Statistics show that 1 in 10 women will be diagnosed with endometriosis. Unfortunately, there still isn’t enough data to show how many of the people living with the condition are Black. That’s because many of them don’t get correctly diagnosed until over a decade after they start experiencing symptoms but that doesn’t mean those issues don’t keep getting worse. One of those symptoms is the bloating known as endo belly.
Endo belly is the term given to the painful, swollen abdomen people with endometriosis get before or during menstruation. While the main symptom is painful bloating, you may also experience constipation, nausea, gas, and diarrhea. In endometriosis, endometrial cells grow in areas outside of the uterus like the pelvis, abdomen, or chest. These cells usually become inflamed during your menstrual cycle, which can cause bloating and pain. With an endo belly, these cells are located in the abdomen.
The inflammation can also cause the digestive issues that some women experience. When you have the combination of inflammation and bloating your stomach can stick out to give you the appearance of what is known as endo belly.
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Alcohol is known to be inflammatory and can make the symptoms of endometriosis worse. It’s also best to avoid caffeine, sugary drinks, fatty meats, and heavily processed foods. These foods have been shown to encourage inflammation.
Peppermint tea can help to reduce some of the bloating and gas you experience with endo belly. Ginger tea can also help to soothe nausea. If you’re not interested in tea, peppermint and ginger are often available in candy form as well. However, eating too much sugar can undo all your efforts to keep your symptoms under control.
Adding more fiber to your diet can help ease constipation and remove excess estrogen from your body. Some great sources of fiber include nuts, seeds, whole grains, raw vegetables, fresh fruits, and beans. It’s easy to incorporate them into your daily meals.
This is an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Though it sounds like a mouthful, it only means that you should stay away from certain foods like apricots, apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, dairy, legumes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and onions. Some of the foods that are recommended are almond milk, lactose-free yogurt, oats, bean sprouts, olives potatoes, chicken, tofu, and bananas.
While these options usually work best in combination with medication, that doesn’t mean they can’t help at all. Some of the things you can discuss with your doctor include acupuncture, yoga, and physical therapy. Studies show that these therapies can effectively reduce inflammation in the body.
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While many women can naturally manage their endo belly, it’s not a permanent fix for everyone. This can be particularly true for Black women as they are known to have more severe symptoms than other ethnicities. If you’ve been trying to manage your endo belly but it keeps getting worse, it could mean that you need medical intervention. Signs that your endo belly is worsening include lasting more than two days, occurring more frequently, and getting more painful.
If you haven’t been officially diagnosed yet, it’s important to talk to your doctor about what’s been happening with your health. That will open the door to being treated after your condition is confirmed. The first step in endometriosis treatment is medication but if that’s not enough, your doctor may recommend exploring surgical options. If you’ve already been diagnosed, then your treatment regimen may need to be adjusted.
Though medical statistics haven’t caught up, studies show that Black Americans are more likely to have endometriosis, get a late diagnosis, and have more severe symptoms. That means you could deal with endo belly whether or not you’ve been diagnosed. While complementary natural treatments can help, you should always talk to a doctor if the symptoms get worse.
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