By Tayla Lovering

Firsty, it’s important to identify if you currently have any signs/ symptoms of Endometriosis (a comprehensive list is shown below). It is also important to visit your doctor for further investigations, a laparoscopy is the only reliable method of an Endometriosis diagnosis which is a surgical procedure where they extract a tissue sample from your abdomen to examine.

The Naturopathic approach to Endometriosis care is to support each case holistically, ensuring we uncover your individual and very unique health picture to get the best results. You can book a Naturopathic consultation or a free discovery chat via the link HERE to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Dysmenorrhoea (period pain)

• Mittelschmerz (ovulation pain)

• Heavy or long menstrual bleeding

• Pain with intercourse

• Pelvic pain

• Hot flushes prior to menstruation/ ovulation

• Vaginal thrush (especially premenstrually)

• Pre-menstrual urinary tract infections

• Nausea/ vomiting

• Abdominal bloating

• IBS symptoms (diarrhoea, constipation)

• Headaches

• Chronic fatigue

• Depression/ anxiety

• Thigh/leg/ back pain

• Hypoglycaemia

• Anaemia (especially iron deficiency)

• Infertility

Main treatment goals:

• Support symptom management

• Address and restore gut health

• Optimise immune function

• Decrease inflammation

• Rebalance hormones (decrease Estrogen, increase Progesterone)

• Support and restore the nervous system

• Engage additional supportive modalities - acupuncture, psychology/counselling and pelvic floor physiotherapists. 

 Dietary Support:

Remove/ reduce

• Gluten (a gluten-free diet has been shown to improve Endometriosis symptoms in 75% of Endometriosis sufferers, so this is a great place to start).

• Other inflammatory foods (sugar, alcohol, dairy, vegetable oils/ trans fats)

• Reduce caffeine intake & drink your coffee after food!

• Tune into what foods seem to be causing your digestive system havoc (working with a practitioner can help with this process)

• Lower intake of Histamine foods as histamine has an additive effect on estrogen levels, worsening Endometriosis (alcohol, fermented foods, dried fruits, eggplant, spinach, processed meats, shellfish)

• Reduce/ eliminate Dairy (casein) if not well tolerated.

Include/ Increase:

• Incorporate a primarily anti-inflammatory whole-food diet.

• Include anti-inflammatory herbs/ spices (turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, ginger)

• Consume plenty of beneficial fats (oily fish, avocados, nuts & seeds, ghee, extra virgin olive oil, organic butter if dairy is tolerated)

• Consume dietary fibres to help with daily bowel motions

• Include indole-3-carbinol-containing foods to enhance Estrogen detoxification (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and other brassicas)

 Lifestyle Support:

• Opt for organic personal care products wherever possible to limit exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), using an app called Yuka can help to find if the products you are using are endocrine disrupting.

• Enjoy movement practices that feel good – regular movement improves circulation, decreases inflammation, and assists in detoxification processes.

• Manage your stress – stress plays a huge part in increasing inflammation within the body, try breath work, meditation, yin yoga, visualisation, and walking. If you feel additional support is needed here or you find it difficult to manage your stress, consider working with a mental health practitioner or you can gain herbal or nutritional support from a Naturopath.

• Avoid tampons or menstrual cups as this has been shown to be a potential contributing factor to endometrial growth as it works like ‘reflux menstruation’ or retrograde menstruation.

Endometriosis is certainly not a simple condition, but it can be made so much easier whilst working with a practitioner to uncover what is truly driving Endometriosis for you. Knowledge is power and the more you equip yourself with a truly holistic understanding and approach, the sooner you will gain the relief you deserve.

If you ever need help or someone to listen to, I am always here to support you.

Click For Endometriosis Support

With so much love,

Tayla