Pain is a common symptom caused by endometriosis, other symptoms include bloating, IBS, low mood or mood swings and fatigue.

While the cause of endometriosis is not fully understood, it is known that inflammation is involved in the development of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is an estrogen dependent disease, in fact levels of estrogen in menstrual blood and peritoneal fluids are higher in patients with endometriosis (1). Estrogen can actually facilitate the progression of endometriosis through the promotion of inflammatory processes such as the recruitment of macrophages and can alter nerve sensitivity (1).

In addition to pain, inflammation is linked to mood disorders like depression, poor gut health and fatigue (2). So natural remedies for endometriosis should focus on reducing inflammation and support the digestive system so that estrogen can be metabolised and cleared from the body appropriately.

Natural remedies for treating endometriosis

Let me start by saying treating endo naturally is a lifestyle choice, it's not a quick fix. These are some of the ways I've used to treat my endo (in-conjunction with medical approaches like surgery) and I rarely experience pain these days which is fantastic. I'd also like to say that I've worked with health professionals to work out what's best for my body when it comes to diet, supplements and herbs. Especially if you have coinciding conditions with endo that are really giving you trouble then I'd suggest seeing a qualified health professional.

Eat a healthy diet

Yep, you knew it was going to be first up. To put it simple, it your diet is rubbish, you're going to feel like that. What I eat plays a crucial role in how I feel. There is no one diet for endometriosis; so experiment and find what works for you, it might just mean cutting out processed food and eating wholefoods.

My diet is mostly wholefoods, so 2 serves of fruit in the morning and about 7 serves of veggies a day. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage are helpful because they contain phyotchemicals called glucosinolates which assist in the metabolism of estrogen. I aim for at least 5 serves of cruciferous vegetables every week.

I also eat lean red meat (grass fed) once a week, fish and free-range chicken and eggs a few times a week as well. I don't eat a lot of dairy, maybe some goats cheese a couple of times per week. I replace milk with nutritious plant based milks like rice milk and help milk. I avoid eating too many grains because I feel they contribute to my IBS symptoms.

Improve your gut health

So you can see now that having a healthy gut is important to remove excess hormones like estrogen. My previous article about gut health explains in a lot more detail why women with endometriosis have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is linked to the endometriosis adhesions creating structural changes, an unhealthy microbiome and intestinal permeability (leaky gut); these gut health issues are linked to chronic low-grade inflammation, poor digestion and liver function (3).

Improving my gut health through diet has been so important for me. I've tried a lot of different approaches but I've tailored my diet based on what works for me, this means little to no processed food and not too many carbohydrates that are difficult to digest like sweet potato and wholegrains. I'm also gluten free and avoid alcohol which I find to be major triggers for both endometriosis and IBS.

Reduce or manage your stress

I'm not sure everyone acknowledges this one, but for me stress is a MASSIVE trigger. There's a lot of evidence that chronic stress is linked to poor health.

I practise yoga, meditate and walk my dogs, but your stress management techniques might be different. Just find time to do things just for you, whatever makes you feel good.

Fish oil

I found taking regular doses of fish daily helped long term with all of my endometriosis and gut health symptoms.

There is some evidence that endometriosis lesion development may be suppressed by omega-3 fatty acids (4). Additionally, a study found that women who report a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids have a lower risk of having endometriosis (4).

While omega-3 fats are found in many foods, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in particular has a suppressive effect on endometriosis (4). EPA is mainly found in fatty fish which is why fish oil can be beneficial.

Fish oil is sensitive to heat and it's also important the oil has been checked for levels of chemicals like mercury. So my suggestion is to talk to your practitioner or local health food store about finding a good quality brand and to find out the best dose for you.

Magnesium

I love magnesium, it helps me with reducing pain, anxiety and helps to promote sleep. There are different forms of magnesium, I take about 400mg of magnesium citrate daily which also helps with my digestion.

Curcumin

Curcumin is the active constituent in turmeric that contributes to it's anti-inflammatory benefits. When my endo pain was really in full-flight I was taking curcumin supplements. These days I just eat a lot of turmeric, personally I think a turmeric latte is one of the best inventions around.

Apply heat

If you have endo you probably know that a heat pack is one of the best ways of relieving pain. I use a lavender heat pack that you could place in the microwave and then straight on my abdomen - it helps with sleep too.

There is so much more to treating endometriosis naturally; these are the main ways I've been improving my health and reducing my endo symptoms. I should mention quickly, speak to a healthcare professional when using supplements, even natural remedies can interact with medicines or be unsuitable for certain people. Oh and chat to your doctor if you're having surgery because fish oil and curcumin shouldn't be taken around this time.

I'd love to know from you what your favourite natural remedies for endometriosis are. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

Meredith x

References

1. Liang, Y., Xie, H., Wu, J., Liu, D., & Yao, S. (2018). Villainous role of estrogen in macrophage-nerve interaction in endometriosis. Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 16(1), 122. doi:10.1186/s12958-018-0441-z

2. Koopman, M & El Aidy, S. (2017). Depressed gut? The microbiota-diet-inflammation trialogue in depression. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 30(5):369–377. Doi 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000350

3. Schoenfeld P. S. (2016). Advances in IBS 2016: A Review of Current and Emerging Data. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 12(8 Suppl 3), 1-11. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5210026/

4. Hopeman, M. M., Riley, J. K., Frolova, A. I., Jiang, H., & Jungheim, E. S. (2014). Serum Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Endometriosis. Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), 22(9), 1083-7. Doi: 10.1177/1933719114565030