As we saw in the first part of our dossier, endometriosis is a complex condition with profound physical and emotional repercussions. While conventional medicine offers medical and surgical solutions that can provide relief, many women are also looking for complementary, gentler and more holistic approaches to help them live better with the condition on a day-to-day basis.
Naturopathy offers a particular approach to endometriosis: it sees it as a chronic inflammatory disease, influenced by the environment, diet, hormonal and emotional imbalances. Rather than focusing on the symptoms only, this approach aims to understand and rebalance the person’s overall condition.
At the heart of this vision is the idea that a healthy lifestyle plays a key role in managing and alleviating symptoms. Naturopathy focuses on three fundamental areas: diet, stress management and physical activity.
An anti-inflammatory and hypotoxic diet
Diet plays a central role in regulating inflammation, the hormonal system and the functioning of the elimination organs.
The aim is to unburden the body, support the emunctories (liver, kidneys, intestines) and provide the nutrients essential for cell repair.
- Avoid pro-inflammatory foods: refined sugars, ultra-processed products, industrial dairy products, gluten (for some women).
- Favour anti-inflammatory foods: red fruit, green vegetables, turmeric, ginger, garlic, onions, fresh herbs.
- Increase your omega-3 intake: Oily fish (sardines, mackerel, wild salmon), linseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts.
- Support the liver: Artichoke, black radish, lemon, milk thistle, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, rocket).
- Support the kidneys and acid-base balance: Nettle and dandelion infusions or extracts, birch sap.
A predominantly plant-based diet, rich in fibre and low in toxins, helps the body to better manage hormonal fluctuations and ease menstrual pain.
The role of emunctories in endometriosis
The emunctories – liver, kidneys, intestines, skin, lungs – are our body’s outlets. Their mission: to eliminate toxins and maintain internal balance. When one of them is overloaded, waste accumulates, which can aggravate inflammation or disrupt hormonal balance.
In endometriosis, the liver is particularly called upon to eliminate excess oestrogen. But chronic inflammation can also have an impact on the intestines and bladder, slowing down transit or disrupting renal elimination. The result: toxins circulate longer in the body, feeding an inflammatory terrain.
Supporting the emunctories therefore means lightening this load and enabling the body to regulate itself better. This is a major key to lasting relief.
Stress management: a tool for calming the nervous system
Often underestimated, chronic stress has a major influence on hormonal balance, increases inflammation and can aggravate the pain associated with endometriosis. It is therefore essential to learn how to regulate the nervous system and connect with a space of inner calm.
- Breathing, cardiac coherence, mindfulness meditation: just a few minutes a day can be enough to modulate the autonomic nervous system and improve pain perception.
- Gentle yoga or Yin yoga: These practices relieve pelvic tension, relax the fascia and improve blood circulation.
- Body-mind techniques: Sophrology, hypnosis and EFT are powerful tools for managing chronic pain and releasing the emotional tension associated with the illness.
Adapted physical activity: get moving to feel better
Regular physical activity, adapted to your current state of tiredness and pain, is a genuine natural remedy. It promotes circulation, stimulates the emunctories, releases endorphins (natural painkillers) and supports the metabolism.
Practical advice:
– Practise a gentle activity 3 or 4 times a week.
– Avoid overwork or strenuous exercise in times of crisis.
– Incorporate movement into your daily routine: climbing the stairs, gentle stretching, active breathing.
The most important thing is to listen to your body: walk, swim, dance, do yoga or other gentle, progressive movements depending on your energy level.
Diet, stress management and movement form the basis of a favourable environment for the regression of symptoms and the return of energy. Every woman is unique, and it’s essential to adapt these recommendations to her rhythm, her cycle and her needs at the time.
And that’s not all… In the last article in this dossier dedicated to endometriosis, we will explore complementary natural solutions which, in synergy with a healthy lifestyle, can help to relieve symptoms, provide in-depth support for the body and promote a better quality of life on a daily basis.
