Endometriosis Diet

Before starting any specific diet for endometriosis, several factors must be considered:

• Your current body weight
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Ultrasound evaluation of your endometriosis
• Fertility goals and treatment
• Endometriosis-related pain levels
• Presence of deep endometriosis and nodules involving the bowel and/or the Ureter
• Any pre-existing medical conditions

All these aspects must be carefully reviewed with your care team before any dietary changes.

I want to make this clear: diet does not cure endometriosis. Nor does it replace the need for medical management. This point has to be made absolutely clear in the mind of the patient before subjecting them to any form of a promise.

However, what diet can do is support symptom management and help reduce inflammation, which is the key driver behind many of the symptoms of endometriosis.

The Anti-Inflammatory Approach

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition. This means that your body is in a constant state of inflammation, and that can make everything from pain to digestion worse. So, an anti-inflammatory diet can be a helpful tool in your overall management plan.

• Chronic pelvic pain
• Abdominal bloating
• Gassy, uncomfortable distension 

If you are a patient who is experiencing symptoms like severe pain while passing stools (a symptom known as dyschezia) or severe pain while having intercourse, which is called dyspareunia, then please note that diet may or may not reduce this type of symptomatology.

Diet alone may not offer significant relief. These symptoms often suggest deeper involvement of the bowel or pelvic nerves, which usually needs medical or surgical attention.

Many patients with endometriosis also suffer from digestive issues. This is because of something called the gut-pelvic axis. It’s the connection between your digestive tract and your pelvic organs, and when inflammation is high, this communication gets disrupted.

That’s why certified nutritionists often focus on an approach that involves anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and low-FODMAP foods.

Here comes the importance of understanding, what is a high FODMAP?

Many excellent nutritional planners are available across our country.

Please remember that if you were to continue this diet for approximately 3 months, and this is from my personal experience of interacting with a lot of young girls, you may experience approximately 50 to 70% benefit in the following symptoms:

1. Abdominal bloating.
2. Constipation.
3. Gaseous distension.
4. Vague abdominal pain.
5. Irritability.

Along with all the necessary diet requirements that have been mentioned above, one has to make sure that the patient stays very well hydrated during this therapy.

Please, one more time, be very certain that none of this diet is an alternative to medical or surgical management. Whatever is indicated as far as your case of endometriosis is concerned. 

We have seen the benefits of this diet extend to the majority of situations for patients who are already operated on and are in a post-surgical situation.

The average cost of consulting a good certified nutritionist in India would come to approximately ₹6,000-₹10,000. 

The average cost of following this diet for an Indian household will come to approximately ₹9000 per month.

If you’re struggling with endometriosis, know this: you’re not alone, and you don’t have to do this blindly. Diet, when planned with proper medical and nutritional support, can play a very important role in symptom management and improving quality of life.

Always remember: your plan should be personalized. Just because something worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you.

So, please don’t follow random diets from the internet. Instead, speak to an endometriosis specialist, Dr. Jay Mehta; ask for a referral to a certified nutritionist; and take a balanced, evidence-based approach.

If you’re looking for expert, ethical care for endometriosis in India, our team at Shree IVF and Endometriosis Clinic, Mumbai, is here to help.

Let’s see if you’re eligible! Just fill out this quick form, and we’ll let you know your eligibility for the same. 

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