Nutrition for endometriosis and pelvic pain

Nadia Maxwell (she/her) is an accredited practising dietitian, clinical hypnotherapist, certified intuitive eating counsellor & credentialed eating disorder clinician. She works with people with endometriosis and pelvic pain to improve their symptoms without sacrificing their relationship with their food or body (and hopefully even improving it!).

In this webinar, Nadia explores:

the role of nutrition in endometriosis and pelvic pain
nutrition for pain
nutrition for digestive symptoms

This webinar covers:

Research:

Research on dietary changes to support endometriosis management is limited and characterised by a moderate to high risk of bias. Despite this, there is great potential for dietary changes to be a helpful tool for symptom relief as evidenced by the research below. In a 2017 survey of 484 people with endometriosis in Australia, dietary changes were the fourth most common strategy used to self-manage endometriosis symptoms (44% of participants) and the third most effective for pain reduction (Armour et al. 2019).

Things to know:

Nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle (not a miracle cure)
There’s no such thing as one perfect “endo diet”
How you FEEL about food is just as important as WHAT you eat

Nutrition can:

Reduce pain and fatigue
Improve gut symptoms
Help you reconnect with your body

Nadia’s general recommendations included:

Start with the foundation: regularity & adequacy

The Flexible Rule of 3s: 3 meals, 2-3 snacks, roughly every 3-4 hours, ideally within an hour or so of getting up

Anti-inflammatory eating pattern focusing on ADDITION of nutrition (as opposed to subtraction), such as adding in:

Nourishing fats including omega 3s
Plenty of colourful foods for their anti-oxidants
Wholegrains for fibre which supports energy and gut health
Regular protein to support the immune system
Stay hydrated

Address digestive symptoms holistically by coming at them from multiple angles (for example through nutrition, movement, the nervous system & the pelvic floor)

Remember it is best to book in with a dietitian or nutrition professional for individualised support.

Contact our endometriosis nurse coordinators who can help you choose the correct health professional for you.

Armour, M., Sinclair, J., Chalmers, K. J., & Smith, C. A. (2019). Self-management strategies amongst Australian women with endometriosis: a national online survey. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 19(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2431-x

Our services

The Julia Argyrou Endometriosis Centre at Epworth aims to deliver the best care for patients, while also improving current diagnosis and treatment options and working towards a cure for endometriosis.

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