Did you know that digestive symptoms are among those that affect women with endometriosis the most?
I know how disabling they are, having experienced them on a daily basis for years. That's a big part of the reason why I created Le Lab de l'Endo, because I couldn't stand being left without solutions, suffering so often. Because digestive symptoms, unlike menstrual symptoms, can really be EVERYDAY!
And we really don't talk about it enough! So let's talk about it.
Causes of digestive symptoms in endometriosis
-
Lesions and adhesions: Endometriosis leads to the formation of endometrial tissue, including on or around the intestines. Lesions and adhesions can exert pressure on the intestines or cause them to adhere to other organs, reducing their mobility and impeding the normal passage of stool. But that doesn't mean you necessarily have lesions on your intestines; inflammation alone can cause digestive problems.
-
Inflammation: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Inflammation in the pelvic region can affect normal bowel function, contributing to constipation.
-
Hormonal imbalance: often used to manage endometriosis, such as oral contraceptives or GnRH agonists, they can have side effects such as constipation.
-
Intestinal dysbiosis: The inflammation and immune system failure associated with endometriosis can lead to dsybiosis (dysregulation of the intestinal microbiota), as 80% of our immune cells are in our intestines.
- Stress response: The chronic pain and stress associated with managing endometriosis can activate the body's stress response, which affects the nervous system and can slow intestinal transit, leading to constipation.
1. Relieving endometriosis-related constipation
Some tips to relieve constipation:
-
Eat more fiber: vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes (shopping lists to be found in the 3M program to soothe yourself with endometriosis).
-
Drink enough water: at least 1.5 to 2 liters a day (8 glasses).
-
Restore + mobility to your body and your intestines internally and externally: Walking, yoga, or Pilates to stimulate digestion, but also self-massage, stomach vacuum, acupressure (tutorials to be found in the 3M program too).
-
Eat probiotics: Kefir, plain yoghurt and fermented vegetables.
-
Test the 1st probiotic treatment designed specifically for endometriosis-related digestive disorders.
-
Reduce your stress: relaxation techniques such as meditation, sophrology and psycho-emotional support to deal with the causes of your conscious and unconscious sources of stress.
-
Get help with micro-nutrition: To adapt your eating routine
-
Consume anti-constipation herbs on a regular basis, such as the 8-herb infusion developed by doctors of pharmacy to relieve digestive problems linked to endometriosis.
2. Relieving endometriosis-related diarrhea
-
Stay hydrated: Diarrhea can cause dehydration. Drink water, clear broths or rehydration drinks.
-
BRAT foods: Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast can help solidify stools.
-
Avoid irritants: Reduce consumption of caffeine, alcohol, spicy and fatty foods that can aggravate diarrhea.
-
Soluble fiber: Foods containing soluble fiber, such as oats and sweet potatoes, can help bind stool.
-
Probiotics: Yogurts and other fermented foods can help restore healthy intestinal flora (kefir, kombucha, lacto-fermented vegetables, pickles...).
3. Relieving extreme bloating: endobelly linked to endometriosis
If you want to know all about how I relieved my endobelly, click here to read the article!
-
Choose comfortable clothes! Prioritize dungarees, overalls and maternity bottoms (jeans, tights, leggings) that don't put pressure on the abdomen.
-
Reduce your stress: take care of yourself, cultivate love and kindness towards yourself, through psycho-emotional therapies, because stress is the endobelly's worst enemy!!!
-
Reduce consumption of pro-inflammatory foods for a while to see if that helps: Avoid foods high in saturated and trans fats, refined sugars, certain dairy products, gluten (if sensitive), and alcohol.
-
Incorporate gentle exercises: Yoga, especially postures adapted to endometriosis, can help relieve tension and improve circulation.
-
Practice digestive self-massage: Stimulate peristaltic movements and help relax abdominal muscles, promoting better digestion (tuto available in the 3M program).
-
Massage yourself with the 1st anti-endobelly 5-plant balm The customer reviews of those who have already benefited from this product are incredible (see bottom of product page).
-
Try the stomach vacuum: this breathing technique strengthens the abdominal muscles while massaging the digestive organs, which can be effective against bloating (tuto also available in the program).
- Use acupressure: Stimulating certain points can relieve endometriosis-related organs and reduce digestive symptoms such as constipation and bloating (ditto for the tuto).
4. Relieving endometriosis-related gastrointestinal pain
-
Micro-nutrition and supplementation: Diet plays a key role. Include anti-inflammatory foods rich in essential nutrients, find all our advice in the 3M program, and get help from a nutrition professional!
-
Stress reduction: again and again, emotional therapies are essential to help you reduce stress, a factor that aggravates digestive symptoms.
-
Try body therapies: physiotherapy, osteopathy... Find the episodes in question on our podcast: the one on physiotherapy, and the one on osteopathy.
-
Medicinal plants: Enjoy the benefits of these 8 plants selected by doctors of pharmacy for endometriosis in this medicinal infusion.
-
Daily self-massage of the stomach This practice can stimulate peristaltic movements and relax the abdominal muscles, improving digestion. (tutorial available in the 3M program)
-
Stomach vacuum Abdominal breathing and this specific technique strengthen the abdominal muscles and massage the digestive organs, helping to prevent bloating. (tutorial available in the 3M program)
-
Hydration: Drink several glasses of water on an empty stomach in the morning, and avoid drinking during meals for better digestion.
- Mastication: Chew well before swallowing to aid digestion.
So much for the advice that has given me enormous relief from my digestive problems caused by endometriosis.
Today I'm better overall, and I can, for example, eat foods again that I couldn't stand at all a few years ago when my endometriosis inflammation markers were much higher in my body.
These inflammation markers have gone down a lot thanks to everything I've put in place, as my latest lab tests have shown.
I'll tell you all about the Method that has already helped +600 women deal with endometriosis on the 3M Program.
