One of the causes of female infertility is a strong proliferation of the uterine mucosa. With hormonal disorders, this disease progresses very quickly, doctors in this situation recommend adhering to a special diet for endometriosis. It is scientifically proven that some foods can affect hormone secretion. This is their quality and is used for endometriosis.
In addition to diet, a woman should monitor her lifestyle. Active rest, sports, proper nutrition with endometriosis do not give the disease a chance of development and progression. A properly selected diet will help balance the production of estrogen hormone and support a woman’s health.
General concept of the disease
Endometriosis is the proliferation of uterine mucosa. The main causes of the disease are a decrease in immunity and hormonal imbalance, in which the body begins to intensively produce estrogens - sex hormones. They, in turn, inhibit the production of progesterone, and with its lack in the body, the endometrium begins to grow rapidly.
If the growth of the mucosa lasts a long time, then it provokes bleeding.
Endometriosis can develop with weak immunity, while in an absolutely healthy woman, the uterine mucosa is protected from the pathology of proliferation.
Doctors and scientists argue that estrogen levels depend on a woman’s nutrition and her lifestyle. The main reason for the development of pathology is the excessive consumption of animal fats. In addition, it has been proven that women with overweight and obesity have a higher risk of developing the disease than slim women.
Causes of Endometriosis
The causes of the development of endometrial pathology can be:
- Cesarean section.
- Hard birth.
- Complicated pregnancy.
- Abortion
- Physical exercise.
- Viral diseases.
- Frequent stresses.
- Improper nutrition.
- Obesity.
- Bad habits.
These factors greatly increase the risk of developing the disease. It is necessary to regularly visit a gynecologist, since at an early stage the disease, as a rule, proceeds unnoticed. With the growth of the endometrium, more and more new symptoms will appear.
Main symptoms
The main signs of the disease are:
- Pain in the abdomen, and it can have a different nature and localization.
- Painful menstruation, especially in the early days.
- Heavy menstrual flow, sometimes resembling bleeding.
- Discomfort during sex.
Due to significant blood loss, anemia may develop, which is accompanied by drowsiness, weakness, fatigue, pallor, dizziness.
The most dangerous complication of endometriosis is infertility. With a strong proliferation of the endometrium, the chance to conceive and bear a child is very small, which is why treatment should be started in a timely manner. Proper nutrition with endometriosis will help ease symptoms and improve well-being, in combination with medical treatment will help get rid of the disease.
Power Features
First of all, nutrition for endometriosis is aimed at reducing body weight. A woman is recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates and animal fats consumed. Diet does not mean starvation, nutrition should be varied, frequent, but in small portions.
Protein should predominate in food, in the protein there are many amino acids and vitamins that are necessary to maintain immunity. Protein of animal origin contains a minimal amount of fat, it helps to replenish the body’s reserves with useful substances, while not adding extra weight.
You should consult with a nutritionist, he will help draw up an individual diet scheme, taking into account the specific needs of women.
Why does nutrition play such an important role in endometrial pathology? Doctors explain this by saying that the main reason for the development of the disease is increased estrogen in women.
Its constant imbalance leads to the progression of the disease, while the development of other gynecological diseases, including oncological ones, is not excluded.
For the correction and reduction of estrogen in women, doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy. And in conjunction with this, it is recommended to reduce the use of products that saturate the body with estrogens or when consumed which there is insufficient production of this hormone.
Doctors explain that the immune system itself is able to suppress the pathological proliferation of the endometrium. But if the protective functions of our body fall, then the cells of the uterine mucosa begin to grow rapidly. Vitamins and minerals, which the body can get medically or from food, help maintain immunity in good condition.
The diet itself with endometriosis is not a treatment method, it does not directly affect the progression of the disease or recovery. That is, using only proper nutrition can not be cured, but the effectiveness of therapy will become much higher if the body receives the necessary substances and trace elements.
The rules of nutrition for the disease
Nutrition for endometrial pathology should include foods saturated with acids and containing natural fats. During painful menstruation, these substances do not allow the uterus to transform and significantly reduce discomfort.
The body needs fruits and vegetables, which are sources of antioxidants. In order for the biochemical processes in the body to proceed normally, foods with complex carbohydrates should be eaten: cereals, wholemeal bread, vegetables. Doctors do not recommend eating foods that contain estrogens and increase the production of this hormone in the body. Among other things, it is necessary to observe the drinking regime, drink at least 2 liters of pure water (coffee, juices, tea, compotes are not taken into account).
Nutritionists advise eating often, but in small portions. A balanced diet involves about 5 meals a day. The intervals between meals should be even.
Cooking should be steamed, you can stew, cook, bake. This allows you to save nutrients. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw, and in order to be able to eat healthy foods all year round, they can be frozen.
List of foods you can eat
So, we will consider what can and cannot be eaten with endometriosis.
Doctors recommend eating as many vegetables as possible. They are rich in fiber and contribute to the formation in the body of an alkaline environment in which harmful microorganisms do not multiply. With increased estrogen in women, you need to include as many products as possible, such as carrots, zucchini, beets, red peppers, green leafy vegetables, in the diet.
No less useful are fruits. But they are best eaten before dinner and give preference to seasonal species. Berries are best consumed in purple and red.
Fish (mackerel, salmon, sardine), flax, nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, they help maintain external beauty and relieve pain during menstruation.
Foods rich in plant sterols - garlic, celery, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, green peas. Their benefits are obvious. They help lower estrogen levels.
Endometriosis and diet are closely related. Eating the right foods can lower estrogen levels. Products containing plant sterols can inhibit disease progression. These include peas, purple berries, beans, apples, celery, fennel, parsley, nuts.
Cauliflower and broccoli improve the digestive system and liver, in addition, stabilize the hormonal background.
The source of amino acids is white lean bird meat.
To improve the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to consume sour-milk products (low-fat) in moderation.
You can get healthy carbohydrates from barley, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal. Do not abuse rice, it can cause constipation and cause great harm to the body. The benefits of brown rice for a woman suffering from endometriosis are much greater than white. It helps increase progesterone levels and lower estrogen levels in the body.
In this disease, you should drink not only pure water, but also natural juices from mango, papaya, pineapple, grapes (dark varieties). You can drink fruit drinks, compotes, herbal teas, mineral still water.
Antioxidants
Foods rich in these substances help eliminate toxins from the body. A sufficient number of them does not allow free radicals to accumulate, a large number of which in the body can provoke the development of oncology.
Foods rich in antioxidants: blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, peaches, walnuts and almonds, artichokes, cloves, broccoli, bell pepper.
If you eat enough foods containing antioxidants, you can prevent the development of malignant pathologies. Therefore, it is necessary to include vegetable oil in the diet, which is rich in vitamins A and E.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
If endometriosis progresses, nutrition should be balanced; omega-3 fatty acids should be present in the diet. These substances increase immunity.
Many nutritionists recommend refraining from eating large amounts of fatty acids. Therefore, you should control how much omega-3 was eaten during the day. To make up for the lack of acids, you need to use fish oil, unrefined vegetable oil, pumpkin seeds.
Cellulose
This substance helps to reduce pain, restores the menstrual cycle, has a positive effect on digestion, removes toxins, has a beneficial effect on the endometrium. Fiber is found in the following products: almonds, peanuts, bran, soybeans, raisins, lentils, herbs, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, apples, white rice, grapefruit, green peas. The benefit of the latter is especially great. Peas reduce blood cholesterol, stimulate metabolism and prevent osteoporosis.
In order to balance the amount of fiber, you need to add additional fibers to the menu, for example, brown rice. The benefits and harms of this product are known to every nutritionist. It contains a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals, reduces blood sugar. However, excessive consumption of brown rice dishes provokes flatulence, bloating and constipation.
Prohibited foods for endometriosis
Diet and proper nutrition mean giving up certain foods. A high level of estrogen is observed with excessive consumption of animal fats, but they are involved in metabolic processes, so you can’t completely refuse them.
It is necessary to refrain from consuming products that contain phytoestrogens, which are natural analogues of the female hormone. No matter how these products are processed, certain compounds are not destroyed and contribute to an increase in estrogen levels.
So, women who are diagnosed with a disease such as endometriosis are contraindicated in eating:
- Some citrus fruits.
- Garnet.
- Spinach, soy.
- Corn, rye and wheat groats.
- Sage drinks, green tea, pomegranate juice, whiskey, beer, bourbon.
- Coriander, dill.
- Carbonated drinks.
- Pork, beef.
- Butter, fatty cheese.
- The eggs.
It is better not to drink strong coffee and tea, cook steamed or boiled foods, do not use mayonnaise and spicy sauces.
It should briefly dwell on the question of the benefits and harms of pomegranate on a woman's body. This is a very healthy fruit that is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is of great benefit to women and helps to cope with many gynecological diseases, such as infertility, painful menstruation, irregularities during menopause. Pomegranate is used to prevent the formation of malignant tumors. But why is it forbidden to use pomegranate when the uterine mucosa grows with all its benefits? The harm of pomegranate to the body with endometriosis lies in the fact that it affects the formation of the hormone estrogen, which is extremely dangerous in this disease, plus it is involved in the process of hematopoiesis, which can trigger bleeding.
The effect of diet
Proper nutrition with endometriosis will help to improve the condition of the endometrium. Using a diet, you can reduce estrogen levels and stabilize hormones. After completion of the course, medicines stop acting on the body, and the risk of relapse increases, so a diet is needed to support the body and prevent the progression of the disease.
Losing weight will help alleviate the symptoms of endometriosis and increase immunity. Proper nutrition allows you to cleanse the body, which gives additional strength and energy to fight the disease.