An endometriosis dietitian who also has the disease, has shared what supplements people can take to help them cope with their symptoms. Endometriosis is where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body – and it causes immense pain.
Sadly there is no cure, but there are treatments that can help with some opting for surgery to remove the lesions to prevent the disease from spreading. Introducing the video, Cindy aka @endo.fertility.dietitian, spoke about NAC – this stands for N-acetylcysteine.
According to WebMD: “The main benefits of NAC come from the supplement’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants are compounds that help fight disease in your body. Anti-inflammatories reduce swelling and irritation in your body’s tissues.
Speaking about the little-known pill, she said: “NAC is one of the most promising supplements for endometriosis research shows it has the potential to reduce cyst size and improved pain symptoms.”
She continued: “NAC is a precursor to making your bodies master inflammation fighter, glutathione, as well” with glutathione said to act as an important antioxidant in your body. The expert, who also specialises in fertility, noted: “Many practitioners also recommend NAC to fertility-focused patients”. This is in order “to improve cervical mucus quality and support egg quality.”
She stressed that while these things “make NAC an excellent supplement to consider for most people”, it’s also classed as a “mucolytic” which means it thins mucus. Because of this, people who take it may have some side effects.
Touching on her previous points, she shared: “In addition to it being an acidic supplement, it’s often the reason why some people report irritation in the stomach when taking NAC, especially when taking it on an empty stomach”.
NAC is not the only supplement you can take. In fact, the dietitian suggested that you can take DIM (if you don’t detox estrogen well), Synthetic B-vitamins (if you have MTHFR mutations) or iron – but remember too high OR too low can cause problems so make sure you take the correct dosage.
What are the signs and symptoms of endometriosis?
The classic endometriosis symptoms include:
- Pelvic pain
- Painful periods that interfere with everyday life
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Pain during or after sex
- Painful bowel movements/when having a poo
- Pain when urinating/peeing
- Difficulty getting pregnant – up to 70% of those with endometriosis will be able to get pregnant naturally
- Fatigue, with one or more of the above symptoms
Endometriosis diet – breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas
Previously, the expert has shared what she eats in a day to reduce her symptoms as much as possible.
Breakfast
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Matcha
- Berries
- Avocado
If she doesn’t have – or fancy bacon – she’ll swap it for another source of protein like yoghurt or cheese. She also cooks herself two eggs and has a cup of tea, often adding collagen powder to it. She likes her meals to be colourful, so she includes a mix of berries rather than sticking to just one type.
Lunch
- Leftover cauliflower pizza
- Kale pickle salad
- Greek yogurt
Dinner
For dinner, she enjoys Caribbean-style chicken served with a blend of corn, peppers and onions. She makes sure to keeps her protein intake up and always includes plenty of vegetables.