Endometriosis Diet for Menstrual Pain Relief - My Success Story (Part 2)

Here is my secret. The Endometriosis Diet (Endo Diet) that gave me pain relief. If you have not read about Part 1 of this article, click here.

• Endometriosis Diet for Menstrual Pain Relief - My Su...

  The pain was excruciating. It felt like the end of the world and something fatal was growing inside my body. Diagnosed with endometriosis (ovarian cysts) and adenomyosis at the same time can be the worst...

1. HIGH FIBRE DIET – Hormone Estrogen Decreasing Food

Diet high in fibre can decrease the circulating estrogens. Ideally, raw fruits and vegetables should comprise 50 percent of the diet. Nuts and seeds, whole grains, should be included in the diet. Fibre-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables along with plenty of fluids such as water or juice, (not caffeine) are not only healthy but help prevent constipation. (Constipation intensifies the symptoms). High fibre food good for endometriosis are:

· whole grains (excluding wheat and rye)

· beans and peas

· brown rice

· any vegetable and fruits

· mustard greens

· broccoli

· cabbage

· turnips

· celery

· parsley

Brocolli, cauliflower and brussel sprout (Cruciferous Vegetables) allow the liver to eliminate excess estrogen from the body more effectively.

Celery and parsley contain flavones that can inhibit aromatase, the enzyme that converts androgens to estrogens.

2. HORMONE REBALANCING FOOD

Foods containing natural plant sterols (phytoestrogens) are helpful to block the estrogen receptors, so in turn excess estrogen in the body cannot ‘lock-in’ to these receptors. These include:

• · peas, beans and pulses
• · red and purple berries
• · garlic
• · apples, papaya
• · parsley
• · fennel
• · brassicas: cabbage, cauliflower etc
• · nuts and seeds
• · celery, carrots, cabbage
• · rhubarb
• · sage
• · cucumber
• · beet root
• · barley, green beans, red beans
• · pumpkins
• · olive oil
• · plums
• · potatoes

I try to have at least three or four servings a day of green vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. They are great in balancing estrogen levels. I avoid white rice, any wheat noodle and pasta whenever possible and replace them with brown rice, potato, or sweet potatoes (kumera) instead. Cooking at home really helps, as I could avoid white rice and any wheat products totally. Yes, I follow gluten-free diet almost 99% of the time and macrobiotic diet 80% of the time.

Herbs

I have also frequently read that some herbs containing beneficial plant hormones are black cohosh, dong quai, hops, sage, red clover, fennel, liquorice root, wild yam, bladderwrack, horstail herb, sarsaparilla. Since I do not know them well, I did not try them so far. I may visit a Chinese Traditional Medicine Practitioner to enquire more about it one day.

3. SUPPLEMENTS FOR ENDOMETRIOSIS

In Dr. Dian Mills book on “Endometriosis”, she has shown through years of research, essential fatty acids, such as omega-6 fatty acids from linseed oil, fish omega 3 and evening primrose oil has been helpful in reducing painful period. These are natural fats - cis fatty acids. They have a horseshoe shape and lock into cell membranes and give them integrity. Omega-3 fatty acid helps in formation of positive prostaglandins that serves effectively for anti-inflammatory purpose, suppress womb contractions and reduce pain messenger to the brain.

People who consume a lot of processed foods are actually taking in the unnatural fat – trans fatty acids. These fats have been hydrogenated and their chemical structure and shapes have been changed. They don’t lock into cells in the same way as the natural fats. These trans fatty acids form a kink shape and the cell membrane loses its integrity. They have harmful effects on the stability of cell membranes and the structure of nerve and brain cells. They also interfere with the formation of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.

Therefore, it helps to change the balance of the good and bad fats in the body to better manage the menstrual pain. Consume the good cis oils and remove the bad trans oils from the diet will give the cells more integrity and it helps in alleviating painful periods.

Here is the excerpt from endo-resolved that explained how Omega-3 fatty acid helps in relieving painful periods :

Primary dysmenorrhoea (painful periods) is caused by cramping in the uterine muscles — the uterus is a muscle and like all muscles it contracts and relaxes! Women don’t usually feel these muscles contract, unless it is a particularly strong contraction. With endometriosis the pain associated with menstrual cramps is usually very intense and painful. During a contraction, blood supply to the uterus can be temporarily cut off. This deprives the muscle of oxygen, which causes pain. But why do the uterine muscles contract?

It is caused by the series two prostaglandins. Series two prostaglandins help the uterus to shed the womb lining during menstruation by causing the contraction of the uterine muscles. Understandably, if too many of these prostaglandins are produced, then the contractions will be more severe and cause painful menstrual cramps — primary dysmenorrhoea.

However, not all prostaglandins have this effect on the involuntary uterine muscles, which is why diet can play a big role in minimising the production of series two prostaglandins. The types of fatty acids included in your diet influence the types of prostaglandins made. For example, series two prostaglandin (the type that trigger powerful contractions of the uterus) levels are increased when animal fat is included in the diet. In contrast, series one and series three prostaglandins (the type that don’t cause uterine contractions) are produced when the diet is higher in linoleic acid, which is found naturally in tuna and salmon oil. Evening primrose oil and starflower oil are also rich sources of linoleic acid, which is why they are often recommended for women suffering from period cramps and are especially helpful for women with endometriosis.

Excellent sources of the omega-3 fatty acid producing oils are:

· Fish Oil

· evening primrose

· Walnut oil

· flax seeds/oil

· Grape seed Oil

My Experience :

I take Fish Oil supplement regularly, 3000mg a day.

I cut down on any vegetable oils and use mainly grape seed oil for cooking. Wherever possible, I try to cook without using any oil at all, so as to reduce the amount of fat intake. This can be very challenging for me as an Asian since most of our cooking requires oil. However, I thrive on this challenge, and get creative in my cooking. I feel a sense of achievement whenever I could come out with dishes for dinner without using even a single drop of oil, and I like to do it without compromising on the good taste and meal satisfaction for me and my family. I have actually shared a few of my recipe here on Hubpages. Check it out here.

4. VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS

I take “LIFEPAK”, a supreme multivitamins and minerals supplement which contains all, but not limited to, the following minerals that will help women with endometriosis:

Magnesium

is a mineral and is believed to ease cramping with menstruation

Zinc

is essential for enzyme activity, helping cells to reproduce which will help with healing. Zinc is also reported to boost the immune system and helping to create an emotional sense of well-being

Calcium

Levels of calcium in menstruating women decrease 10 to 14 days before the onset of menstruation. Deficiency may lead to muscle cramps, headache or pelvic pain.

Iron

women with Endometriosis tend to have very heavy periods which can lead to an iron deficiency. This can lead to anemia which is characterized by extreme fatigue and weakness.

B vitamins

are important for the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the body. B vitamins are reported to improve the emotional symptoms of Endometriosis, and have proved helpful in dealing with PMT

Vitamin C

is well known for helping to boost the immune system and help provide resistance to disease. It is also used in the body to build and maintain collagen within the body.

Vitamin A

is another immune system booster

Vitamin E

plays an important role by increasing oxygen carrying capacities and also strengthens the immune system

Selenium

when taken together with vitamin E has been reported to decrease inflammation associated with Endometriosis, as well as immune system booster.

Note :

Research papers have shown that Vitamin C is anti-histamine; hence it can dampen histamine release. Vitamin E can also alleviate pain as it also works as an antioxidant that can prevent cell damage at the membrane. When free radical damages the cell membrane, it weakens the cell membrane, and the endometriosis can attach to it. On the other hand, when B vitamins, especially B1, B6 and B12 are taken in combination, it works as well as any analgesic when they are in the right level in the body.

Apart from Multi-vitamins supplement, I often consume seaweed for the required vitamins and minerals. I also take grape seed capsules to increase the levels of antioxidants in my blood. For my breakfast, I enjoy taking Oat Milk with added Selenium and Black Sesame powder.

5. FOODS BENEFICIAL FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Women with endometriosis often have lower immune system. My research shows that the following food are recommended to boost up their immune system:

· Green tea

· garlic

· onions

· carrots

· rhubarb

· seeds

· sprouted seeds

· ginger

My personal favourite is green tea.

6. REDUCE STRESS

One study involving 49 women found that stress hormone, cortisol, levels were significantly higher in women with advanced endometriosis compared to women who didn't have this condition. Therefore, I try to live a less stressful life by taking up a less stressful job, and generally “take life easily and more positively”. Herbs and nutrients that alternative practitioners commonly recommend for stress reduction include:

Vitamin B and C, Zinc and Magnesium

There are also other methods that can help in reducing stress:

Relaxation Response

Mindfulness Meditation

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Or just indulge in any activity you like that doesn’t stress you. People with different personality have different way of finding relaxation technique. You just have to find your own way to relieve stress and tension.

7. TEN MINUTES OF EXERCISE

Exercise does helps. When we exercise the body produces chemicals in the brain called endorphins. Endorphins bring pain relief and they surge round the body, thereby easing the pain of Endometriosis. The compounds found in endorphins are of similar structure and mimic the effects of morphine, a powerful narcotic pain reliever. Ten minutes of moderate exercise is all the body needs to start producing these safe pain relievers. If exercise is too painful at times, low impact activities may help. These include swimming, walking and yoga. Taking some form of exercise will help to relieve stress and tension, and hence reduce estrogen levels in the body.

Ok, now you have known what to eat. Next, you will need to known the food to avoid. In fact, Endometriosis Diet is more about what food to avoid. These food increase estrogen levels that worsen the symptoms of endometriosis, promotes negative prostaglandins (inflammatory / pain messenger / womb contracting type) that aggravate the menstrual pain. So, click on the button below to go to Part 3 to learn more ...

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