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Almost every woman dreads the bloating, crankiness and cramps that accompany monthly menstruation. But dread does not approach the degree of fear felt by a woman with endometriosis. Endometriosis causes endometrium cells to migrate from the uterus to places in the body that they don’t belong - like the ovaries and fallopian tubes, within the wall of the uterus itself, on the outer surface of the uterus and other pelvic organs, the colon, the bladder, and even to distant sites like the lungs or brain. Every month these clusters, no matter how small, swell and bleed in the same way those inside the uterus do during menstruation. But the irregularity of endometriosis can sometimes cause debilitating pain.

One in ten women suffer from endometriosis and nearly 40% of infertile women have some degree of it. And, according to a 2002 analysis in Toxicological Sciences, endometriosis is responsible for greater than 100,000 hysterectomies each year. The annual health care costs attributable to this disease exceed a staggering $1 billion in the US alone.

Similar to other chronic conditions and diseases afflicting society today, advocates press for early intervention and diagnosis, as well as research to identify effective treatments and maybe even a cure. Yet, once again we see prevention fall by the way side when credible evidence suggests that the industrial chemicals, dioxin and PCB - both persistent in our environment - may play a substantial role in this disease.

Protect Your Daughters

Efforts to keep dioxin exposure low must begin prenatally or in childhood, since dioxins and PCBs accumulate over time and in some cases do not break down for decades. There are simple steps one can take to reduce exposure to dioxins and PCBs – particularly where diet is concerned. Food accounts for 95 percent of human exposure to dioxin since the chemical accumulates in the fat of animals. Here are some dietary changes to consider:

• Avoid fish fats, especially pieces like the mustard in blue crab and the tomalley in lobster. Fish from the Great Lakes have been found to have especially high dioxin and PCB levels. Use the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Super Green List of safe seafood choices.
• Reduce consumption of high-fat meats and dairy products such as butter, cheese and ice cream. Buy low-fat or non-fat alternatives when possible.
• Eat a balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables and a moderate level of low-fat meats and dairy products. While organic foods are not any less likely to contain dioxins, they may contain fewer pesticides and other hormone disrupting chemicals.
• Serve smaller portions of meat and dairy products.
• Remove fat from meat as well as skin on chicken and fish, before cooking. Trim any darker meat along the top or center of the fillet. Use cooking methods such as broiling, which allows fat to drip away from the food.
• Since fats are essential to brain development, opt for plant-based sources like seeds and nuts.

March is National Endometriosis Awareness Month. If you hear someone talking about it or read about it in the newspaper or on-line, add your two cents about prevention. And, share these easy, important dietary tips with mothers of daughters you know.


Eskenazi, B. & Warner, M. (1997). Epidemiology of endometriosis. Obstet Gynecol Clin North America. 24(2), 235-258.

Cramer, D., & Missmer, S. (2002). Epidemiology of endometriosis. New York Academy of Sciences. 955:11-22.

Rier, S., Martin, D., Bowman, R., et al. (1993). Endometriosis in Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) following chronic exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Toxicological Sciences. 21(4), 433-441.

Birnbaum, L. S. & Cummings, A. M. (2002). Dioxins and endometriosis: a plausible hypothesis. Environmental Health Perspectives. 110(1), 15-21.

Rier, S., & Foster, W. G. (2002). Environmental dioxins and endometriosis. Toxicological Sciences. 70(2), 161-170.

Rier, S., Turner, W., Martin, D., et al. (2001). Serum levels of TCDD and dioxin-like chemicals in Rhesus monkeys chronically exposed to dioxin: correlation of increased serum PCB levels with endometriosis. Toxicological Sciences. 59(1), 147-159.

Image Courtesy of Vabellon / CC BY-SA 2.0

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