Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows and thrives beyond the uterine cavity. The most common place for endometrial lesions to occur is the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum.
Women with endometriosis suffer most commonly from pelvic pain, especially during the menstrual cycle. This pain can be debilitating and even threatening to health from excessive blood loss.
In addition to pain and bleeding sometimes all month long, endometriosis is also credited with as much as 50% of cases of infertility.
Other signs and symptoms of endometriosis include the following (1):
- Pain before and during your period
- Lower back pain
- Pain during or after intercourse
- Fatigue, infertility, chronic pelvic pain not just during your period
- Painful bowel movements, constipation, diarrhea, painful urination during your period
- Irregular or heavy periods
When endometriosis involves the ovaries, tissue can grow and bleed over time forming what is called chocolate cysts (2).
No Curing Endometriosis with Conventional Treatments
Unfortunately, if a woman visits her gynecologist about symptoms or complications related to endometriosis, only medication to control the pain or surgery for severe cases is all that is typically recommended.
If infertility is the result of endometriosis and a woman wishes to get pregnant, expensive fertility treatments are the order of the day. Unfortunately, this approach does not resolve the problem. In fact, it may actually worsen a woman’s hormonal balance over time causing other health issues later.
Curing Endometriosis Naturally With Diet and Non-Toxic Therapies
Fortunately, there is growing recognition that the pain and inflammation which characterizes endometriosis can be improved dramatically or even resolved completely with diet.
I myself suffered from endometriosis starting when I was a teenager. Diet change alone with no other treatments whatsoever completely resolved the problem. I’ve been in complete remission now for well over 20 years.
If you are also experiencing symptoms of endometriosis,, there is hope! Whether the problems are new to you or longstanding, diet change combined with holistic therapies as needed work extremely well.
Kim Schuette, CN and Certified GAPS Practitioner and owner of the clinic Biodynamic Wellness in Solana Beach, California reports that the following dietary changes have proven to be very helpful to women battling endometriosis:
Dietary Recommendations for Endometriosis
- One TBL high vitamin cod liver oil TWICE daily for 60 days. Please note that the cod liver oil MUST be high vitamin as all the other cod liver oils on the market extract the oil using either heat or chemicals. This processing alters the integrity of the oil and destroys nutrients. Click here for a list of reputable suppliers of this critical supplement which is not available in stores.
- Traditional Diet with special emphasis on daily dietary fats. These include raw butter, ghee, and/or X-factor raw butter oil, egg yolks, organ meats and fish roe. Click here for dietary guidelines for Traditional Diets from the Weston A. Price Foundation. The over 120 free videos on this blog demonstrate many of the practical aspects of implementing the principles of Traditional Diets in your kitchen.
Holistic Therapies for Endometriosis
Holistic therapies that can be implemented as needed in conjunction with Traditional Diet for curing endometriosis include:
- Rubus ideaus, or gemmotherapy, at a dosage of 1/2 tsp in water twice daily.
Gemmotherapy is a therapeutic modality using stem cell extracts of fresh buds, shoots, roots or stems from embryonic or mature plants. This therapy is helpful for tissue regeneration, positive growth development and drainage of toxins. Rubus idaeus is derived from the shoots of the red raspberry bush and is a very effective remedy for drainage of the uterus and pelvic region. It also tonifies the uterus.
- Castor oil pack once daily or nightly over the liver and pelvic region. Click here for details on how to make and use a castor oil pack properly.
- Coffee enemas can be a helpful addition to the process as needed.
Are you are one of the millions of women suffering month after month with the debilitating effects of endometriosis? Instead of bombarding your body with drugs or resorting to surgery to manage the problem, try diet change first! This combined with holistic methods for curing endometriosis naturally will give you much needed permanent and nontoxic relief!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources and More Information
Safe Alternatives for Toxic Tampons and Feminine Hygiene Products
How to Make and Use a Castor Oil Pack for Detoxification
My story is proof that this is true. I have suffered from endometriosis since I was twelve years old. Last year, I had major surgery to remove endometriomas that were as large as melons, and one the size of a small football. After only months new cysts took root. Radical diet change to traditional eating, along with FCLO and primrose oil, under the care of a holistic MD, have changed my life this year! http://saltandtwine.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/a-year-of-sickness-and-heartache-healing-and-overwhelming-joy/
Thanks for this link!
They either do a surgery or shut your system down conpletely. Basically like a forced menapause. They did both on me when i was 15. After that they told me i had to stay on birth control for the rest of my life to keep it in check and the scar tissue was so bad that i was infertile. I decided to opt out of the birth control and deal with the pain after a few years of that there was no way i was going to have a kid at all. (Believe me i tried) and then about 2 years ago i started taking fclo and high vitamin butter oil and now i have a beautiful baby boy 🙂 i named him after weston a price because if it wasnt for the foundation and his studies he would never be here today. I am very grateful. 🙂
Wow, Jennifer, this is a great story!! congratulations on not giving up and your baby boy!
This is a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing, I love hearing about the wonderful results of a traditionally diet.
Your beautiful story gave me goose bumps! You should write an article about your experience.
Too late. I had a hysterectomy 5 weeks ago. But now what? What herbs help me get my energy back? (It was after the surgery that I found out I had endo).
Not one doc knew. I had IBS and endo and uterine fibroid. I started raw milk and making my butter and my own yogurt back in October. All of which greatly help my IBS. Now I’m making my own kombucha and fermented lemonade.
Gulp- I slowly add cod liver oil and organ meats…. yikes! (But I have been soaking my grains and beans). 🙂
Unfortunately, the damage from surgery is multifaceted. But as someone who had surgery 15 years ago, the things you have mentioned will be more helpful than not. The only thing I didn’t see you mention was bone broth. For me, raw diary, lacto-fermented/cultured anything, bone broth, and FAT (cod liver oil, butter, cream, lard, coconut oil, etc.) are key. These things will go a long way to help immune system/balance, muscle tone, bone health, hormonal/endocrine balances, and emotional health – all things you will need to provide raw materials to assist in coping in the aftermath.
Make your enviornment and personal care as therapetic as you can afford.
Can you use coffee enemas during pregnancy?
That’s an amazing testimony, Jennifer Rawson!
Jennifer that is such an inspiring story! 🙂
Thanks for this info on endometreosis.
I would love if you could suggest natural remedies for Cervical Dysplasia as well.
I had the first stage of Cervical Dysplasia and had a LEEP procedure performed. After the surgery my next pap was clear.
My worry is that it might come back and I would like to prevent it naturally.
Any insight you have is greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
Btw, the cervical Dysplasia was caused by the HPV virus.
Cod liver oil…….
Cool, I’m taking that already! Thx for your reply! 🙂
Out of curiosity does anyone know the “kind” of CLO people took a few generations ago when it was the norm. It wouldn’t have been “fermented” would it? Sarah, do you know?
Jennifer, that’s so wonderful! I have tears in my eyes. Very happy for you!
Sarah Carter Leeman You might want to check this out!=)
Too late here too. I had hysterectomy 2 years ago. I knew I had fibroids. The dr found chocolate cysts and endo that had wrapped itself around my intestines. Needed an emergency abdominal surgery to stop the bleeding.
I have slowly changed my diet and continue working towards a full traditional diet. I too would like to know what I can take to boost energy but also what are your feelings on natural hormone replacement?
I think I’ve been suffering with this for probably 20 or more years. I was wondering about the capsule form of the cod liver oil. I’m finding a capsule that is a combination of royal butter oil and fermented cod liver oil. Please advice. Thanks!
Kathy, you can make your own capsules if you want to save money. The capsules sold would bankrupt me if I took as much as I need.
With the liquid version, you just use the syringe provided to load size 00 capsules. These have to be kept in the fridge as they leak within about 10 minutes of filling.
With the blend, which is thicker, I put the entire bottles contents into a disposable frosting decorator bag, with a small round tip on it. These capsules do not leak, unless the weather is quite hot.
One bottle takes me about 45 minutes to put into capsules. Perfect for a short movie.
After two years of infertility and a lifetime of painful periods, I was diagnosed with stage 4 endo. The doc cut it all out and I was able to conceive five months after. I still, however, had painful periods and the doctor said that I had andometriosis as well (endo inside the uterine wall). I am happy to say that after several months of adopting a traditional diet and befriending CLO, I have NO period pain whatsoever!
Jennifer Rawson YES!!!!!!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!
Jessica M Baker I would ask someone on staff at biodynamicwellness.com who are experienced in this area treating people with coffee enemas, but I would think that this would not be a good idea at all Enemas were traditionally used to help women start labor so that is not good at all while pregnant!
I found natural progesterone a huge help also.
Maggie Elizabeth Wright
where do you get the cod liver oil?
Megan Tanner, read Jennifer Rawson’s comment above. (btw, FCLO = fermented cod liver oil)