Diet

I am trying to control my symptoms as naturally as possible and wondered if anyone could advise on the low inflammation diet I have seen people mention? I have coeliac so am already gluten free but wondered if there was any other changes I could try. I don't eat meat either haven't for over 20 years. For me the worst symptom is "endo belly" - the digestive issues and bloating drives me crazy. I am 5"10, size 8 build with a normally flat tummy but my stomach can genuinely look 6+ months pregnant on a bad day and my normal clothes won't fit - it is very frustrating and I exercise a lot and practise yoga to try relax more. It effects my confidence massively and I know appearance isn't everything but the uncomfortable feeling makes me feel really low! Thanks xx

[AllWeNeedIsluv]

Do you take probiotics and digestive v enzymes xx

[Hidden in reply to AllWeNeedIsluv]

Yes I do xx

[Emalouisa]

Hello I researched this a few months ago after having my second op in August and came across the endo diet I've completely changed my diet I eat no meat and no dairy there's a whole list of foods to avoid and foods that are good 😊 check it out endo-resolved.com I hope this helps you like it's helped me

[JulesUK]

I was just wondering if you don't eat meat do you eat a lot of soy? I truely believe soy contributed greatly to my endo.

[Hidden in reply to JulesUK]

Hi JulesUK, no I don't really have much soy intake at all. I do eat fish, so get my protein from that, or eggs or lentils/chickpeas. I use quorn occasionally but not often and i drink almond milk as I prefer it to any other type! I'll check other things I eat to see if they contain soy though, thanks

[JulesUK in reply to Hidden]

Ok it was just a thought. I've recently cut right down on carbs (I've tried and failed before just enjoy carbs!) and I'm currently reading two books on gut health. The clever guys diet my Michael Moseley and the gut makeover by Jeanette Hyde and I'm taking resistant starch. hoping it will make me feel less generally groggy and my clothes will stop feeling tight from one day to the next. I tried kifir but even though it helped with stomach issue I don't think the milk agreed with my endo.

[Hidden in reply to JulesUK]

Thanks! I will take a look at those, I am the same and feel groggy and bloated a lot so am willing to make changes

[JulesUK in reply to Hidden]

It's a pain isn't it sometimes I wonder what we CAN eat!! Good luck. 😊

[JulesUK in reply to Hidden]

The clever GUTS diet not the clever GUYs diet 😂😂

[Starry in reply to JulesUK]

Soy can be an allergen and inflammatory for people (as can dairy and gluten be) so some endo sufferers do do better off it, but the American book that put out there that soy causes Endo is scientifically ten years out of date and the theory it supports had 50:50 conflicting evidence even then as being positive vs negative. It's eaten extensively in Japan where there is low incidence of Endo.

The latest clinical research has established there are a limited number of oestrogen receptors as as soy phytoestrogens are weaker than our estradiol which causes Endo and cancer they actually have a net slightly positive effect I taking up a slot that estradiol otherwise would.

empowher.com/endometriosis/...

cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

academic.oup.com/jnci/artic...

[JulesUK in reply to Starry]

Thank you for the information and links. I can only go on personal experience, I had no health issues/clear scans etc then my diet went heavily on soy - milk, meat replacements etc etc for a number of years and I became very ill. I'll never know if it was the soy or whether it would have always happened but I personally believe it was a contributing factor and I choose to keep it to a minimum. Everybody's' body (!) is different and I think it's just working out what does and doesn't work/worsen for you.

[Starry in reply to JulesUK]

Certainly please don't blame yourself or changing what you eat for getting Endo. Endo existed as a hormone disease long before we created soya milk and the like. XXX

Eating for liver Health is probably the single most important dietary factor as it's the liver that manages our hormone balance.

womensinternational.com/pdf...

For what it's worth I suspect if anything for me it likely had a mild protective benefit in delaying my Endo progression as I consumed it pretty extensively since late teens being veggie with a nut allergy. If it was genuinely causative I would definitely have been utterly riddled with Endo by age 42 not just have one single Endo nodule.

I suspect (and this also is just my opinion now) what it has in common with gluten and dairy is that it's been manipulated heavily by the food industry and no longer resembles its original form when humans first ate it and then on top, along with wheat gets sprayed heavily with presticdes which leaves residues.

I only eat organic, traced soya and tofu from premium brands and am wary of it as a padder in cheap own brand processed foods.

If you're concerned about soy GMO then you need to eat organic meat too as high numbers of animals are fed on GM and sprayed soy or maize these days and there no requirement to label this on meat in supermarkets so it is in our food chain just indirectly.

[JulesUK in reply to Starry]

Its ok it never occurred to me to blame myself lol. I'm of the opinion that what causes health problems for one person may not for someone else. It's just about getting to the stage where you know (as much as is possible) what works for you. I agree about liver health it's got such an important job to do without us making its job harder. I'm not concerned about soya because I made up my mind it's not for me. Nutrition interests me anyway so I enjoy reading up about it, and putting it into practice... though sometimes you do just need to say 'sod this' 😂 thanks for all the links and useful information. 😊

[JulesUK]

P.s the book does say beans and pulses should be left out (at least initially) as they can cause bloating (and other problems she goes in to explain in the book).

[Abi_97]

I've heard ginger is a good anti inflammatory 🤔 Have you looked on Pinterest they have lists of anti inflammatory stuff 🤔

[Hidden in reply to Abi_97]

That's good news as I love everything ginger! No I will take a look, thanks x

[Starry]

Yes ginger and also to a greater extent turmeric have anti inflammatory properties as they both contain curcurmin. An excellent website resource to check out actual scientific evidence behind food nutrition and supplement health claims you come across is examine.com

examine.com/supplements/gin...

examine.com/supplements/cur...

[TAnd71]

I can recommend the endo diet..

I dont do it completely. I dont smoke,drink alcohol,fizzy drinks or coffee...but I try to make my complex carbs a third of what I eat during a meal. I juice for the first part of the day.. then warm lunch, afternoon snack and warm dinner. Im slim and have to watch that im getting enough carbs and calories as endo diet is basically vegan.

So no inflammatory fruits, veggies. I treat myself on the weekend with no no foods...ice cream, chocolate or cake..but just one... so if I.know I want a dessert on Saturday night, I dont have a hot chocolate during the day, or other treats. I think you are doing everything you can to help yourself. Yoga, exercise,no meat. Animal products are meant to be the worst. If I do eat meat I eat biological..

Good luck