What Is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a common medical condition in women. It can cause a great deal of pain, discomfort and infertility, and internal bleeding. These symptoms are caused by the endometrial cells that form the inner lining of a woman’s womb abnormally growing into other areas of the body.
Once this starts, they can move anywhere in the body, but they most commonly move into the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the abdominal cavity, and the bladder. Endometriosis is caused by a hormonal imbalance that throws a woman’s body into a hyper-estrogen state. Usually, endometriosis is treated with surgery or with hormone therapy.
Surgery and hormone therapy have side effects which are why many women prefer more natural homeopathic remedies. This article lists 8 natural remedies for curing endometriosis:
1. Eat Less Meat, Eggs, and Dairy – Or Eat Organic
The growth hormones used in modern agriculture lead to very high levels of xenoestrogens building up in the human body. These chemicals are similar to estrogen and they have the same effects on the body as estrogen.
Eliminating or significantly reducing meat and other animal products such as eggs, cheese, and milk is one of the most important steps you can take to naturally treating endometriosis.
Alternatively, you can choose to eat only organic meat and organic animal products. Since growth hormones are not allowed in the production of organic foods.
2. Eat More Omega-3 – A Lot More!
Most of the western world eats far less omega-3 fatty acids than is needed for a healthy body. Omega-3 has been shown to reduce the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue. It also decreases prostaglandin E2, which helps keep estrogen in balance.
The best sources of omega-3 are salmon, herring, sardines, trout, and other cold-water fish. Other fish like tuna and halibut plus seafood like shrimp and crab are next best.
The third best source is beef from grass-fed cows and wild meat like bison and deer. Please note that organic meat does not mean grass-fed, although grass-fed is usually raised organically.
Vegetarian sources include walnuts, flax seeds, and greens, but the amount of omega-3 in vegetarian foods is far less than you find in fish, and it is in a form that has to be converted by the body into another format for use.
You lose about 80-90% in this conversion. The only vegetarian source of omega-3 that the human body can directly use is blue-green algae which you can buy as a powder.
Be careful not to purchase fish with a higher probability of having high levels of mercury and other heavy metals. The best way to go about this is to buy only wild-caught fish, as farmed fish have far more toxins.
Also, try to purchase fish caught in Alaskan waters as this is cleaner. Tuna is notoriously high in mercury, so you may want to avoid this fish. In addition to other harmful effects, some studies have suggested that heavy metals can cause endometriosis.
3. Reduce Other Environmental Contaminants
Besides heavy metals, PCBs and other environmental toxins are partly responsible for our surge in the number of endometriosis cases. So anything you can do to decrease these will help.
Try not to microwave food in plastic containers or even store food as plastic leaches PCBs, especially when microwaved. Instead, replace old mercury tooth fillings.
Many municipal water systems have many toxins, so getting a good filter for your water can help too.
4. Take Herbs That Support Your Liver
The liver is responsible for breaking down estrogen. However, in many people, the liver does not function properly, and surplus estrogen accumulates.
In fact, in traditional Chinese medicine, endometriosis is classified as a liver disorder that is treated with acupuncture. You can also jump-start the liver with certain herbs, usually made into tea.
Dandelion Leaves, which are present in many yards and fields, regulate liver function. Other herbs that can help the liver include goldenseal, burdock, and milk thistle.
5. Eat More Flavones, Indoles, and Lignans
Flavones are a class of phytochemicals that inhibit enzyme aromatase which is needed to convert androgens into estrogens. Eating foods high in flavones can help get your hormones back in balance. Foods high in flavones include celery, parsley, and orange peel.
Indoles and lignans are also important in balancing hormones. Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, bok choy, and cabbage, are high in indoles. Foods high in lignans include seeds and nuts.
6. Natural Progesterone Cream
Progesterone cream won’t cure endometriosis, but it can help to slow its growth. It can also help with menstrual cramps due to endometriosis. It is a simple remedy as you rub it into the abdominal area.
Natural progesterone creams are made from soy or Mexican wild yam. However, eating these foods won’t help much, if at all.
7. Reduce Stress
Stress hurts the body more than most people realize. When we are under pressure, our bodies produce much higher than normal levels of cortisol.
This leads to a decrease in progesterone, which can put the body in a hyper-estrogen mode, leading to endometriosis.
Exercise also reduces stress by causing the release of endorphins. Yoga is an exercise that stresses the mind-body connection, so it is often recommended to reduce stress.
Medication can help. Listening to music works like a charm for some people. Some herbal teas like mint tea and chamomile tea can help relax you too. Aromatherapy has become quite popular as a way to reduce stress.
Essential oils like sage and bergamot can be potent. However, just taking time to smell the roses can help a lot too.
8. Increase Blood Flow To the Pelvic Region
Several studies have shown that increasing the blood flow to the pelvic region will prevent endometriosis, slow its growth, and even reverse it.
Simple exercises like walking or yard work increase blood flow to this region. Increasing sexual activity can also be helpful.
Another suitable method is to heat the area with the use of heating pads and also lightly massage the area. For example, place the heating pad over the lower abdomen.
Ginger tea and other spicy teas like chai tea can increase blood flow. This can also decrease nausea and abdominal pain if you have these symptoms. Sitz baths alternating between hot and cold can also help.
The Bottom Line:
While there are many effective home remedies to keep endometriosis under control, it is still recommended to consult a physician to know the exact cause of this condition and get proper medical treatment.
