No more pain. This is the desire of at least 3 million women with a full-blown diagnosis of endometriosis, chronic benign inflammation that can be contained with the right foods, favoring the beneficial ones and eliminating those that reinforce the inflammatory state. a disabling pathology that is finally being talked about, so much so that the world endometriosis day has been established which takes place on March 28th. After years of silence, the disease has ceased to be invisible, thanks to greater information, dissemination and visibility and thanks to the greater number of gynecologists expert in endometriosis. In addition to pharmacological and surgical treatments, the right foods also help: green light to foods rich in fiber and omega 3, no instead to industrial preparations, 00 flour, refined sugars, alcohol, soy and more.
What is endometriosis
Endometriosis is a benign chronic inflammation that women of childbearing age can develop and derives from an abnormality of the cells of the uterine cavity, so-called endometrial cells, which migrate to extra-uterine locations, usually the ovaries or pelvic peritoneum. About three million women are affected by it, even if this pathology is late in being diagnosed or is often identified by chance, during gynecological check-ups or diagnostic tests carried out for other disorders. An alarm bell is severe pain during the menstrual cycle, which does not calm down even with the use of painkillers, and there are often pains during sexual intercourse and defecation. Sometimes gastrointestinal problems also appear especially during the menstrual cycle, such as abdominal swelling, irritable bowel, nausea or constipation. The attention in following an adequate diet helps to counteract inflammation and therefore to improve the quality of life, provided that it is associated with medical-surgical treatments essential for the treatment of the pathology itself.
The anti-inflammatory diet for people with endometriosis
The scientific studies available to date on the correlation between endometriosis and nutrition suggest that diet and lifestyle can influence inflammatory statesthe. “The term diet is not equivalent to deprivation or penance, following a healthy and balanced diet does not only mean satisfying the physiological needs of the organism, but also the psychological and relational aspects. It is therefore important not to be too rigid with yourself: what matters is to maintain a healthy lifestyle over time”, reads the guidelines of APE ODV, Endometriosis Project Associationdeveloped with input from nutrition professionals.
Favorite foods
Il omega-3 consumption has been associated with a reduction in the risk of endometriosis and lowering of the inflammatory response. Green light to caught fish, especially oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds. “It is useful to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables paying attention to seasonality and the type of cultivation, i.e. the crops must not be treated with pesticides. Fruits and vegetables are important for their supply of vitamins, minerals and bioactive molecules with an anti-inflammatory effect, especially foods rich in vitamins A, C, E and folic acid have a role in reducing the risk of endometriosis thanks to their antioxidant action. Furthermore, the fiber present in plant foods, thanks to the prebiotic action, is essential for intestinal health and for maintaining a state of balance between all the microorganisms present in our intestines. Turning to cereals, wholemeal ones are preferable to refined ones in which the grain is depleted of precious nutrients, especially the fiber. The latter reduces circulating estrogen levels and decreases the glycemic/insulin load of the meal. However, care must be taken in choosing cereals because if there are symptoms of irritable bowel excess fiber could worsen the symptoms.
What to drastically decrease
The sugars are to be limited as much as possible because they increase the inflammatory state. “Also beware of extracts or juices in which the sugars, although not added, are still released from the fruit which, deprived of the fiber part, has a much greater glycemic and insulin impact. It is important to compose balanced meals that guarantee adequate insulin stability considering that hyperinsulinemia increases the concentrations of estrogen and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) and these are able to stimulate the proliferation of endometrial cells ”, recommend by APE ODV.
Moving on to carne, more than one serving a week of the red one has been associated with an increased risk of endometriosis. Red meat decreases sex hormone binding globulins by increasing concentrations of estradiol, one of the hormones that regulates the menstrual cycle in women. Better to reduce the consumption of red meat and cured meats, preferring white meat from organic farms. Another food to avoid or in any case to reduce is the SOYBEANwhich carries phytoestrogens. The advice is to occasionally consume products derived from “young” soy (edamame) or long-fermented (for example tempeh, natto and soy sauce). It is also recommended limit the consumption of alcohol and caffeine, substances that can indirectly keep circulating estrogen levels high, although scientific evidence for caffeine is still limited.
Pills of useful advice on nutrition and endometriosis
On the guidelines drawn up by the Endometriosis Project Association, some advice stands out for eating in such a way as to counteract the inflammatory states of endometriosis.
In general, organic foods, grass fed, hay milk, without preservatives and dyes, preferably not canned to reduce exposure to pesticides, are to be preferred, while foods rich in fats preserved in film or plastic containers are to be avoided, preferring the use of glass.
Cereals: prefer grain and organic cereals, alternating gluten-free products (brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, chia, teff, and so on) with products with gluten (spelt, barley, wheat, and so on). Avoid both foods with added gluten (such as seitan, mopur or packaged baked goods such as sandwich bread) and refined foods rich in sugar.
Legumes: preferably dry and organic, to be soaked (for 48 hours with bicarbonate) and then cooked in unsalted water and bay leaf. Alternatively, they are fine already cooked but packaged in glass and rinsed thoroughly under water before consuming them. There are also shelled or broken legumes (such as lentils, peas and so on).
Yogurt: rigorously white and organic from hay milk, i.e. produced from cows that feed mainly on forage; there are also more protein alternatives such as Greek yogurt or skyr, and also in this case an organic hay milk product is preferable. Milk and dairy products: also in this case the choice must fall on organic products and hay milk.
Egg: organic and from hens free to roam outdoors.
Pesce: best fresh and caught/wild. Small blue fish, rich in omega 3, such as anchovies, herring, bonito, amberjack, sardines and sardines, mackerel are preferable. The farmed fish is fed with feed and treated with antibiotics and other substances, therefore it is better to avoid its consumption. Preserved fish: rigorously in glass, in fillets and in extra virgin olive oil, to be consumed maximum once a week.
Grassi: Avoid saturated, trans and omega-6 fats. Saturated fats are contained in products of animal origin and derivatives (cream, butter, cheese, etc.). Trans fats are contained in packaged/industrial products (e.g. hydrogenated fats and margarines). Omega-6s are contained in seed oils (such as sunflower, corn or soybean oil).