Have you heard of the Endo Diet? Remember that endometriosis is an inflammatory disease, and some of the symptoms of endometriosis include bloating and abdominal pain, in addition to pelvic pain or menstrual pain (among others!).
Not every woman with endometriosis has every symptom, including infertility or debilitating pain. Because of this, it can be difficult to tease out what’s a GI condition like IBS from a more serious disease like endo.
If you know that you have endometriosis, or are worried that maybe you (or a friend!) might be suffering from this, the Endo diet may be a great first step in helping you start to find some relief!
Watch this quick video to learn a little more about what the Endo Diet is, and the bare-bones of what to avoid and how it can help reduce bloating and abdominal pain.
If you’re up for a deeper dive, here’s a more in-depth video (again from Chiavaye’s Kaylyn Easton):
Just to capture the main points of the Endo diet, here are the main foods to consider avoiding to reduce inflammation and bloating:
- Gluten, dairy, added sugars!
- Eggs
- Soy
- Added chemicals, processed foods and preservatives
- Meat with added hormones, processed meats
- Caffeine & alcohol (boo!)
Sadly substituting gluten-free snack-bars won’t do the trick! Instead, focus on a whole-foods diet with emphasis on:
- Healthy meat and protein
- Fruits & veggies
- Legumes, beans if tolerated
- Nuts & seeds
- Starches like rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa
- Gluten-free bread, oatmeal (not high in sugar, and not in excess)
While I thought Kaylyn gives a great summary of how poor food choice can negatively impact endo symptoms, I did think her daily meal guide “What I Eat In a Day” to be a little funny – I think personally I would be starving if I ate as little protein as what was in her menu! So just my two-cents, I think Kaylyn’s “oatmeal for breakfast and a raw veggie platter for lunch” would definitely not carry me through a busy day with my kids!
Especially if you’re a pregnant or breastfeeding mom, or if part of your fertility journey includes struggling with being under-weight or if you’re prone to low blood sugar crashes, it’s so important to have enough protein and healthy fats in your diet!
Stay tuned for more on managing endometriosis with diet and supplements!