The Right Diet to Cure Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a chronic long term systemic disease, that can lead to pain, fatigue and digestive issues, as well as infertility. It that very likely will resolve in menopause for many women, but those who use Hormone therapy in menopause are at risk for recurrences.

Since inflammation worsens endometriosis, and the wrong diet can worsen inflammation; we at Women’s Health Practice advise all endometriosis patients to be mindful of their diet. In new studies in Journal of Aging Research in Clinical Practice, and in Reproductive Sciences diet had strong impact on endometriosis pain, progression, and infertility. While there is no specific diet that can reliably cure endometriosis, certain foods can help reduce inflammation and balance estrogen levels, which can alleviate symptoms ¹²³.

If you have to pick one type of diet to stick with a meal plan based on the Mediterranean diet is best. If that is not possible due to time, cost of the food, or food tastes, then consider at least 6 months of supplements known to be helpful with endometriosis. Vitamin D, A, C, E, B3, and Omega-3s are all beneficial for endometriosis. Turmeric or it’s derivatives may be helpful as well. DIM–an antioxidant diindolylmethane,  is another supplement that may help in the processing of the hormone Estrogen minimizing the effect of some metabolites of the hormone. minerals calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), and some studies support the use of extra lactobacilli.

There is evidence that this type of diet can help avoid endometriosis. And small studies indicating avoiding gluten can help with fertility.

Here are more specific dietary recommendations that could help:

• Fiber-rich foods: Fiber helps remove excess estrogen from the body, which can aggravate endometriosis symptoms. You should aim for 35 grams of fiber per day by eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and ground flaxseed ¹.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fats can help reduce inflammation caused by endometriosis. Good sources of omega-3s include fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna ¹³.
• Magnesium-rich foods also help soothe the uterus and reduce pain. These include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black beans, avocado, almonds, bananas, and spinach
• Anti-inflammatory foods: Foods that have anti-inflammatory properties such as turmeric, ginger, garlic, and green tea may help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain caused by endometriosis ²⁴.
• Avoiding certain foods: Some foods like red meat, high animal fat foods, sugary drinks, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods can increase inflammation and worsen endometriosis symptoms. It’s best to limit or avoid these foods if possible ¹²³.

For those diets endometriosis may not be cured, but the pain of endometriosis can be lessened significantly to the point that other management is not necessary. In pregnancy, these diet principals are still healthy and helpful for endometriosis.

There are others who have shown that other more restrictive diets low in gluten, low in nickel, and low in fermentable components may be helpful. For such a restrictive diet it may be helpful to meet with a nutritionist so that you make sure that all your nutrient needs are met when eliminating whole food groups.