3 ways to treat endometriosis
DR NAT KRINGOUDIS shares 3 ways to treat endometriosis.
There are things you can do to treat endometriosis that don’t involve surgery. But whether you are having surgery or not, it’s important to make changes to your diet and lifestyle to keep it from either coming back or getting worse.
Anything inflammatory will worsen endometriosis. Foods that cause inflammation and disrupt gut function include:
- refined foods (like fast food)
- spicy foods
- dairy
- meat (if poorly prepared)
- sugars/fructose
Diet
Cold, raw foods can aggravate and worsen symptoms of endometriosis. I ask my clients to experiment and try four weeks of limiting raw and refrigerated foods. Remember that your body speaks to you through symptoms, so if you find that by doing this your digestion and menstrual symptoms are lessened, continue with it for at least three menstrual cycles to really allow the body to heal.
Stress
Just like with PCOS, any stress load on the body will worsen symptoms. This extends to exercise, emotional wellness and general lifestyle. Gentle to moderate exercise is much better for you than high intensity. Physical activity will help to manage endometriosis for many women, as it assists in moving the stuck endometrial blood out of the body.
Female hygiene
Finally, feminine hygiene products need to be considered. It’s been reported that women who use organic, toxin-free sanitary products noticed improvement with the level of pain and clotting during their periods. Anything that irritates the body will lead to inflammation and pain, so I always recommend organic pads to women with endometriosis. Using tampons may contribute to limiting and hampering blood flow.
There are a few more tips I suggest to those with endometriosis. Consider:
- abdominal massage
- meditation (especially to help with pain management)
- building emotional health
- simple heat packs over the lower abdomen to encourage blood flow
In a nut shell – balancing your hormones and moving towards wellness doesn’t necessarily differ between diagnosis. The same lifestyle approach applies no matter what – whether it is endometriosis, PCOS or hormone imbalance. Our bodies thrive with love and care and all it takes is a shift in mindset to begin your journey towards greater wellness.
Want to learn more about endometriosis and PCOS? Check out The Vajayjay Diaries entry series here.
