By: Zena le Roux | The Epoch Times
Endometriosis is a chronic and often debilitating condition affecting millions of people worldwide. While medical treatments and surgical options have traditionally been the focus of management strategies, recent research highlights the significant role that nutrition and lifestyle modifications can play in alleviating symptoms and potentially preventing the progression of this challenging disease.
“Throughout my childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood, I was plagued by a range of mysterious health issues—epilepsy, eating disorders, depression, and debilitating pain. It wasn’t until 2018 that I finally received a diagnosis: endometriosis. That moment marked the end of the uncertainty and the beginning of my journey with this chronic condition,” said Livvy Franks, a UK-based health coach.
By making small but significant changes to her lifestyle and nutrition, Livvy found a path to healing and better management of her symptoms.
What Is Endometriosis?
During a normal menstrual cycle, the ovaries produce hormones that signal the lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium, to thicken in preparation for a fertilized egg. If the egg is not fertilized, this lining is shed during menstruation. However, in people with endometriosis, tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. This tissue also thickens and sheds with each menstrual cycle, but since it is outside the uterus, it cannot exit the body through the vagina.
As a result, the trapped tissue can cause inflammation, pain, and the formation of scar tissue or adhesions, which may cause organs to adhere to one another. In severe cases, this can block the fallopian tubes, potentially leading to infertility.
Common symptoms include fertility complications, severe pelvic pain, low back pain, fatigue, dysmenorrhea, constipation and bloating. For women experiencing such symptoms, seeing an obstetrician-gynecologist is essential.
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How Nutrition Could Help
Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, a registered dietician nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told The Epoch Times that because endometriosis is an estrogen-dominant condition, it is essential to adopt diet and lifestyle practices that help reduce excess estrogen in the body.
The following nutritional interventions have been found to be effective in both treating endometriosis and preventing associated pain.
Dietary Fat
Since endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease, reducing certain types of dietary fat may help lower circulating estrogen levels, as suggested by a 2023 article published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
In particular, trans fats have been linked to a higher risk of developing endometriosis. Data from the Nurses’ Health Study, published in the journal Human Production, revealed that women in the highest quintile of trans fat intake were 48% more likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis compared to those with lower intakes. However, total fat consumption was not associated with an increased risk of the condition.
Conversely, women in the highest fifth of long-chain omega-3 fatty acid consumption—fats found in fatty fish, chia seeds, and walnuts—were 22% less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis. Thus, it’s not just about eliminating harmful fats but also ensuring adequate intake of beneficial fats.
“Smooth muscle contractility, estrogen levels, inflammation, prostaglandin metabolism, and menstrual cyclicity are some of the factors that may contribute to endometriosis and can be influenced by diet,” wrote the authors.
For instance, certain fatty acids can raise the level of inflammatory markers in the blood, which can contribute to endometriosis.
Eat More Plants
The anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based diets have been shown to benefit women with endometriosis, where inflammation plays a significant role. Additionally, dietary fibre can help lower circulating estrogen levels by modulating estrogen activity, thus potentially benefiting patients with this estrogen-dependent disease.
Polyphenols, powerful phytoestrogens found in many plant foods, also have important anti-endometriotic properties. They exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and help regulate estrogen activity, making them a potential therapeutic option for treating endometriosis. Importantly, polyphenols have no adverse effects on fertility, the development of offspring, or reproductive organs, making them suitable for long-term use.
Anderson-Haynes explained that “eating foods high in phytoestrogens, such as soybeans, lentils, and flaxseeds, can benefit the body by supplying it with plant-based estrogens. These foods help block xenoestrogens—synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogen—from binding to the body’s estrogen receptors.”
Vitamin D
Vitamin D can significantly reduce endometrial pain and symptoms. A 2020 meta-analysis found that low vitamin D levels were associated with a higher risk of developing endometriosis and increased severity of symptoms.
Results of one randomized-controlled trial demonstrated that in women with endometriosis, taking 50,000 international units of vitamin D every two weeks for 12 weeks significantly reduced self-reported pelvic pain. Vitamin D intake was also linked to reduced inflammatory markers and boosted total antioxidant capacity, indicating that an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect could be at play.
Meat Intake
A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology involving more than 80,000 participants found a significant correlation between eating red meat (both processed and unprocessed) and the risk of developing endometriosis. The study showed that women who ate more than two servings of red meat per day had a 56% higher risk of developing endometriosis compared to those who consumed less than one serving per week.
This increased risk may be due to the association between eating red meat and higher levels of estradiol and pro-inflammatory markers, which are involved in the progression and pathogenesis of endometriosis. Additionally, animal-based foods can contain contaminants that act as endocrine disruptors, further contributing to hormonal imbalances.
Foods That Benefit The Gut
“The gastrointestinal tract, especially the colon, plays a crucial role in breaking down estrogen. Therefore, maintaining a healthy digestive system is essential for managing hormonal imbalances,” Anderson-Haynes said.
She recommended focusing on gut health by incorporating prebiotic foods like garlic, whole grains, and bananas, as well as cultured foods such as sauerkraut, coconut kefir, tempeh, and yogurt. Additionally, increasing fibre intake and including more cruciferous vegetables can help eliminate excess estrogen.
Dr. Dawn Ericsson, an obstetrician, gynecologist, and the chief medical officer at AgeRejuvenation told The Epoch Times that curcumin in turmeric helps reduce inflammation by inhibiting prostaglandins, which are inflammatory mediators. Additionally, curcumin lowers estrogen levels and blocks estrogen production, potentially reducing menstrual pain.
She also recommends avoiding key inflammatory triggers such as sugar, alcohol, wheat, vegetable oil, and cow’s dairy.
Ericsson noted that magnesium and zinc can support the health of the hippocampus, a brain region involved in regulating stress responses. Managing stress is essential, as it can exacerbate the symptoms of endometriosis.
Stress increases the activity of the hypothalamus, an area of the brain responsible for increases in cortisol secretion downstream, she said.
“Methods such as meditation, massage, and adequate rest and calories, help to maintain stable blood sugar and decrease inflammation. Consider eating a small amount of protein with every meal, especially breakfast.”
Lifestyle Interventions
Livvy Franks recommends practicing meditation and breathing exercises to calm the nervous system and manage the mind, especially during flare-ups.
“I use apps like Insight Timer or listen to frequency music on Spotify for 10 minutes a day, either first thing in the morning or just before bed. This is followed by a breath-work session, often the 11-minute Wim Hof session (a series of powerful inhalation and exhalations) on YouTube,” Franks said.
Next, focus on detoxification and proper nourishment, she said. Understanding your body’s unique needs and how it reacts to different foods and activities is crucial.
“Being in tune with yourself is essential because no one knows your body better than you do. This process requires patience. In the beginning, I made the mistake of starving and forcing my body, which only delayed my progress because I wasn’t truly listening to its needs,” she added.
She also advises getting moving—whether it’s dancing, running, singing, or any other form of physical activity. Moving your body can help release tension and emotions and positively impact your overall well-being.
“I quickly realized that emotions like stress were worsening my symptoms. Now, I often dance around the kitchen or go for a run in the morning to elevate my mood and release any tension,” she said.
Anderson-Haynes said physical activity is crucial for managing body fat and lowering estrogen levels. Research indicates that adipose (fat) tissue produces estrogen, so having excess body fat can lead to elevated estrogen levels.
She also recommended using glass food storage containers and glass water bottles whenever possible, as BPA in plastic containers acts as an endocrine disruptor, imitating the body’s hormones and interfering with the production of natural hormones. Additionally, choosing clean beauty, personal care, and household products can help minimize exposure to xenoestrogens—found in plastics, chemicals, pesticides, and water systems.
Benefits To Expect
Anderson-Haynes noted that women can expect benefits such as less painful periods, reduced heavy bleeding, fewer gastrointestinal issues like bloating, constipation, and nausea, and improved fertility when they implement these dietary and lifestyle changes.
Typically, it takes about two to three menstrual cycles to observe improvements in endometriosis symptoms. This timeframe aligns with the life cycle and full maturation of an ovarian follicle, which is approximately 100 days or three menstrual cycles, Ericsson said.
“Managing endometriosis requires a holistic approach. There is no single ’magic’ food or pill. Don’t overlook the importance of diet and lifestyle in preventing and managing endometriosis; they are among the most powerful tools in your health journey,“ Anderson-Haynes said.
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