Endometriosis develops when the tissues lining the uterus grow outside of the uterus and begin to surround other organs in the abdomen. The condition can cause bleeding, pain and discomfort. Women who eat more fruits and vegetables are less likely to suffer from the painful condition known as endometriosis, shows a new study.
Researchers surveyed 504 women diagnosed with endometriosis, comparing their results to 504 other women without the disease. All were under age 65.Results showed consumption of fruits and green vegetables protected women against the disease. Compared with those who ate the least amount of these foods, those who ate the most had about a 40-percent relative reduction in risk. Eating more red meat and ham, however, had the opposite effect. Those who ate the most red meat and ham had up to a 100-percent increase in relative risk when compared to those who ate the least.However researchers say further study is needed to confirm these findings but if additional research also shows a protective effect for diet in endometriosis, the incidence of the disease could drop to as low as around 3 percent to 4 percent, preventing about 10,000 women in Italy alone from acquiring the disease every year.
