Endometriosis is a painful disease, because the abnormal growth of the endometrium can affect other organs, producing an inflammatory condition and a lot of discomfort in the pelvic or abdominal region. The way we eat could influence its development and also its control, that’s why we tell you how should your diet be if you suffer from endometriosis.
Diet and endometriosis
The treatment of endometriosis is frequently carried out with the use of analgesics to alleviate the pain caused by the disease and anti-inflammatories. Hormone therapy and sometimes surgery may also be used if cysts have formed or growth of the endometrium has affected other organs.
Beyond this, we can turn to non-pharmacological and much less invasive resources to reduce disease symptomsbecause although it has no cure, its signs should be attacked mainly.
To do this, we can go to a diet that respects the following premises:
High intake of antioxidants
Since the presence of oxidative stress in the peritoneal fluid and peripheral blood of women suffering from endometriosis has been confirmed, it is recommended to control their symptoms eat more antioxidants.
secure a adequate intake of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E It could be very useful to reduce the negative effect of free oxygen radicals in our body and thus control the disease and its consequences.
For this, it is recommended include daily a high proportion of various fresh vegetables and fruits, plenty of green leaves, seeds and nutsas well as vegetable oils that can be a source of vitamin E for the body or fatty or oily fish that also provide vitamin A.
Foods with anti-inflammatory effect
Many foods for their nutrients or other substances can have an anti-inflammatory action in our body, this is the case of extra virgin olive oil, ginger, turmeric or fatty fish that has omega 3.
All these foods can reduce inflammatory processes in the body and thus, help reduce the clinical picture caused by endometriosis In addition to inflammation, it reduces localized pain in the pelvic and abdominal region.
Furthermore, the consumption of Omega 3 for example, it has been linked to a lower development of endometriosis and therefore, adequate intake could slow down the progression of the disease
Reduce trans fats
Just as omega 3 has been associated with a lower risk of endometriosis, trans fats are strongly associated with disease according to a review published in 2013.
trans fats could aggravate the inflammatory condition in our body as well as accentuate oxidative stressTherefore, it is key to control endometriosis to reduce its consumption.
To achieve this, it is essential to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are the main source of this type of fat in the body and avoid above all, commercial snacks, cookies and industrial pastries.
Gluten free diet?
In addition to the aforementioned measures, in recent years the effectiveness of carrying out a gluten free diet to reduce the symptoms of endometriosis.
And while more studies are required in this regard, research published in 2012 observed a noticeable decrease in pelvic pain in women with endometriosis following a gluten-free diet, after 12 months. The pain in said work was measured subjectively by each woman and it was not a double-blind study, so the improvement could also be due in large part to a placebo effect.
On the other hand, celiac women have a considerably higher risk of suffering from endometriosis and this could be because immune disturbances they influence both pathologies, as well as, because of the inflammation produced by celiac disease.
if you suffer endometriosisin addition to the treatment that the doctor has indicated (with drugs or another), you should know that a good diet can help reduce symptoms of the disease and also slow its progress.
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