How To “Reverse” Endometriosis Naturally: Top 4 Strategies

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Melissa Thompson, PT, DPT, MTC

Dr. Thompson is board certified and the owner of Louisiana Pelvic Health. Her expertise is in alleviating bladder, bowel, and sexual pain symptoms during pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout a woman's life. 

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You’ve tried pain medicines and hormone therapy, but they are not relieving your endometriosis symptoms.  

Is surgery the only option to calm the painful side effects?

There may be another option.

There is no cure for endometriosis, but with diet and lifestyle choices you may be able to relieve symptoms and reduce tissue growth.   

This guide details holistic treatments that can help reverse endometriosis naturally. 

1. Endometriosis Diet - Eat Anti-Inflammatory, Healing Foods

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, so by reducing inflammation you can reduce symptoms.

One way to achieve this is to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods into your diet while eliminating foods high in pesticides and toxins.

What To Eat On The Endo Diet:

• Research shows a diet heavy in fruits, vegetables, fish oils, and Omega-3 fatty acids reduces inflammation.
• Organic produce is the best choice because it doesn’t contain hormone-disrupting pesticide residue.
• To stay on budget choose organic versions of the Dirty Dozen - these contain the highest levels of pesticide residue.
• The Clean 15 are considered to have little to no pesticide residue so no need to spring for the more expensive organic versions.
• Include liver detoxifying vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and dark leafy greens in your diet. The liver helps the body eliminate extra estrogen which contributes to endometriosis.
• Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of developing endometriosis. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include oily fishes like wild salmon, trout and sardines.
• Consider adding green tea to your diet, one of its components, EGCG, may prevent new endometriotic lesions from forming in the uterus. 
• These breakfast recipes and meal plans are easy ways to incorporate endometriosis friendly foods into your diet.

Juicing:

Juicing has been super valuable to me. There have been studies and lots of anecdotal evidence that have shown that cabbage juice is great for endometriosis. There are also other great fruits and veggies to juice.

SIDENOTE: This is not the sugary "juice" you're thinking of. This is juicing that promotes deep healing.

Consider juicing these fruits and vegetables:

• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Cucumber
• Lemon
• Apples
• And beets

What To Avoid On The Endo Diet:

• Some foods induce inflammation and increase cell growth because endometriosis is hormone-related these foods should be avoided. 
• Conventional eggs have high amounts of pesticides (due to “chemically treated chicken feed) which are excreted from chickens into eggs. As previously stated, pesticides are BAD for women with endometriosis so conventional eggs should be avoided. 
• Organic eggs have higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids but can still trigger an inflammatory response in the body. Avoiding eggs and products containing them will help to prevent painful flare-ups. 
• Gluten causes inflammation in the body and exacerbates IBS symptoms. Many women with endometriosis also suffer from IBS so limiting or avoiding gluten will improve painful symptoms. 
• When you eliminate sugar from your diet, you’ll notice an improvement in your symptoms. Sugar prevents your body’s natural anti-inflammatory response making it difficult for your body to fight endometriosis flare-ups. 
• Other foods that should be avoided are alcohol and caffeine because they both increase estrogen levels.

2. Use A Healing Personal Moisturizer

You may think personal moisturizer and lubricant are the same, but they are very different.  

A personal moisturizer nourishes and replenishes vaginal skin, providing extended relief. A lubricant is mainly used for sex.

Why Should Women With Endometriosis Nourish Their Vaginal Skin?

Painful vaginal dryness is a result of an estrogen imbalance which is a cause of endometriosis.

A personal moisturizer absorbs into the vaginal skin relieving dryness and increasing elasticity.

How Often Do You Need To Apply It?

For the best results a personal moisturizer, like Chiavaye, should be applied a couple of times each day. 

If you are using a personal moisturizer for sex, then apply it around two hours prior to get the maximum benefits.

3. Consider Supplements & Herbs

Painful symptoms, misinformation and no cure can make you feel like your endometriosis is out of your control. 

Taking supplements is one way to calm the chaos and take back control of your health.

Top 4 Supplements:

There are several supplements that reverse endometriosis naturally (link to other herbs for endo article?) but here are the top three:

1. Evening Primrose Oil

This is something that you NEED to try. If you only use one supplement, this should be it. It's amazing at helping with PMS symptoms and reducing inflammation.

I recommend taking 1300 mg daily supplement at night before bed. We have no affiliation with any of the brands below but these are the ones I recommend.

• Solgar
• Nature's Sunshine
• BlueBonnet

2. Curcumin:

Curcumin, an anti-inflammatory and the active ingredient in turmeric, may help to reduce estradiol production and suppress the growth of endometrial tissue.

This herb also acts as a natural detoxifier ridding the body of dangerous toxins that increase endometriosis symptoms. 

3. Ginger

Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, natural pain reliever and immune booster making it an outstanding choice for women with endometriosis. 

This knotty root reduces flare-ups, subdues painful side effects and counteracts the immune imbalance endometriosis creates.

4. Peppermint

Peppermint soothes menstrual cramps by calming stomach muscles and is packed with antioxidants.

Antioxidants curb chronic pelvic pain and pain associated with menstruation giving women with endometriosis much-needed relief.

4. Manage Stress & Anxiety

Living with endometriosis wreaks havoc on your mind and body. Stress and anxiety are additional symptoms caused by your endometriosis.   

Managing stress and anxiety is vital to reducing painful endometriosis symptoms as well as maintaining positive mental health and wellness.  

Stress & Anxiety Can Increase Inflammation (Which Is Bad)

A research team from Carnegie Mellon University discovered stress causes the body to lose the ability to regulate the inflammatory response. 

Painful flare-ups are caused by increased inflammation, so it’s imperative for women with endometriosis to practice ways to reduce stress and anxiety.

How to Practice Mindfulness In Your Daily Life To Help With Endo Symptoms

The painful symptoms that accompany endometriosis leave many women struggling with mental health and a lower quality of life. Practicing daily mindfulness improves pain and depression while focusing on the positive aspects of life.

One way to practice mindfulness is through meditation which reduces inflammation, increases the immune system, and decreases cell damage.

Ways to practice mindfulness:

• Mediation
• Yoga
• Focus on the present and the positive
• Use a mantra
• Remember to breath and relax your shoulders
• Be kind to yourself and listen to your body

A holistic approach can help to treat endometriosis naturally by alleviate painful symptoms and possibly reversing the disease.