3 26 Ha r m fr o m Toxi c Ch e m i c a l s
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a serious illness that causes the lining of the womb to grow
outside of the womb. No one is sure what causes endometriosis. But because
it is so common in industrial areas and places with a lot of pollution, one of
its causes may be industrial pollution. Endometriosis can be very painful.
Endometriosis can also make it difficult to get pregnant.
Signs
The main signs of endometriosis are pain during monthly bleeding and pain in
the lower back and abdomen. Other signs are:
• heavy monthly bleeding or bleeding from the vagina at other times
• pain during sexual intercourse
• painful bowel movements, often with diarrhea or constipation
• bloating, vomiting, nausea, lower back pain, and tiredness
These could all be signs of other health problems. To know if it is endometriosis
or some other serious illness, see a trained health worker right away.
Many health workers, however, are not familiar with endometriosis, so if
you have several signs of this illness and a health worker tells you that you do
not have endometriosis, seek out another health worker’s opinion if you can.
Prevention and treatment
You may be able to use birth control pills to reduce the pain and heavy or
irregular bleeding. Speak with a health worker. You can also reduce pain
by taking medications such as ibuprofen. See a health book such as Where
Women Have No Doctor for ways to treat pain.
For some women, changing what they eat seems to help reduce pain and
signs of this illness. Since endometriosis is caused by problems with estrogen,
avoid foods containing estrogen or estrogen-like substances, such as:
• meat and dairy products from animals that have been given hormones or
that have been fed with grains that contain pesticides.
• vegetables and fruits that have been sprayed with pesticides.
• soybeans and foods made from soy, peanuts, and other legumes.
It may also help to avoid foods that cause the body to produce more estrogen
or estrogen-like effects, such as foods in the nightshade family (eggplant,
potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers), and coffee, chocolate, tea, and cola drinks.
Some foods may help the body fight endometriosis, including:
• foods that contain fiber, such as whole grains, beans, and brown rice.
• foods with a healthy fat called Omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts,
pumpkin seeds, salmon, and other fatty fish.
• dark green vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sesame, figs, and
almonds.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012