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Endometriosis diet
What to eat for endometriosis?
The diet in cases of endometriosis will help to control the pain and other characteristic symptoms of the disease.
FOODS SPECIALLY RECOMMENDED FOR UTERUS INFLAMMATION
Foods rich in phytoestrogens for endometriosis are specially recommended to treat endometriosis.
This type of food are able to reduce the excess of estrogens in premenstrual symptoms by avoiding or helping to balance the lack of estrogen during menopause.
Foods rich in phytoestrogens for endometriosis
Plants rich in these components help balance female hormones. Among the richest plants the following ones deserve a special attention:
Because of its content in isoflavones, soy is specially recommended to treat uterus inflammation
- Soybean: Studies with Asian women have demonstrated that soy isoflavones (especially genistein and daidzein) have a positive effect on menopausal symptoms because these compounds have plant phytoestrogenic properties. They
This involves both a reduction of “bad cholesterol” in the blood (LDL) and an increase of the “good cholesterol“(HDL) that benefits the sanguineous circulation and prevents heart problems. It also decreases the risk of breast cancer in women with excess of estrogen.
On the other hand, it prevents the occurrence of many symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, vaginal irritation, irregular periods, etc. or diseases which have much chance to develop after the loss of menstruation: the loss of bone mass or osteoporosis and heart disease.
It was found that Eastern women, who have on soy one of the main sources of food, show a much lower incidence in these diseases.
Studies conducted at the University of Illinois among postmenopausal women showed that those who were subjected to a soy diet not only managed to avoid the decrease in bone mass loss but they even increased it a 3%. The ones who did not ingest this legume lost a bit.
You can eat soy in many ways, both the vegetable legume and its derivatives, among which we can name tofu or soy dextrin, the latter is used as a meat substitute for its richness in protein and its similarity in texture.
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) As soy, alfalfa is rich in genistein and may help in improving the symptoms of menopause. The best way to eat would be through the buds sprouted.
Including flaxseeds in the diet helps women with endometriosis to feel better
- Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) The wealth in alphalinolenic acid and other unsaturated fatty acids in flaxseed protects the heart, preventing angina pectoris, atherosclerosis and lowering cholesterol. (Eating bread or preparations containing seeds of this plant)
The ingestion of food containing these acids helps prevent tumors in the breast and skin. The possibility of lignan phytoestrogens being effective in reducing breast cancer for their antioxidant, antiestrogenic and antitumor properties is being studied.
- Is wild yam and diosgenin good for endometriois?: (Dioscorea villosa) This is a vine that has been commonly used by natives in UNited States to treat a variety of disorders, mainly intestinal colic, hence they knew her as “The root for colic “. Subsequently, it was used to treat menstrual disorders, but it was in the late twentieth century when diosgenin was obtained from it to develop hormones to treat women’s problems.
Since this type of yam plant has more amount of diosgenin, some scholars suggest that eating this tuber may increase the level of estrogen.
However, more studies suggest that the human organism does not possess the appropriate enzymes to convert diosgenin into hormone.
Therefore, either the ingestion of extracts of diosgenin or the ingestion of wild yam root would have no special effect on the menopause or other female problems. (We must distinguish this kind of yam with sweet yam or common yam (Dioscorea bulbifera)
- Other foods that contain phytoestrogens are: sweet yam, celery, watercress, apples, dates, grenades, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.
Food rich in calcium for endometriosis
Calcium neutralizes the effects of the prostaglandins, responsible for the pains that occurs during menstruation in patients with endometriosis. Foods rich in calcium are:
- Vegetables such as garlic, onions, cabbages
- Fruits, like chestnuts, nuts, coconuts, figs, especially dry figs, apples, mangoes, bananas, avocados, almonds,
- (Raw bran used to activate the depositions inhibits the absorption of calcium)
- It is better to take foods such as whole grain cereals (oats is richer in calcium than wheat) or dry fruits (dry figs are ideal to prevent osteoporosis) to secure the same laxative effects. Both previously mentioned foods constitute outstanding examples by their fiber wealth.
Food rich in vitamin C for endometriosis
Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that help prevent the degeneration of the body and keep skin and hair in good condition. It can aid healing of the cysts or the numerous scars that occur outside the uterus.
* See content of vitamin C in food
More information on endometriosis.
