Endometriosis diet: evidence and everyday food choices

What can diet do?

No diet has been established as a cure for endometriosis. The 2022 ESHRE guideline could not recommend a specific nutritional intervention for endometriosis pain because the evidence was uncertain. Read the guideline.

Personal accounts can offer recognition and useful questions. They do not establish that the same approach will help everyone or treat the underlying condition.

Gut symptoms deserve their own discussion

A small 2025 randomised trial studied a low-FODMAP diet in women with endometriosis and poorly controlled gut symptoms. It found improvements in gastrointestinal symptoms; it did not establish a cure or test a ketogenic diet. Read the study.

Low-FODMAP, low-carb and low-histamine diets mean different things. Ask a dietitian about the purpose, duration and nutritional adequacy of any restrictive approach.

Make everyday meals more manageable

• For low-carb meal ideas, combine eggs, chicken or fish with vegetables such as courgette, cauliflower or broccoli.
• Choose a simple low-carb breakfast to repeat, such as eggs with courgette.
• Use prepared vegetables when chopping is too much work.
• Write down specific questions about your symptoms instead of removing several food groups at once.

These are practical planning ideas, not a treatment plan. Seek individual advice if eating enough becomes difficult or your diet is becoming increasingly restricted.

A personal book, with recipes

You’re Not Crazy, You Have Endometriosis brings a personal perspective to pain, care and daily life. It includes 78 low-carb, histamine-aware recipes. That describes the book’s approach; it is not a promise that every dish suits every reader.

The English edition is available on Kobo. Check the edition language and current price before buying. Penny Vela’s books do not replace medical care or individual nutritional advice.