Endometriosis is a health problem where the cells from the
lining of the uterus called the endometrium grow other places within the abdominal
area. It has these
symptoms: pain in the uterus, lower back pain, and pain
in the organs in the pelvic area, off and on pain during menstrual
cycles, painful sexual intercourse, excessive bleeding and passing of
large clots and tissue during the menstruation, nausea, vomiting,
constipation, and
infertility. Because
menstruation is normally heavy, anemia is
often also a problem.
Women with cycles shorter than 27 days and those with periods lasting
over a week are at increased risk of anemia. Endometriosis is a
condition that can be passed to daughters by the mother. Growths of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine
cavity occur most often around the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the urinary bladder, the bowel, the pelvic floor,
and/or the pentoneum which is the membrane that lines the walls
of the abdominal cavity, and within the uterine muscles. The most
common area of endometriosis is probably the deep pelvic peritoneal
cavity, known as the "cul-de-sac". The chances of endometrial
problems outside the body's pelvic area is not as common.
During a woman's normal menstrual cycle, an always changing hormone environment stimulates the endometrium to grow
to prepare for a possible pregnancy. This same cycle
causes a follicle within one of the ovaries to ripen, and an egg is
then released. The fingerlike tissues on the fallopian
tube clasp the egg, and the small hair like cilia inside the tube
transport the egg toward the uterus, the lining of which is now spongy and
well supplied with blood. If the egg is not fertilized within
24 hours, the uterine lining starts to die and be sloughed off, passing through the vagina during
the woman's menstruation.
They
are not inside the uterus, but the abnormal implants of endometriosis also
respond to the hormonal changes that control menstruation. Just
like the uterine lining, they also build tissue every month, then break down and bleed.
However, unlike blood from the uterine lining, the blood
from the implants does not have a way to leave the person's body. So it
is absorbed by surrounding
tissue, and is a somewhat slow process.
Meanwhile, the blood will accumulate in available body cavities. This
entire sequence, from bleeding through absorption, may be very painful. As
the menstrual cycle goes month after month, these implants may
start to get bigger and bigger. They may also seed new implants and form
local
scar tissue and adhesion scar tissue that attaches to pelvic organs and
can bind them together. Of course, this adds to the pain of endometriosis, and it may cause extreme pain in pregnancy later on, as the uterus
enlarges and the organs in the woman's abdomen are pushed into different positions. Sometimes blood collects
and a sac or cyst will form. Endometrial also called “chocolate
cysts” are common on the ovaries. They are normally
found to contain moderate amounts of oxidized blood, which looks sort
of like
chocolate syrup thus the name. If one of these cysts breaks, it can cause
very severe pain.
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
vitamin
E |
10 |
aids in both hormonal
balancing and body healing |
Calcium |
9 |
this mineral helps
people with endometriosis, helping with stress
caused to the body by this disorder. (See also magnesium) |
Magnesium |
8 |
influences the
body's metabolic rate and it also helps reduce stress.
It works with calcium.Women often suffer health problems
related to low magnesium levels. |
Multi-vitamin
and
Mineral supplement |
10 |
contains
all nutrients for repair and healing, including vitamin
E,
vitamin B complex, zinc, and herbs such as alfalfa. |
Dong
Quai |
10 |
herb
that helps balance hormones |
B
vitamin complex |
10 |
B
vitamins promote blood cell production, hormonal
balance,
They aid the human body in getting rid of excess fluids, and are very important for the proper function of your brain and nervous system.
Supplements with natural vitamin B can
also help with depression. |
Pantothenic
acid |
10 |
vitamin
B5 helps to relieve stress and required for adrenal function |
Pyridoxine |
10 |
vitamin
B6 helps the body remove excess fluids |
vitamin
K |
10 |
Required
for normal blood clotting |
Alfalfa |
10 |
herb
that is a good source of vitamin K |
Flax
seed |
9 |
helps
in regulating hormonal and prostaglandin balance |
Borage
seed |
9 |
helps
in regulating hormonal and prostaglandin balance |
Omega
fatty Acids |
9 |
these essential fatty acids help with pain and stiffness and
inflammation associated with endometriosis. They come
from fish oil, flax seed oil, and borage seed oil. |
Bioflavonoids |
9 |
protects the body and helps to
moderate inflammatory responses by the body of
the person with endometriosis.
Supplements made from fruits and vegetables are a
good source of bioflavonoids. People's poor diet often makes
them deficient in the bioflavonoids that they need. |
vitamin
C |
9 |
works with
bioflavonoids for healing |
Zinc |
8 |
good for tissue
repair and strengthening the body's immune system. |
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
|