Have you heard of Endometriosis?
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month and this is a health condition which needs more awareness! This painful condition affects 1 in 10 women in the UK, causing very painful, heavy periods and for some, infertility.
My endometriosis experience
It took 9 years for me to get my diagnosis of endometriosis. I visited numerous GPs complaining of monthly period pains and heavy periods. I was repeatedly told that it was “quite normal” to experience debilitating period pain and was prescribed strong painkillers that made little difference.
It was only by meeting a friend through work who told me that she had Endometriosis, that I ever heard of the condition. She described her symptoms and I knew this was what I had. I went to my GP and asked for a referral to a gynaecologist and sure enough I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. After my unsuccessful medical treatment, my mother read an article about a Nutritional Therapist, Dian Mills, who specialised in managing Endometriosis through diet. I read her book cover to cover and then made an appointment to see Dian.
My symptoms had improved dramatically within 3 months of changing my diet. I no longer dreaded the arrival of my period and was delighted 6 months later to find myself pregnant. I had been told by the gynaecologist that it would be very unlikely that I would be able to conceive naturally.
This sparked my interest in nutrition and I decided to retrain as a Nutritional Therapist so that I could share my passion about how powerful food is in managing your health.
How diet can help with endometriosis
Diet can have a huge impact on our hormones. Endometriosis, along with other hormonal imbalances such as Premenstrual Syndrome, is driven by excess Oestrogen. Diet can be very effective for balancing hormones, which can result in a reduction in the severity of symptoms.
Here are my top 5 tips for balancing hormones:
- Increase your intake of essential fats by eating more oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocadoes. Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition and Omega 3, found in oily fish can help reduce inflammation.
- Reduce your intake of saturated fat (found in animal products such as meat and dairy products)
- Ensure that you maximise your fibre intake so that the body can effectively excrete old hormones. Try to eat 6 -8 portions of vegetables and fruit a day.
- Eat phytoestrogen rich foods daily (berries, apples, nuts, seeds, broccoli, wholegrains, lentils, chickpeas, peppers)
- Reduce your exposure to xeno-oestrogens (chemicals which exert oestrogen-like effects on the body) – choose organic skin care products and minimise your use of plastics
Book our Women’s Health seminar where over the course of 45 minutes we can inform your female staff on how to take back control of their hormonal health through simple dietary changes
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