weight management

Gut health and endometriosis

Key reasons why keeping your gut healthy is so important?

Weight management

Firmicuates, a classification of bacteria, are able to extract more calories from food, meaning if you have an overabundance, you may be storing fat, even if you’re not overeating. Fat tissue can be a source of inflammation with endo, as it can produce oestrogen. This in turn can contribute to more serve symptoms of endometriosis.

Mental health

Beneficial gut bacteria produce butyrate, which reduces anxiety and depression. Fermentation of some foods (high in sugar diet or high refined carbohydrate diet) result in the release of toxins and chemicals that make you feel foggy, groggy and fatigued – symptoms we don’t want to be indemnifying with endometriosis.

Protection

Having a healthy gut maintains a heath pH. Having a healthy pH prevents an overgrowth of toxin-producing bacteria that can be a source of inflammation (and pain) in endometriosis.

Healthy Hormones

An imbalance in the gut, common with low fibre diets and constipation, favours the reactivation of beta-glucuronidase. This is an enzyme that reactivates oestrogen otherwise destined for removal through the stools. Since oestrogen is a source of inflammation and can contribute to prefoliation of endometriosis, we want to be eliminating oestrogen as much as possible through daily stools.

Immunity

If the GALT – a communication system between the gut, nervous system, and immune system – is impacted by things like inflammation, this too impacts immunity. A dysfunctional immune system can result in serve and unpredictable symptoms of endometriosis.

Barrier Maintenance

A healthy gut prevents a leaky gut. When leaky gut occurs due to dysbiosis, gut inflammation, or stress, large molecules can enter the general circulation and promote an immune reaction. This in turn may contribute further to the immune system dysfunction we already experience with endometriosis, and intensify symptoms of autoimmunity, or results in the development of an auto-immune condition.