What to eat with endometriosis

By Cristiano Antonino On Mar 29, 2023

Endometriosis is a chronic benign inflammation that affects females of childbearing age and results from an abnormality of cells in the uterine cavity (endometrial cells) that migrate to extra-uterine sites (usually ovaries or pelvic peritoneum)

The course of diagnosis and treatment of this disorder is still debated, but the relevant role of nutrition in terms of containing inflammatory symptoms is now known.

Endometriosis and gastrointestinal disorders

Although endometriosis is a fairly common disorder (10-20% of women of childbearing age develop endometriosis), the condition is often detected by chance, during gynaecological check-ups or tests carried out as part of a course of diagnosis of other disorders.

The inflammation underlying endometriosis tends to manifest itself asymptomatically, but certain painful symptoms can be an alarm bell for the patient.

These include, in particular, severe pain during the menstrual cycle (dysmenorrhoea), which cannot subside even with the use of painkillers and anti-spastics, and pain during sexual intercourse and defecation.

Related to endometriosis, there may also be gastrointestinal problems, which occur particularly during the menstrual cycle and may become chronic, such as

abdominal bloating
irritable bowel
nausea
constipation

Attention to following an adequate diet, therefore, is particularly important in containing inflammation and the symptoms it causes and can contribute to an improvement in the patient’s quality of life.

The anti-inflammatory diet for people with endometriosis

When we speak of an anti-inflammatory diet, we mean a diet in which food with anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties is predominantly present.

The Italian Endometriosis Foundation has made available guidelines that can help patients orientate themselves and assess which foods can help curb symptoms, as they interact with certain functions of the body, favouring its processes.

We are therefore talking about foods high in fibre, which promote digestion and intestinal function and lower the blood level of oestrogens, so that oestrogen-dependent tissues, such as the endometrium, remain at rest. Therefore, patients with osteoporosis should increase their fibre consumption by 20-30%.

Also helpful is the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which feed the production of a molecule that acts against inflammatory processes (prostaglandin PGE1).

In addition to diet, the specialist may also assess the use of supplements to promote the balance of certain components that are fundamental to the body’s wellbeing, including Vitamin D, Omega 6, Nicotinamide, Curcuma, Calcium methylfolate, Quercetin, Parthenium.

Endometriosis: what to eat

In the presence of endometriosis, therefore, make way for fibre-rich foods, such as wholegrain cereals, i.e. wholegrain rice and pasta or potato gnocchi with wholegrain flour, pulses, chickpea, pea or lentil-based pasta, vegetables and fruit (especially prunes, pears and apples).

Foods rich in Omega 3 that should be given plenty of space in your diet include fish (especially salmon, blue fish, fresh tuna, trout, sea bream, sea bass, crustaceans and molluscs), dried fruit (almonds, walnuts and cashews), seeds (pumpkin, flax, sunflower, chia and sesame), extra virgin olive oil, white meat and eggs.

Foods to avoid in case of endometriosis

We have talked about foods that help curb the symptoms of endometriosis, but there are others that risk exacerbating inflammatory processes and should therefore be avoided.

These include:

all industrial preparations, such as snacks, biscuits or crisps;
refined bakery products and 00 flour;
oats and rye (both rich in oestrogen);
red meat, sausages and cold cuts;
fresh cheeses rich in lactose;
sugar;
soya, chilli peppers;
alcohol, caffeine and fizzy and sugary drinks.

Other foodstuffs that may also appear from time to time on the tables of endometriosis patients, such as aged cheeses, cottage cheese and natural yoghurt, should be eaten in limited quantities.

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