Endometriosis & Nutrition

I have stage 4 endometriosis. It's a shitty, painful condition that is invisible to strangers and generally involves lots of surgeries and crazy hormonal treatments in order to, just, keep on top of the symptoms.

If I try to explain it in my own words it'll just come out as quite a lot of swearing, so here's the official NHS line:-

Endometriosis is a common condition in which small pieces of the womb lining (the endometrium) are found outside the womb. This could be in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder, bowel, vagina or rectum.

Endometriosis commonly causes pain in the lower abdomen (tummy), pelvis or lower back. It may also lead to fertility problems (see Symptoms of endometriosis for more information). However, some women have few or no symptoms.

The cause of endometriosis is uncertain, but there are several theories.

Endometriosis affects around 2 million women in the UK. Most of them are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 40.

There is no known cure for endometriosis. It is a chronic (long-term) condition that can cause pain, lack of energy, depression and fertility problems. However, symptoms can be managed and fertility improved with pain medication, hormone treatment or surgery, so that the condition does not interfere with your daily life.

After years of laparoscopies, being put through an early menopause for 3 months, pills & disciplinaries for absence from work I was told it was hysterectomy time or try to get pregnant, if I could, which was doubtful.

What do you know? I got pregnant very quickly and was given nearly 3 years of respite from pain until I stopped breastfeeding and the dreaded hormones kicked in again.

I've since discovered that my adhesions are so widespread that a hysterectomy would not bring me full relief of symptoms anyway. Stage 4 is the final stage and a lot of women have it much much worse than me.

This time round it's back in my life but I'm not going down the NHS route until it's totally necessary.

Back last year when I had a brief relapse during a lull in breastfeeding I discovered this website by Caroline Levett.

The ideas on this webpage, combined with research on nutrition I've read by Dian Shepperson Mills, create my view on endometriosis....and what to do to help yourself live with it. 

Endometriosis is a modern disease.

It's due to an imbalance of hormones, which are upset by various foods and other toxins.

We no longer spend most of our lives as women in a constant state of pregnancy or breastfeeding, firing babies out constantly like in olden times. We menstruate hundreds of times more in a lifetime than we normally would have.

We eat foods that our evolved bodies can no longer cope with, such as meats and dairy produce, and modern foods that are man-made soy, fast food, margarine etc. 

We're surrounded by toxins that are highly estronic (full of estrogen - bad!) in air fresheners, household cleaners, make-up, shampoos, cooking with plastics.

So... what to do to help yourself?

Food

Avoid:-

wheat, sugar, caffiene (the worst 3 for me), gluten, processed foods, trans fats, alcohol, refined foods, additives, butter, red meat (unless occasional organic lamb), processed soy products (tamari, miso & tofu are ok) & fried foods.

Use to your benefit foods that:-

are organic wherever possible

relax and relieve (linseed, oily fish, pumpkin seeds, shellfish & walnuts etc)

support the immune system (garlic, ginger, carrots, green decaf tea, onons & live yogurt etc)

reduce inflammation (garlic, onions & pineapple etc)

lower estrogen (broccoli, cabbage and turnips etc)

help the body fight its own reaction to estrogen using phytoestrogen (apples, beans, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chickpeas, fennel, garlic, lentils, nuts, parsley, peas, red berries, sage & seeds)

Stop heating things in tupperware and place a plate on top of a glass or ceramic bowl instead of clingfilm. 

There are lots more, just check out Caroline's page and buy the book and recipes if you like.

I also have a word document I made that I keep on the fridge & am happy to email it to you if you contact me on the right hand side, leaving your email address.

Exercise

Pretty straightforward. Walking is always a start. Yoga, pilates and swimming are relaxing, reviving and help make you supple, stretching out the adhesions.

Supplements (extrememely helpful)

Best to see a nutritionist before you mess about with this.

I take acidophilus, omega 3 oils & a good high magnesium multivitamin.

Now that I don't breastfeed I can add in evening primrose, agnus castus.

See what Dian says here (bottom of the page)

Alternative Therapies

If it's at all affordable try deep tissue massage, acupuncture is meant to be very effective.

I use a blend of 100ml base oil 2 drops clary sage, 2 drops rose, 1 drop rose, 2 drops bergamot & 2 drops geranium as a massage blend morning and night that can also be added to the bath.

By following the steps above I managed to cut out pain entirely within 2 weeks and wasn't a mental nutcase anymore. Granted, I was breastfeeding, so that would have done half of the work for me but it showed me how much I could do for myself by making some effort.

There's much more to it and I'll be adding more posts in about this as the weeks go on.

The main thing is to give it a proper go. I found eating this way expensive and hard-going at first, especially since cake is part of my social life!

Things that help make it easier

Cook in bulk and freeze

Don't just stick to gluten free cookbooks etc boring! (look through your current cookbooks for inspiration)

Drink plenty of water, juices and herbal teas - you won't dehydrate and feel hungry all the time

Carry around unsulphured dried fruits, chilli seeds, whatever keeps you going

Get on a forum for support

Get an organic box East Coast Organics in Edinburgh are mine and it's better and cheaper than a supermarket.

Find snacks you like (I will be reviewing as many of these as possible!)

Try honey (inflammatory so not too much but better than sugar), maple syrup & my fave...Agave Nectar

Get treats made - I had an everything (apart from chocolate) free wedding cake made with fresh chocolate truffle and scottish raspberries. Better to have one big good quality treat than speed eating 3 mars bars during a sugar craving.

Buy some doves farm plain gluten free flour to add to your usual recipes. 

Genius bread is....genius!

Cheating is ok every so often. We're off to a Michelin Star restaurant tomorrow and they'll be excluding wheat, gluten and oats for me but there's NO WAY I'm not having a pudding that special.


Affiliate links:
Endometriosis: A Key to Healing And Fertility Through Nutrition

Reclaim Your Life - Your Guide to Aid Healing of Endometriosis

Recipes for the Endometriosis Diet

I'll add to this post as I think of more so it will grow......

xxx