Intro to endometriosis: Symptoms, causes & lifestyle tips

If you’ve heard of endometriosis, you might know that it can result in painful periods, bloating and pelvic pain, but did you know that it can be far more serious than just a bad period? 

So if you’re keen to learn a bit more about endometriosis, the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK,¹ you’re in the right place.

Holland & Barrett’s women’s wellness business, Parla, has launched a ground-breaking e-learning programme, to demystify endometriosis and teach people how to manage symptoms of the condition in a healthy and holistic way.

Parla are working with Carla Cressy, founder of The Endometriosis Foundation, to encourage people to share their #endostories and raise awareness of this misunderstood condition. If you want to find out more about Parla or read about Carla's story, click here.

We’ll guide you through everything you need to know to get to grips with endometriosis, below.

Skip to:

• What it is
• Symptoms
• Stages
• Causes
• Tips

But, unlike during your period (when this shedding comes out in the form of blood), it instead causes scar tissue. These can then lead to adhesions that cause pain in the pelvis, bladder, bowels, ovaries and uterus.⁴

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

Taking an average of 8 years for a firm diagnosis, it’s safe to say that getting one isn’t a straightforward process.⁵ One of the reasons for this is that a lot of the main endometriosis symptoms fall into other categories too, such as primary dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, IBS and period pain.

Endometriosis symptoms to look out for:

• Pelvic pain 
• Discomfort in your lower tummy or back – usually worse during your period 
• Period pain that stops you from doing your normal activities 
• Discomfort during ovulation 
• Spotting between periods 
• Loss of old or dark blood before period 
• Discomfort during or after sex 
• Discomfort when weeing or pooing during your period 
• Feeling sick 
• Recurrent constipation 
• Recurrent diarrhoea 
• Blood in your wee or poo during your period 
• Difficulty getting pregnant 
• Heavy periods 
• Depression 
• Regular fatigue 
• Back ache 
• Leg discomfort^3,6

We know understanding endometriosis can be very difficult. To learn more about endo and holistic ways to manage the symptoms directly from a nutritionist and hormone health expert, join Parla’s 6 week endo-programme.

What are the stages of endometriosis?

Endometriosis is categorised into four stages by the American Reproductive Society, depending on where the endometrial tissues are, how big they are, how deep they are and how widespread they are. Having said this, the stage you are at doesn’t always match up with the severity of symptoms. Here’s what each stage means:⁸

While no specific cause of endometriosis is known, it is speculated that genetics may have a part to play. In fact, research suggests that people who have a first-degree relative with the condition are 5-7 times more likely to have the condition than those who don’t.⁹

Some other possible causes of endometriosis include immune system problems or the cells of the uterus lining spreading through the body in the bloodstream.³

There are multiple ways that the right nutrition can help you to live with endometriosis. Firstly, you could try to incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet to help reduce inflammatory markers. This includes a rainbow of foods like turmeric, ginger, garlic, oily fish, fruits, cruciferous vegetables, nuts and seeds.¹⁰

Try to consistently eat three balanced meals a day, each with a good source of protein, fibre, greens and healthy fats. A 2021 review of multiple different studies has shown that fatty acids, antioxidants and a combination of vitamins and minerals might have a positive effect on endometriosis-associated symptoms.¹¹ But concluded that further studies are needed to clarify which types of food in particular are best for endometriosis.

On a similar note, it’s worthwhile to focus on your gut health too. Research now shows that 70-80% of our immune cells are found in the gut, which is why it’s a good idea to keep your gut microbiome (aka the mix of bacteria, viruses and fungi in your gut) happy.¹²

Try to pack in plenty of fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir to help encourage a diverse gut microbiome.¹³ In addition to this, filling up with fibrous foods like vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and legumes may also help to keep your gut health in check.¹⁴

It’s no secret that sleep can have a huge impact on our health. In fact, studies have shown that even short instances of sleep deprivation can increase markers for inflammation in the body.¹⁷ This in turn may worsen or intensify some symptoms of endometriosis, so it’s important to build a quality sleep routine.

Some of the best things you can do to improve your sleep include: 

• Sticking to a consistent bedtime 
• Sticking to a consistent wake time 
• Avoiding screens at night 
• Sleeping in a relaxing environment 
• Winding down your body and mind an hour before sleeping

Understanding what’s happening to your body can be a minefield. So we hope you’re feeling a little more educated on the condition and armed with some ways to help manage it. Help is always available if you need it, and you deserve to get extra support to help with your symptoms.

For more advice on managing your endometriosis symptoms in a healthy and holistic way, join Parla’s 6-week support course.