Registered Nutritional Therapists Lorna Driver-Davies provide suggestions on which foods can help endometriosis
There is no cure for it and it causes crippling pain for one in ten women who suffer from it.
But experts claim that simple dietary changes – in addition to painkillers and hormone therapy – can help millions of people in the fight against endometriosis.
Here, registered nutritional therapist Lorna Driver-Davies explains why eating more oily fish and fiber, while cutting out processed foods and even coffee, can theoretically make symptoms more manageable.
More fish
Ms Driver-Davies, who works with supplement company Wild Nutrition, recommends women diagnosed with endometriosis eat a ‘right portion’ of oily fish every week to build up their omega-3 levels.
According to her, this does not amount to ‘a few sushi rolls’.
Because omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties, Driver-Davies claims it will “help suppress symptoms.” Similar claims are being made by NHS bodies.
Endometriosis, considered an inflammatory condition, occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body.
This can block the fallopian tubes (the eggs travel down the fallopian tubes to reach the uterus) or form scar tissue, which can make it more difficult to get pregnant.
It causes pain as the tissue builds up and then breaks down, just as the uterine lining does every month.
Salmon, mackerel and sardines are all examples of fatty fish rich in omega-3, which have been proven to be good for the heart.
To get enough omega-3, the NHS recommends eating at least two portions of fish a week, one of which is oily fish.
Other sources include flaxseed oil, walnuts and eggs.
Endometriosis, which affects 176 million women worldwide, causes tissue similar to the uterine lining to grow outside the uterus, causing inflammation and pain. It can also cause intestinal problems, fatigue, problems becoming pregnant and painful urination
One food that will give the immune system a healthy boost and reduce symptoms of endometriosis is oily fish, as it is high in omega-3.
More vegetables
Eating more vegetables is never a bad idea.
But Ms Driver-Davies says it could really help women with endometriosis.
Estrogen stimulates the growth and shedding of endometriosis tissue wherever it shows up in the body. As such, treatment may revolve around restricting estrogen to shrink rogue tissue.
‘Fiber from vegetables is important in endometriosis to keep bowel movements regular,’ says Ms Driver-Davies, who specializes in hormonal and gynecological nutrition.
“And this ensures that estrogen is removed and doesn’t build up.”
Research of 2019 published in the journal Nutrients shows that eating fiber reduces the absorption of estrogen. This is also reflected in a breast cancer in 2021 study.
‘Fiber also helps nourish the gut microbiome necessary for a healthy immune system.’
Ms Driver-Davies specifically recommends cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
Such advice is echoed by the NHS as they are ‘overloaded’ with sulforaphane.
The antioxidant is known to fight inflammation, according to advice published by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Less red meat
It has been suggested that eating too much red meat makes endometriosis worse.
This is, at least according to the NHS, because it can ‘promote inflammation in the body’.
‘Many studies show that women with endometriosis had less pain and fewer symptoms when they cut out meat or meat,’ says Ms Driver-Davies.
For example, one from 2018 study suggested that women could gain the greatest benefit by eating just one serving of red meat per week,
Some women with endometriosis choose to cut it out completely.
But Ms Driver-Davies warns against rushing it out of your diet as it is rich in vitamins and nutrients including iron and B12.
Heavy menstrual bleeding caused by the condition can reduce iron deficiency, which can cause fatigue.
Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows in other places, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and intestines. According to Endometriosis UK, it responds and grows when exposed to the female hormone oestrogen. Therefore, a buildup of the hormone can worsen the condition
Less dairy
For some women with endometriosis, reducing or eliminating dairy products may also be helpful.
‘Dairy can be problematic for some and fine for others, so it’s worth experimenting,’ says Ms Driver-Davies.
‘The types of dairy vary and some patients find that they feel better if they drink A2 cow’s milk (now often found in supermarkets) or replace cow’s milk with goat’s milk.
“If you cut out dairy, you may need to supplement with calcium and iodine.”
However, according to a charity, Endometriosis Australia, the link between dairy and endometriosis is inconclusive.
Fried foods such as fish and chips, sugary processed foods and alcohol can make people with endometriosis feel more pain
Sugar, alcohol and processed foods
Fried foods such as fish and chips could make the pain worse, Ms Driver-Davies said.
By the same logic, sugary, processed foods and alcohol may also be excluded.
Studies have shown that women who consume more trans fats – mainly found in fried and processed foods – are more likely to develop endometriosis.
Similar links have also been found with booze, as shown in a 2022 study published in scientific reports.
‘Sugar and alcohol are both anti-inflammatory ‘anti-nutrients’ and processed foods contain ‘bad’ fats that can cause more inflammation, and contain unnatural substances and preservatives,’ says Ms Driver-Davies.
Your liver breaks down estrogen, but if your liver isn’t functioning properly, such as if you’ve been drinking alcohol, too much estrogen can build up, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
‘When you consume alcohol, the body will use all its resources to detoxify the alcohol instead of estrogen.
“Cutting it out or reducing it allows the body to use its resources to support the symptoms and the disease,” Driver-Davies adds.