LUNA Explains: Nutrition In Endometriosis

Endocrine disruptors are capable of interfering with our hormonal system, including oestrogens which stimulate the development of endometriomas and endometriotic lesions.

Before talking to you about them a little more, let’s take a look at what we find or consume on a daily basis, and their real toxicity for our body:

PCBs are found in animal products rich in fat: dairy products (cream, butter, cheese, dairy products), meat and cold cuts, fish and seafood. They are among the most toxic. Their presence in our environment is due to polluted soils.

Dioxin is found in animal fats, and therefore in our food chain. It stimulates the proliferation of endometriotic cells through its inflammatory role.

Bisphenol A is present in the linings of cans, tins and plastics, while phthalates are plasticizing products.

We advise you to look out for this pictogram, the Möbius strip symbol, which is synonymous with the presence of endocrine disruptors on your products.

Also make sure that you do not eat food in metal containers, in contact with plastic, or heat them up.

PFOA is in fact Teflon. This material is also the star of the film Dark Waters (2019) produced by Mark Ruffalo, or the illustration of an unprecedented fight against the chemical industry. Teflon is a perfluorinated compound used in the non-stick coating of our pans.

We recommend that you use stainless steel, non-coated, ceramic, enameled cast iron or PFOA-free cookware.

Aimed at eradicating parasites, fungi, weeds and other crop pests, pesticides are widely used in vegetable and fruit plantations.

It is best to go for organic or in-conversion crops for your meals. There is an annual classification of fruit and vegetables from the most to the least treated, which can help you identify them.

Additives are products added to foodstuffs by manufacturers. They may be of natural origin or derived from synthetic products. They are toxic for your body and are widely used in so-called “ultra-processed“ foods as food preservatives, colorings, flavor enhancers, pH regulators (acidity regulators), etc.

Now that we have identified all the hidden toxicity in your everyday foods, we can look at the different food groups that play an inflammatory role in endometriosis, and give you advice on how to replace them.

This list may be long, and seem to drastically reduce your food choices, but it allows you to be more aware and informed, so that you can make the best choices for your health and well-being.

It is necessary to avoid animal proteins: red and white meats, and cold meats rich in nitrites.

Fish should be eaten in a sensible way: once or twice a week, including a fatty fish (sardine).

Legumes, nuts, quinoa and millet should be encouraged. To make up for any iron deficiency, it is necessary to eat more vegetables.

Dairy products are rich in dioxins and oestrogens and should therefore be avoided. For example, milk is a source of hormones (animal oestrogens) that can cause inflammation due to hypersensitivity to milk proteins.

They may also contain pesticides.

As far as oils are concerned, care should be taken to use each one appropriately, and in limited quantities.

When cooking at high temperatures, some oils can be harmful and toxic. Choose 100% oleic oil or a gentle cooking method.

Use 100% oleic oil for baking. If you like to bake, replace butter with coconut oil, which is rich in saturated fatty acids but low in palmitic acid.

Flaxseed, walnuts, rapeseed, camelina or hempseed oils are perfect for salads. Don’t hesitate to vary the pleasures.

The consumption of oily fish rich in omega 3, such as small fish, should be limited. There is a risk of exposure to PCB/dioxin and heavy metals if these products are over-consumed. However, omega-3s have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Eating eggs is not a problem, but only if they are of organic origin and/or if the hens have been fed with flaxseed. Eggs are also rich in omega 3.

Favor vitamins B1, B9, C and E. They reduce pelvic pain and have protective effects on your health.

Avoid processing cereals (goodbye to the beloved Chocapic, Kellogg’s…).

Preferably eat wholemeal pasta cooked “al dente”: overcooking causes an increase in blood sugar levels, and therefore inflammation.

Bread: wholemeal and organic bread! You can vary the pleasures with various flours: chestnut, kha mut, etc.

Gluten is a group of proteins present in certain cereals such as rye, barley or wheat.

Gluten intolerance or coeliac disease is a chronic intestinal disease, which causes an immune reaction by inflammation and destruction of the intestinal villi.

Gluten hypersensitivity, on the other hand, is not a recognized disease. However, studies show that there is a clear improvement in the general condition of people who stop eating gluten.

Carbohydrates are, in other words, processed sugar. Unfortunately, they are present in all industrial products available in shops; bread, mustard, and even ham.

As sugar is a source of inflammation, it is recommended to favor natural sugar such as maple or coconut. But beware of agave: it contains fructose, which can cause malabsorption, fermentation, and therefore digestive disorders.

They play a protective role and can be eaten in large quantities, and in all their forms (raw, cooked, steamed, etc.).

The same goes for vegetables: as much as you like! However, it is recommended to buy them organically. Beware of grapefruit: it can alter the effectiveness of treatment and even increase oestrogen levels.

There are 3 types of natural oestrogen. Estradiol is one of them, and it is the one that interests us in this article. Estradiol is a hormone that plays a role in the cyclical reconstruction of the endometrium.

Large variations have an impact on pain, bleeding and the development of diseases such as endometriosis, fibroids, breast cancer or uterine cancer. Estradiol is found in tofu, carrots, garlic, lentils, chickpeas, for example.

Please note that overeating can also have consequences: it increases oestrogen impregnation.

To summarize this point, it is therefore possible to influence the oestrogenic climate through diet:

• A diet rich in omega-3 and unsaturated fats reduce oestrogenic activity. Conversely, however, a diet rich in bad fats (omega 6, saturated fats) increases oestrogen activity.
• A diet rich in fiber and cruciferous vegetables reduces the concentration of oestrogen in the blood and allows the production of “good” oestrogen, avoiding the reabsorption of the bad. This phenomenon is called the enterohepatic oestrogen cycle. It depends on the quality of the gut microbiota.