Is there an ‘endo belly’ diet?
There’s no specific ‘endo belly’ diet. However, if you have endometriosis, looking after your digestive health is one of the best things you can do to beat the bloat.
Here are a few tips for doing just that.
Introduce a range of anti-inflammatory foods
As inflammation is a key symptom of endometriosis,7 eating an anti-inflammatory diet may potentially help with the symptoms.17
‘Eating the rainbow’ is an easy way to remember to add anti-inflammatory foods to your plate. This means focusing on vegetables and fruits in a range of colours.
Omega-3-rich oily fish like sardines, haddock, herring, and salmon are also all known for their anti-inflammatory properties.18
Try low-FODMAP foods
Some research has shown that following a low-FODMAP diet may help with digestive endometriosis symptoms, including ‘endo belly’.17,19
FODMAPs are carbohydrates or sugars that your body may find difficult to digest. So a low-FODMAP diet involves avoiding foods that aren’t easily broken down by the gut, such as milk and wheat products.20
A low-FODMAP diet aims to reduce carbs that are harder to digest. This is because high-FODMAP foods, like dairy products and beans, can contribute to abdominal bloating.21
However, the current data and studies into this area are lacking so, at the moment, no single diet can be recommended.17
Make food easier to digest
This means, slow down! Try to eat mindfully and calmly, and chew each bite properly.
When you break your food down effectively, you make it easier to digest and reduce gastrointestinal issues.22
Identify trigger foods
Specific foods will trigger bloating in certain people. For example, some people are particularly sensitive to lactose.23 Pay attention to what you eat, maybe keep a food diary and see whether your symptoms are worse after eating a particular food.