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March is the dedicated month to endometriosis, a female pathology that affects only in Italy 3 million women, often causing disabling and devastating symptoms, particularly in the cycle and ovulation phase, such as chronic physical fatigue, amnesia and attention disorders. But they are above all the pelvic pains to make it difficult to live with the disease.
There is no definitive cure today. However, choosing the most appropriate foods to bring to the table can help reduce chronic inflammation determined by this anomaly ea improve symptoms. In fact, there are some foods that, although they are generally to be considered healthy, are to be limited if you suffer from endometriosis since they carry components that exacerbate inflammation (pro-inflammatory). On the other hand, there are foods that have components that counteract and reduce inflammation.
Changing your meal plan, introducing recommended foods and reducing those not recommended, has proven to be one of the best ways to reduce the symptoms of the disease and pains and to reduce or eliminate the use of drugs and pain relievers.
The diet for endometriosis
Starting from these assumptions, the Italian Endometriosis Foundation has been developing a type of supply which is based on four pillars. “The first – explains the prof. Pietro Giulio Signorile, president of the Italian Endometriosis Foundation – is a reduction in the intake of estrogenic foods; followed by an increase in antiestrogenic foods; the reduction of pro-inflammatory foods and the increase of anti-inflammatory foods. This reduces the hormones in the blood and the inflammation, hence the pain. But in addition to acting on the symptoms, the diet also acts on the pathology: by reducing estrogen, it also limits the growth rate of endometriosis“.
“A real ‘therapeutic food’ – adds the Dr. Maria Cassano, nutrition biologist of the Italian Endometriosis Foundation -. By following some specific nutritional recommendations, the body can in fact enjoy benefits “.
What to bring to the table, then? “A diet containing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances, such as turmeric and ginger, is to be preferred above all. An excess of saturated fats is sugarson the contrary, it could trigger a cascade of reactions capable of stimulating the activation of inflammatory mediators, while an adequate distribution of carbohydrates in the diet it allows to maintain insulin secretion within ranges favoring hormonal balance. Great attention must also be paid to the presence of endocrine dysregulators, hidden inside canned food, plastics and pesticides, capable of interfering with estrogen production “.
The foods recommended
Dried fruit; flax, chia and pumpkin seeds; salmon and small blue fish; avocado: they are all foods rich in ALA (alpha linolenic acid) fats, which help reduce inflammation associated with endometriosis by regulating the function of cytokines, molecules involved in inflammatory processes. In addition, they increase the production of prostaglandin PGE1 which reduces the level of abdominal inflammation caused by the disease.
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes contain dietary fiber which helps the body to:
- regulate the levels of certain hormones in the body
- adjust the latch insulin
- to reduce estrogen
It is recommended to increase the fibers by 20-30% and always include them at every meal.
The foods to reduce
There Red meat it is to be reduced to a minimum, white meat of controlled origin and breeding should be preferred; well to minimize also i dairy product due to the presence of casein and lactose. Finally, the gluten, to which women with endometriosis seem to be more sensitive, it is good to take it from whole and raw flours.
Foods to avoid
Sugars and refined products and saturated fats. Simple sugars, in particular, cause an inflammatory reaction, produce a more acidic environment in the body which promotes inflammation and thus endometriosis. It is therefore good to eliminate snacks, industrial biscuits, sugary drinks, products with white flour and refined sugar, but also fats such as butter and margarine. However, artisanal or homemade products with little sugar and wholemeal or low-gluten flours are permitted.
Coffee and energy drink. There caffeine increases abdominal cramps, estrogen levels and the body’s acidity level and therefore the chances of inflammation.
Fried foods and alcohol. Fried food can stimulate negative prostaglandins. Good liver function is vital as the liver will help eliminate excess estrogen from the body.
Soy, oats, aloe and rye. Soy contains xenoestrogens, which are proven to be toxic to estrogen-sensitive tissues and the thyroid. Rye and oats are to be avoided due to the high estrogen content.
Supplements yes or no?
Today, most of us need to supplement our diets with some of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to function optimally. Among the supplements and fundamental nutrients, if you suffer from endometriosis, there are: vitamin D; Omega 3; turmeric; quercetin; luteolin; feverfew; nicotinamide and calcium metifolate.
THE advantages of this diet for the woman suffering from the disease are different, assure the experts of the Foundation. As the reduction of cramps pelvic and their recurrence; the decrease of swelling and the improvement of the digestive process; the improvement of the state of inflammation; lowering of local estrogen levels; hormonal balance. Finally, bringing the right foods to the table contributes to a reduction in chronic physical fatigue.
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