdominal cramps and increases estrogen levels
  • chocolate - as it contains sugars
  • dairy produce including all milk and cheese - inflammatory
  • fried food, margarine and hydrogenated fats - can stimulate negative prostaglandins
  • soy products and soy protein products - tamari can be used in small amounts
  • tinned and frozen packaged foods as little as possible
  • additives and preservatives - increase chemical load on the system

 

Beneficial foods

The following foods have been found to be particularly beneficial in supporting the immune system:

  • beans, peas, lentils
  • onions
  • garlic (raw or lightly cooked)
  • carrots (contain beta-carotene)
  • live yogurt (good for healthy intestinal flora)
  • rhubarb
  • seeds and sprouted seeds
  • ginger
  • green tea

 

In addition, the foods below contain natural plant sterols (phytoestrogens) which can be helpful in balancing hormones by blocking estrogen receptors.

  • peas, beans and pulses
  • red and purple berries
  • garlic
  • apples
  • parsley
  • fennel
  • brassicas: cabbage, cauliflower etc
  • nuts and seeds
  • celery, carrots
  • rhubarb
  • sage