![]() ![]() Despite popular belief, lactose intolerance does NOT mean you have to say goodbye to dairy forever, in fact most people can tolerate some amount of yogurt and hard cheese due to the lactose load being reduced! This also includes a higher risk of lactose intolerance ( Baron et al., 2011). We have established that women with endometriosis are 2.5 times more likely to have IBS, or IBS-like symptoms. If you have heard that you should go gluten free, then it is likely that you have also heard about going dairy free! This dietary pattern (or restriction we should say) is very common amongst the endometriosis community and definitely something we get asked in clinic. This is a limiting diet (only temporarily) and therefore your individual circumstance must always be taken into account beforehand Dairy Free Diet For Endometriosis ![]() Now it is very important that you do not start a low FODMAP diet without a supportive and knowledgeable dietitian who gets both IBS and endometriosis management strategies. An exciting study by Moore et al (2017) did show that of a sample of New Zealand women with both IBS and endometriosis, 72% reported a 50% improvement in bowel symptoms after just 4 weeks using the low FODMAP diet! There are different theories as to why this is the case, from shared or overlapping symptoms of abdominal pain, to a mutual promotion effect with inflammation (i.e., one making the other worse and vice versa) or both promoting visceral hypersensitivity. Studies also report that the rate of co-occurrence of endometriosis and IBS is somewhere between 36% to 52% ( Seaman et al., 2008 and Moore et al., 2017). Research tells us that those with endometriosis are 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with IBS – great! ![]() To learn more about the FODMAP diet, check out another one of our blogs here. not absorbing), which can contribute to excessive gas or wind, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal pains. It can help by reducing the load of carbohydrates that you are malabsorbing (i.e. It is a therapeutic and temporary dietary protocol for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) sufferers. If you haven’t heard of the low FODMAP diet before, it was developed by researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. To date, we have no idea of knowing for sure!ĭiscover More about Endometriosis and Nutrition with our 60-minute Masterclass! And with higher rates of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), perhaps it is FODMAP reduction that’s helping your symptoms? Now, we don’t know the exact mechanisms yet, however we do know that a gluten free diet contains fewer FODMAPs, particularly fructans from wheat. One study saw that 75% of participants with endometriosis experienced a reduction in period pain, pain with intercourse and pelvic pain when cutting gluten from their diet for one year ( Marziali et al., 2012). Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley and rye, and in those with coeliac disease, these proteins trigger an immune response which ultimately damages the small intestine and affects absorption of nutrients. Going gluten-free is one of the most widely circulated “diets” that endometriosis warriors hear they should follow! It is thought that a gluten free diet has the potential to affect inflammation and hormones (both of which are associated with endometriosis) ( Olsen, 2020). This dietary pattern is also recommended for heart disease prevention and has been shown to be beneficial for fertility, so we can only see benefits here!īonus, the Mediterranean dietary pattern is supportive of mental health too according to recent Australian research ( Jacka et al., 2017), and is consistently on the best dietary patterns of the year lists The Gluten-Free Diet for Endometriosis Some preliminary research suggests that the Mediterranean diet can assist women with endo in pain reduction with periods and intercourse, as well as passing bowel movements ( Wnzl, Ott and Huber, 2011). ![]() A LOT!įirstly, it is by no means a “diet”, instead a way of eating, and a way of life, really! It is meant to be flexible and delicious (take my unbiased very Greek opinion).īased on what is traditionally eaten in Mediterannean countries, like Italy, Greece and Spain, it incorporates a meal pattern rich in fresh fruit and vegetables (hello, antioxidants), wholegrains, nuts and seeds, legumes and beans and of course extra virgin olive oil and fish! Red meat, poultry and dairy foods are encouraged in smaller amounts, however you can see that nothing is off limits. If you have followed The Dietologist for a while you would have seen us rave about the Mediterranean diet…. Psst… want the shortcut? Apply to work with us one-on-one and have a customised endometriosis friendly nutrition plan for you with an expert dietitian & nutritionist here at The Dietologist. ![]()
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