Endometriosis is caused by a chronic inflammatory process, so you should eat as little meat as possible. Foods that are not tolerated or foods that are high in histamine can also make symptoms worse.
Endometriosis is a painful chronic inflammatory disease that affects millions of women in Germany. Hormone therapy is often attempted, but this is often very stressful due to its side effects.
A change in diet alone can have an enormous impact. Nutritional therapy is based on several pillars, in particular:
Inhibition of chronic inflammation through an anti-inflammatory diet with good fats and secondary plant substances
Reduction of irritants such as histamine
if overweight: Lowering estrogen levels by losing excess weight.
Eating anti-inflammatory foods
Meat consumption should be limited, as red meat and sausage in particular contain many substances that promote inflammation. These include arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that is found primarily in pork. Too much sugar also promotes inflammation. It is therefore sensible to limit the consumption of snacks, sweets, pastries and white flour products. Wheat also has an inflammatory effect for some people.
Cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli and red cabbage.
Instead, the menu should include lots of vegetables. There are Recent studies suggest that cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli may have a positive effect on inflammation in endometriosis. They also influence the water balance in the tissue: less water, less swelling and potentially less discomfort. Other actually healthy vegetables such as garlic, onions and pulses, on the other hand, often have a bloating effect, which could increase endometriosis pain.
Omega-3 fatty acids also effectively support the body in fighting inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids are found particularly in fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel, as well as in high-quality linseed oil. Other sources of Omega-3 include rapeseed oil, walnut oil and hemp oil.
Be aware of intolerances and allergies in endometriosis
Endometriosis rarely occurs in isolation – autoimmune diseases or intestinal problems due to intolerances or allergies are quite common companions. A diagnostic evaluation is worthwhile. Avoiding gluten, for example, can sometimes lead to a significant improvement in symptoms. What exactly needs to be avoided can be found out by keeping a food diary. Professional support (nutritional medicine or through Nutritionists) can be enormously helpful here.
To protect the intestines, those affected should only eat small amounts of vegetables that cause gas, such as raw onions, garlic, cabbage and pulses, and avoid raw foods in the evening. Other tips: enjoy coffee and alcohol in moderation, drink still water and avoid freshly baked bread.
Cycle-dependent histamine omission in endometriosis
All of these should be avoided if you are sensitive to histamine.
Since histamines can increase pain and many sufferers are particularly sensitive to this, a cycle-dependent Eliminating histamines helps to alleviate the symptoms. An elimination diet lasting a good four weeks can be used to determine whether and to what extent avoiding histamines improves the symptoms. Since a low-histamine diet is very restrictive, it is important to keep a food and symptom diary and then only eliminate what is really causing symptoms. It can be a good idea to avoid foods that contain histamine a week before your period and during your period. Histamine is found in chocolate, red wine, tomatoes, spinach, avocado and lactic acid fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, as well as in very mature cheeses and sausages.
Balance your hormones with weight loss
Being overweight changes the hormone balance. The fact that belly fat sends out inflammatory messengers makes the symptoms worse. Losing weight can lower the hormone level and thus prevent new endometriosis tissue from growing.
What to eat with endometriosis: foods and recipes
If you change your diet to include anti-inflammatory foods (see below), you can alleviate your symptoms and save on some medication. If you are sensitive to histamine, please also take the following – depending on your cycle, if necessary: Please note the histamine list (PDF)!
Further information
Eating anti-inflammatory foods can improve endometriosis symptoms. Eating lots of vegetables is important. more
An anti-inflammatory diet can alleviate endometriosis. Other things may need to be considered individually. Download (107 KB)
2 palm-sized portions/day
Recommended: Baked goods without wheat: fine wholemeal bread – preferably toasted, wholemeal crispbread, wholemeal rolls, wholemeal rice; quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth; oat flakes, muesli without sugar; jacket potatoes
Not recommended: White flour products: white bread, croissants, crispbread, rusks, wheat and milk rolls, pretzels; (hard) wheat pasta, chips, croquettes, mashed potatoes, potato pancakes; fast food, convenience products
maximum 1 small handful/day
Limited recommendable: at least 80% dark chocolate (contains histamine)
Not recommended: Sweets, sweet baked goods, sweet dairy products (see below), ice cream, chips, salty biscuits; Caution because of histamine: chocolate and sweets with chocolate; sweets with nuts, nougat, marzipan
1-2 servings/day (total approx. 150 g)
Recommended: all low-sugar fruits such as apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, peaches, plums, nectarines, sour cherries, pomegranates, watermelon; Be careful with histamine: Avocado, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, papaya, citrus fruits (grapefruit, limes, tangerines, oranges, lemons); overripe fruit
Limited recommendable: high-sugar or histamine-containing varieties such as Pineapple, banana, pear, honeydew melon, persimmon, mango, sweet cherries, grapes, dried fruit
Not recommended: sweetened fruit preserves and fruit puree; candied or sweetened dried fruit
3 servings/day (total approx. 400 g)
Recommended: all types of lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower florets, fennel, cucumber, carrots, zucchini, radishes, beetroot, celery, asparagus; herbs; Be careful with histamine: Eggplant, avocado, tomato, spinach, mushrooms, fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut; legumes; canned vegetables
Limited recommendable: flatulent vegetables such as Legumes, cabbage, garlic, peppers, onions
approx. 30 g/day = a small handful, chew well!
Recommended: Macadamia nuts, coconut, chestnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, psyllium seeds, linseed, pumpkin seeds; in moderation and only according to individual tolerance: almonds; Be careful with histamine: Peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pecans, pine nuts, sunflower seeds
Less recommendable: salted nuts
approx. 2-3 tablespoons/day
Recommended: omega-3-rich vegetable oils such as linseed oil* (*manufactured without oxygen, heat and light), hemp oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil; a little butter; for frying: coconut oil; Be careful with histamine: Walnut oil
Not recommended: Pork and goose fat, clarified butter, palm fat, mayonnaise, sunflower oil, safflower oil
approx. 2 litres/day
Recommended: still water, unsweetened tea (fennel, chamomile, peppermint, sage, verbena); Be careful with histamine: black coffee, green and black tea
Not recommended: Fruit juice, soft drinks, milk drinks (see below), alcohol
2 portions of 125 g each/week
Recommended: Trout, halibut, cod, carp, salmon, plaice, sole, turbot; Be careful with histamine: Tuna, herring, sprat, sardines, anchovies, canned fish in general, smoked fish (e.g. smoked mackerel) and marinated fish (herring in sauce), shellfish and crustaceans, mussels
Not recommended: Fish marinated in mayonnaise or cream; breaded fish
Not recommended: breaded meat; all other sausage products and pork in general (due to the high content of arachidonic acid) – whether cold cuts, cooked, grilled, fried or bockwurst; meat salads, smoked meat products, offal, canned meat, meat extracts
Recommended: Eggs (max. 5 per week); plant-based drinks such as rice, coconut, oat drink and yoghurts made from them; little and if possible only in organic quality: Milk up to 3.5% fat, buttermilk, quark up to 20% fat, natural yoghurt up to 3.5% fat; grainy cream cheese
Limited recommendable (little and rare): cream, crème fraîche; cheese up to 45% fat: sliced cheese, soft cheese, mozzarella, feta, young Gouda, butter cheese, cream cheese; Be careful with histamines: Sour milk cheese such as Harzer cheese; blue cheese; long-matured cheeses such as Parmesan, mountain cheese, Emmental, Gruyère, Cheddar, Gouda, Tilsiter, Edam; soft cheese such as Camembert, Brie; processed cheese; sour cream
Not recommended: Cream yoghurt, cream quark; sweetened ready-made products such as pudding, rice pudding, fruit yoghurt, fruit quark, cocoa preparations, fruit buttermilk
This information is not a substitute for individual nutritional advice. Nutritional treatment/advice is usually partially covered by statutory health insurance.
Further information
Endometriosis is a growth of tissue in the abdominal cavity that is similar to the lining of the uterus. more
43 mins
Nicole K. suffers from endometriosis – an inflammatory disease that causes excruciating abdominal pain. A new nutritional approach is intended to alleviate the symptoms. 43 min
8 mins
Matthias Riedl speaks with Sylvia Mechsner, head of the Charité Endometriosis Center. 8 min
This topic in the program:
The Nutrition Docs | 11.03.2024 | 9:00 p.m.
Ethel Purdy
Ethel Purdy – Medical Blogger & Pharmacist
Bridging the world of wellness and science, Ethel Purdy is a professional voice in healthcare with a passion for sharing knowledge. At 36, she stands at the confluence of medical expertise and the written word, holding a pharmacy degree acquired under the rigorous education systems of Germany and Estonia.
Her pursuit of medicine was fueled by a desire to understand the intricacies of human health and to contribute to the community's understanding of it. Transitioning seamlessly into the realm of blogging, Ethel has found a platform to demystify complex medical concepts for the everyday reader.
Ethel's commitment to the world of medicine extends beyond her professional life into a personal commitment to health and wellness. Her hobbies reflect this dedication, often involving research on the latest medical advances, participating in wellness communities, and exploring the vast and varied dimensions of health.
Join Ethel as she distills her pharmaceutical knowledge into accessible wisdom, fostering an environment where science meets lifestyle and everyone is invited to learn. Whether you're looking for insights into the latest health trends or trustworthy medical advice, Ethel’s blog is your gateway to the nexus of healthcare and daily living.
