Endometriosis – All you Need to Know About

Endometriosis is an extremely painful disorder in which the tissue similar to the tissue which builds the lining of your uterus grows outside the uterus. The endometrium is known as the lining of your uterus. When the endometrial tissue propagates itself on your ovaries, bowel, and tissues lining your pelvis, this condition is known as endometriosis. Endometriosis is an aching long-term condition that can affect your physical, sexual and psychological well-being.

Every 1 in 10 women is affected by endometriosis and it is a common gynaecological condition that can be managed with proper treatment.

Symptoms of Endometriosis
The symptoms of this condition differ from women to women- while some women only experience mild symptoms, some experience moderate to severe symptoms. High pain does not indicate any degree or stage of this disorder. You can suffer from extreme pain even when you have a mild form or you can also experience very little distress even when you have a severe form.

Pain in the pelvic area is the very basic symptom of this condition. Other common symptoms include:

• Painful periods
• Lower abdominal pain before and during menstruation
• Period cramps for about 1 to 2 weeks around menstruation
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Infertility
• Painful sexual intercourse
• Discomfort with bowel movements
• Lower back pain during your menstrual cycle

Endometriosis and Diet
Endometriosis is not a curable condition but it can be manageable with effective treatments. Change in the lifestyle and adopting healthy habits along with the proper medication can assist in easing out the symptoms while managing pain and distress. Following a healthy and well-balanced diet while suffering from this condition not only gives you a sigh of relief from the inflammation but can also enhance your energy levels to combat the other distressing symptoms.

Anti-inflammatory foods are highly recommended in this condition. Choosing nourishing and organic foods is a definite go while suffering from this condition as it can help in balancing the estrogen levels in the body while fighting inflammation and thus aid in managing the symptoms.

Here are certain foods that you should definitely incorporate into your diet if you are suffering from this disease.
Foods to incorporate in your diet

• Fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
• Iron-rich foods like dark leafy greens, broccoli, beans, nuts, and seeds
• Omega 3 fatty acids rich foods like salmon, walnuts, chia and flax seeds
• Antioxidant-rich foods like oranges, berries, spinach and beetroot
• Herbs such as peppermint, ginger, turmeric and fennel seeds

Foods that can hamper hormonal regulation can easily worsen the symptoms of endometriosis and hence avoiding such foods can be quite beneficial for those who are suffering from this condition.

Here is a list of certain foods that can stimulate inflammation while worsening the condition.

Foods to scratch from your diet

• Dairy products like milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt
• Foods high in gluten like wheat, barley and white bread
• Foods that are rich in saturated and trans-fats like fried foods and processed foods
• Red meat
• Caffeine
• Alcohol

Endometriosis and Lifestyle

Since there is no direct evidence that lifestyle changes help women with endometriosis but clinically it is something that makes a huge difference to patients every day

The important parts of the lifestyle prescription for endometriosis are:

• Physical activity – Being active every day. It is recommended 30 minutes of exercise every day and a combination of walking or cardio and resistance training such as weights, yoga or Pilates.
• Sleep – Getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night is incredibly important for immune function. It is further known to decrease cortisol and insulin which results in lower inflammation and lower pain.
• Stress management and relaxation – Decreased cortisol can increase pain. So, incorporating a regular mindfulness practice has been clinically shown to reduce pain in patients with chronic pain.

Quick facts on endometriosis

Here are some basic key pointers about this painful disorder.

• Endometriosis generally disturbs about 6 to 10% of women of reproductive age.
• A lot of women often go undiagnosed.
• Women and families that are connected with this condition are often linked with various health ailments like allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.
• Endometriosis can lead to various complications like infertility.

Footnote
Endometriosis is a distressing disorder that can be managed with the proper treatments along with a healthy lifestyle. Make sure that you talk to a health expert and alter your dietary pattern to treat the condition.