When I first embarked on my healing quest in 2013 changing food was the first place I started.
Let me summarize my years of research on this topic for you in a few words:
the “Endo Diet” doesn’t exist.
You heard me there is no such thing as an Endometriosis Diet.
I KNOW… I KNOW.
Millions of memes about it, what to eat, what not to eat etc…
But the research just isn’t there.
When I dug deep (as I do) there weren’t any conclusive studies on specific foods and endo (lots of studies that contradict but no singular conclusion).
To be honest I was frustrated.
I had been already following the “endo diet” for a few months and then to find it was completely bogus, I was upset.
Now don’t misinterpret what I’m saying, your food choices are very important and have a HUGE impact on the health of your microbiomes (yes plural), gut lining, inflammation levels, estrogen/hormone detox abilities, and overall health.
It’s just there is no “one diet fits all” what I found is that we are all bioindividuals.
That means we all run a bit differently based on our genes, microbiome, and environment.
So what works best for my body, microbiome and genes will be different than what works for you.
That said I learned there are a few basic “food principals” that are good to be aware of when building your new habits after a run-in with endometriosis.
In fact, to help you on your journey I created an in-depth course that will lead you through the process called “Beyond Endo Diet” built on principles below plus a few tips/tricks I learned through my own healing process. More on that later though.
For now here are the basics:
Principal # 1 – Clean Water
You are made up of 60% water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry:
- The Brain and heart are composed of 73% water
- Lungs are about 83% water
- Skin contains 64% water
- Muscles and kidneys are 79%
- Even the bones are watery at 31%
So I would be remiss if I didn’t start with the most important thing to watch for when starting your endo healing journey.
CLEAN WATER + CLEAN CONTAINERS
There are strong relationships in different studies between hormone disruption and BPA plastics. So no more bottled water or plastic containers for your drinking water. You don’t want those nasty plastics leaching into your water or food.
Hello toxin exposure.
ACTION: Install an RO filter where you live (I like this one) and start to fill up metal or glass containers with clean water and take them with you while on the go.
I like Klean Kanteen and Ello
We want your cells working optimally with clean water, not hormone-disrupting chemicals!
Principal #2 – Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
This isn’t going to be a popular principal. I get it.
Let’s start with Alcohol. Simply put it taxes the liver and gets prioritized over estrogen detox and other harmful things waiting in line to be detoxed. That means keep in mind every time you drink your body is putting off estrogen detox and putting much needed energy into alcohol detox.
Caffeine and coffee are a little more complex as there are genetics that allow for “quick caffeine metabolism” and “slow caffeine metabolism.”
Sadly I am a slow metabolizer and have thyroid snps so high caffeine anything and me are not friends.
That said even if you can metabolize it quickly there are a few reasons to keep an eye on your intake as you heal from endo and balance your hormones.
- Coffee increases blood sugar levels
- Coffee can create sugar and carb cravings
- Coffee contributes to acid reflux and can damage the gut lining
- Coffee exhausts the adrenals (not good for HPA axis balancing)
- Worsens PMS
- Can be a gluten cross reactive food
- Impacts the thyroid and conversion of T4 to T3
- Can cause inflammation
ACTION: Only drink alcohol very occasionally (if at all). When you do keep some activated charcoal around to drink after you are done to help with detox.
Swap your morning coffee for an anti-inflammatory latte (recipe in my breakfast guide here). Or swap for dandelion tea (this is my fave). It tastes like coffee but supports your liver and adrenals instead of taxing them.
Principal #3 – If it didn’t live or breathe DON’T eat it!
This means you should eat clean healthy nutrient-dense foods from nature.
NOT Frankenfoods made by man (looking at you Oreos).
The amount of toxins and garbage ingredients in “food-like” products today is outstanding. I don’t even have time to list them all.
ACTION: Start to take stock of your everyday eating habits to see how many of your foods are simple “one ingredient” foods and how many are extremely processed with labels you can’t pronounce.
If you can’t pronounce it and don’t know what it is likely your body and microbiomes don’t know what it is either.
Principal #4 – Remove Rancid and Hydrogenated Oils POST HASTE!
There is lots of solid evidence now that poor quality oils equal poor quality cell membranes (which you don’t want when you are already having a hard time with senescent endo cells). We want healthy cells that work in coordination with the immune system to fight off viruses, bad bacteria, fungi and yeast.
ACTION: Swap vegetable oils, seed oils, and corn-based oils for Ghee, grass-fed butter, coconut oil (for high heat cooking), and avocado oil.
Principal #5 – Eat Organic as much as possible
Now on this one, there is lots of science that women with endo have high toxin levels and that pesticides and glyphosate are known carcinogens (disrupt DNA/cellular processes) & endocrine disruptors (aka hormone disruptors).
ACTION: Swap high GMO pesticide laden foods like soy, corn, wheat and strawberries with organic (or cut them all together for a time).
On a budget? Then check out EWGs Dirty Dozen list and buy those organic to start.
Principal #6 – Eliminate artificial sweeteners and reduce sugar
Blood sugar balance is SUPER important for balanced hormones and a healthy microbiome.
I’m sure by now you’ve heard sugar is inflammatory and it is when consumed in excess.
ACTION: Swap liver harming artificial sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup and aspartame for all natural ones like raw honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Keep your blood sugar balance in check by eating treats after a meal and fast insulin spiking foods from time to time.
Principal #7 – Find your Food Sensitivities (triggers)
Food sensitivities are an issue when starting to heal your gut and immune system. They are different for every person so the best way to find yours is with an elimination diet for a time. Remember you won’t live on the elimination diet as that’s bad for your gut and microbiome long term but you will want to try it for a period of 3 to 4 weeks to see what is causing symptoms.
Common Food allergens are:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Soy
- Wheat/Gluten
- Tree Nuts
- Shellfish
- Corn
- Nightshades for some
ACTION: Remember everyone’s food sensitivities are different. Find yours by watching for immune/histamine flares (could be pain, bloating, rashes, skin issues, sinus issues, clogged ears, GI distress) or something else not normal for your body! Listen to it!
**Dairy, so some people are completely intolerant and others it depends on the dairy. In the beginning while healing the gut and immune response it’s a good idea to eliminate dairy. When you reintroduce make a note of the quality of the dairy and what animal it came from. I can tolerate sheep’s and goat’s products from time to time but not Cow’s milks or cheeses very well (they are different types of casein). Same goes for duck vs chicken eggs. Some people can’t tolerate chicken eggs well but duck eggs are a different protein structure. Find what works for your body in these areas!
Principal #8 – Red Meat can be good for you… BUT quality & quantity matter!
One of my biggest pet peeves when reading ridiculously simplistic “endo diet” memes across the internet is that they typically say “no red meat.”
So this isn’t based on solid research or even clinical practice (when you interview doctors). The studies that do exist on painful periods and red meat didn’t examine the most important part of the equation which is the health of the animal.
Here is what I’ve learned… if the animal was unhealthy then so will your cells. If the animal was fed pesticide-laden GMO grains, never got any exercise or sun because it was locked in a small pen or caged, given antibiotics and growth hormones then its food products and meat will be inflammatory to your body.
Some of it is toxins and some of it is omega ratio.
On the flip side, women with endo tend to have similar genetic weaknesses in their gut, thyroid, and immune system. So for us, it’s typically hard to digest foods with lots of antinutrients (most plants, beans, and grains) and in general, we need easier to digest proteins and nutrients to maintain healthy levels of iron, thyroid hormones, and energy.
ACTION: If you want faster gut-healing I highly suggest finding a local farmer you trust or an online service like ButcherBox. If you have some space maybe it’s time to start raising some of your own animals! No better way to know if they are truly healthy or not!
Principle #9 – Find your rhythm
As women, we have cyclical needs and you’ll need different nutrients and support during different phases of your cycle. As such start to listen to and find that rhythm.
Remember you’re a bioindividual; the best way to find a sustainable pattern of healthy eating is to continually experiment, stay curious, and speak kindly to your body when things don’t go right or you experience a flare. We’ve all been there and you can learn from the experience and do better next time.
If you need additional support feel free to get on the waitlist for the upcoming Beyond Endo Diet class.
For more support while you change your habits, join our support group!