As diet can help with endometriosis management, anti-inflammatory herbs and spicies used in cooking or drinks can also really help.
Although there is no treatment for endometriosis, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer for life!
Your lifestyle will have a positive (or negative, depending on the case) impact on the development of the disease and its effects on your daily life.
Micronutrition can be a great help, as explained in this article.
There are simple yet effective remedies that you can implement.
Certainly, the use of these spices and herbs alone won’t work miracles, but in my experience, it’s the daily actions that truly make a difference!
Turmeric
Simple turmeric powder can improve digestive issues and gut health without seeking its absorption.
By consuming turmeric powder (½ to 1 tsp/day), you’ll have a localized effect in the intestine. In this case, it’s believed that turmeric would prevent the passage of LPS (toxins produced by bacteria) into the bloodstream (Ghosh et al., 2018).
If a systemic effect is desired, then highly bioavailable curcumin capsules can be taken (without being coupled with pepper, which promotes intestinal hyperpermeability) (Jensen-Jarolim et al., 1998).
Cinnamon
An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spice. A study even demonstrated that cinnamon was more effective than a placebo in reducing nausea and menstrual pain (Jaafarpour et al., 2015).
It’s best to choose Ceylon cinnamon (from Sri Lanka, Madagascar) instead of the one from China, which contains higher levels of coumarins (toxic to the liver).
Ideal dosage: ½ tsp/day.
Ginger
Ginger has 4 major benefits for endometriosis:
Reduces inflammation Fights oxidative stress Improves digestion Drastically reduces menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) (Kashefi et al., 2015)
Ideally, consume ½ tsp of powdered or freshly grated ginger daily and/or during your menstrual period. It can also be used as an infusion.
Rosmary
A wonderful aromatic herb to use generously in cooking or as an infusion (fresh and organic). In the context of endometriosis, a study (though in vitro) showed that it could inhibit the growth of endometrial cells (Ferella et al., 2018).
Spices to avoid
Conversely, other spices can be irritating and promote intestinal hyperpermeability (Jensen-Jarolim et al., 1998), such as chili, paprika, and pepper. Best to avoid these.
You want to know more about what you can do to manage your endometriosis?
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References
Ferella, L., Bastón, J. I., Bilotas, M. A., Singla, J. J., González, A. M., Olivares, C. N., & Meresman, G. F. (2018). Active compounds present inRosmarinus officinalis leaves andScutellaria baicalensis root evaluated as new therapeutic agents for endometriosis. Reproductive biomedicine online, 37(6), 769-782.
Ghosh, S. S., He, H., Wang, J., Gehr, T. W., & Ghosh, S. (2018). Curcumin-mediated regulation of intestinal barrier function: the mechanism underlying its beneficial effects. Tissue Barriers, 6(1), e1425085.
Jaafarpour, M., Hatefi, M., Najafi, F., Khajavikhan, J., & Khani, A. (2015). The effect of cinnamon on menstrual bleeding and systemic symptoms with primary dysmenorrhea. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 17(4).
Jensen-Jarolim, E., Gajdzik, L., Haberl, I., Kraft, D., Scheiner, O., & Graf, J. (1998). Hot spices influence permeability of human intestinal epithelial monolayers. The Journal of nutrition, 128(3), 577-581.
Kashefi, F., Khajehei, M., Alavinia, M., Golmakani, E., & Asili, J. (2015). Effect of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) on heavy menstrual bleeding: a placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trial. Phytotherapy research, 29(1), 114-119.