Dr. Christine Cui 2019-Apr-03

As we talked about in our previous blog posts, endometriosis is a common inflammatory gynaecological condition that happens to every 1 in 10 women in Australia. Women with Endometriosis often endure chronic pain, possibility of infertility as well as other symptoms.

We sincerely understand how Endometriosis can significantly put a strain on you, both mentally and physically. That’s why this blog post is dedicated to supporting you making specific changes that will hopefully improve your quality of life despite Endometriosis.

1. Dietary Changes:

• As we’ve mentioned above, endometriosis is an inflammatory condition, therefore, it will be logical to stay away from inflammatory foods. These include red meat, dairy products, soy, refined sugar, fried foods, carbohydrates drinks, wheat, caffeine and alcohol.
• We know that drastically changing your diet can be daunting and stressful, so we would suggest easing your way into making these changes. You can start with cooperating more dark leafy vegetables and low GI fruits. Also, instead of having red meat every day, consider swapping them out gradually with lean animal protein.
• Eventually, your ideal diet would look like the food pyramid below (Source: Click Here)

2. Exercise:

• In general, exercising is good for your health and wellbeing, but when it comes to Endometriosis, it may really help with the pain and progression of your condition. Regular exercise has been found to be effective in lessening your menstrual flow, which may prevent Endometriosis from progressing and relieve period cramps.
• Having said that, regular exercise does not have to be an insane workout or a 5K run, it can be something you enjoy like boxing, yoga, hiking or even dancing. Remember, even though exercising is about getting yourself more active, it should also be enjoyable to increase the endorphins in your bloodstream.

3. Stress Management:

• Sadly, there is a lot of stress, pain and emotional burden associated with Endometriosis, since it may get in the way of your daily lives. But things can be worse if you have to deal with them alone, so consider taking baby-steps to express your emotions and explain Endometriosis with your loved ones and those around you.
• Research has shown that stress or uncontrollable stress can worsen the symptoms and severity of Endometriosis. (Source: Click Here). A few self-care techniques include mindfulness meditation, therapy, and journaling.
• As a side note, it is important to know and acknowledge when you can’t deal with the stress by yourself and be comfortable in seeking professional advice.

4. Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine:

• Acupuncture tailored for Endometriosis may specifically help with symptoms associating with your menstrual cycle and infertility. This also means improving the blood flow, clearing any stasis and breaking up masses during your period, therefore, strengthening the kidney yang and moving the blood during ovulation.