How Diet May Help With Endometriosis

Endometriosis is an unfortunately common condition where the tissue which makes up the uterine lining (the endometrium) grows in other areas of the body, usually in the pelvic area. The severity of its symptoms, which may include pelvic pain, period pain or infertility, can be anything from mostly silent to constantly debilitating. Conventional treatment includes surgery to remove inappropriate tissue (also the only way to diagnose it), pain relievers and hormonal medications, but these are not without their side effects. Thankfully, there are natural methods that may help to prevent endometriosis if you are at risk, or reduce the severity of its signs and symptoms, such as changes to your diet.

Source: Gunawan Kartapranata

We all need fat in our diets, but one way of reducing the risk of endometriosis, or possibly reducing its severity, may be by changing the types of fat we eat. To investigate whether fat intake has any relation to endometriosis, researchers analysed 12 years of data from the Nurses' Health Study II that began in 1989. Total fat consumption had no relation to endometriosis risk, but women in the top fifth for long-chain omega-3 fat intake had a 22% lower risk of endometriosis, compared to women in the bottom fifth. Omega-3 fats are found in foods such as oily fish, flax and hemp (to be legally sold as food in Australia from November 2017). On the other hand, women in the top fifth of trans-fat intake had a 48% greater risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis. Trans fats are found in margarine and many other packaged, processed foods. Intake of palmitic acid, a type of fat in animal products, was linked with a 52% increase in endometriosis risk when the top and bottom fifths were compared. It is suggested that the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fats may be behind their benefits, as a 1995 study found a reduced risk of period pain linked with fish oil consumption. Trans fats, and too much saturated animal fat, is pro-inflammatory. 

Increasing intake of green vegetables and fruit may also be protective against endometriosis. In an Italian case-control study, women in the highest thirds for green vegetable and fruit intake had a 70% and 40% reduced risk of developing endometriosis, respectively. These results were consistent after adjusting for affecting factors. The folate, methionine (an amino acid) and vitamin B6 found in green vegetables can regulate gene expression and detoxification. While another study disagreed, vegetables and fruit do often contain pesticides linked to reproductive problems such as endometriosis. Fruit and vegetables also contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, which protect cells from damage and thus reduce inflammation.

These are just a few ways that nutrition can protect against endometriosis, but further research is needed. An optimal treatment plan for conditions such as this must involve professional support, and communication between practitioners regardless of treatment modality. But as you can see, complex does not mean hopeless.

Disgusting! The Extent of Plastic in Water

Humanity has a disgusting addiction that could not be stopped soon enough: the use of petrochemical plastics. What we have already been told is bad enough, that your average bag or bottle will take centuries to degrade, but new research shows something even worse: where the breakdown products go. It turns out that they end up in our water, air and at least some food items.

So, what is the damage? Pollution by microscopic pieces of plastic (microplastics) is so widespread that 94.4% of US tap water samples tested positive for the breakdown products. In Lebanon, the contamination rate was almost 94% despite drinking water coming from natural springs. In India, the figure was 82.4%, in Uganda, it was around 80%, and in Europe, it was around 72%. Other research has found that beer is almost always contaminated with microplastics, as well as honey, flour, sea salt and other common foods. Our air is contaminated by microplastics from carpets and clothing made from synthetic fibres.

No place for plastic. Source: Andres M. Panti

This is not acceptable, as chemicals in plastics can raise the risk of illnesses such as cancer. And not all of the effects of plastic are terminal illnesses, either. Research on animals has found that environmentally relevant levels of exposure to BPA is linked to early puberty, disrupted oestrous cycles (the animal equivalent of the menstrual cycle) and structural problems with the ovaries. Older mice have exhibited problems such as increased occurrence of ovarian cysts. More serious reproductive issues, including uterine fibroids and tissue overgrowth have also been demonstrated, which cause symptoms such as painful, heavy periods. Phthalates, which are other chemicals found in plastics, can create problems with age at puberty and the oestrous cycle too. These can suppress the levels of our sex hormones. In humans, research has found that higher levels of phthalates may be associated with endometriosis. This disease causes infertility and heavy, painful periods, among other issues.

Although more regions of the world are banning more plastic items, change takes time. So how can we detoxify from the chemicals in plastics? One way, at least in the case of BPA, is through sweating. In a study of 20 people comparing BPA levels in blood, urine and sweat, researchers were more likely to find BPA in sweat than the other samples. Probiotics may also help to detoxify from BPA. Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus casei were shown to speed excretion of BPA in an animal study; these are commonly found in probiotics. Bacterial species found in kimchi, a fermented food from Korea, could actually help to degrade BPA too, to prevent it from causing further harm. As for phthalates, sweat could be a way to help remove them from the body too. Supplements such as resveratrol (from dark red grapes) and curcumin (from turmeric) may aid detoxification, but more research on humans needs to be done. Dietary changes, e.g. increasing intake of cruciferous vegetables, and medicinal herbs like milk thistle, can be beneficial too, but it is best to consult with a qualified naturopath first. Overall, we need to collectively kick our plastic habit, but there are things we can do while we wait for the world to catch up.

One Humble Herb May Be an Effective PMS Treatment

If you're a woman, especially a woman of childbearing age, you are likely to be told that problems such as PMS and menstrual difficulties are to be expected and accepted as "part of being a woman". But do we really have to put up with all of this? There are herbal remedies that, depending on your individual needs, may be able to help, and chaste tree (Vitex angus-castus) is one of them.

In 2012, the results of an Iranian clinical trial were published in Acta Medica Iranica, which aimed to find out if chaste tree is an effective remedy for premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It involved 128 women between the ages of 25 and 34 who were not pregnant or breastfeeding, and did not have serious medical conditions or issues with drug and alcohol abuse. All women answered a self-assessment questionnaire listing headache, depression, anger, irritability, breast fullness, bloating and tympani during the week before their menstrual periods. While the potency was not mentioned, treatment consisted of 40 drops of chaste tree extract before breakfast, every day for the six days leading up to their period. This is not a high dose, as 40 drops is a much smaller amount than recommended in books such as the Phytotherapy Desk Reference (Thomson & Gennat). It may help to reduce costs to the patient. After six months, the women recorded significant improvement in their PMS symptoms, both compared to the beginning of the study and compared to the placebo.

A moth enjoying chaste tree. Source: jeffreyw (CC: 2.0)

In another study, chaste tree was used alongside St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) to see if they could help "PMS-like" symptoms in perimenopausal women. Late-perimenopausal women were given either the herbal tablets or a placebo to be taken twice daily over four months. After the four months, the herbal combination was found to be superior to placebo in reducing total PMS-like symptom scores, along with the PMS-D (depression) and PMS-C (cravings) symptom clusters. Scores for anxiety and water retention clusters demonstrated relief too.

Chaste tree has a long history of use in Europe for reproductive system complaints. It has been known for many years to have effects on menstruation and pre-menstrual symptoms, but how does it work? Chaste tree works by binding to the receptors of a neurotransmitter known as dopamine, which plays a role in mood regulation. This also has effects on reproductive hormone production, smoothing out ovarian function and the menstrual cycle. Chaste tree can improve melatonin secretion at night, which helps us sleep. As some regions, such as Queensland in Australia, do not allow the sale of melatonin supplements, chaste tree could be a more accessible and possibly gentler alternative.

Chaste tree is just one of the herbal remedies that can be used to relieve menstrual complaints. You don't have to accept it as "part of being a woman", there are options, although it is always best to consult a qualified naturopath first.