What To Eat & Avoid When You Have Pelvic Infection?

Most women can get pelvic infections because of different types of bacteria due to poor menstrual hygiene and unhealthy food habits.¹

Dairy products, a dietary source of arachidonic acid, produce unhealthy prostaglandins that have the potential to increase pelvic pain.^2,3

Calcium-rich foods, including beans, almonds, and dark green leafy vegetables aid in reducing the inflammation of any bacterial infections especially when caused by sexually transmitted diseases.⁴

Throughout the human lifecycle, dietary aspects have been one of the significant features inducing and triggering outbreaks of infectious ailments. Unhealthy eating practices are often associated with the incidence and spread of several sexually transmitted infectious diseases. Good hygiene and healthy eating prevent you from spreading bacteria and disease to other parts of the reproductive system.

A recent study also demonstrated that bacteria in the pelvis or reproductive organ can produce significant amounts of infertilities and pregnancy-related complications. There’s a slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer or adenocarcinoma when the condition is left untreated. Most cases of pelvic infections are managed through a pain management plan with healthy nutrition and regular physical activities.

Foods To Avoid For Pelvic Inflammation

Certain lifestyle choices can influence the progression of sexually transmitted diseases and increases the risk of other complications. So, the choice of food is very crucial to manage pain and disorder. Several types of research have shown that certain foods can negatively influence pelvic symptoms. Foods that you should try to eat less of include.

Processed Foods – Trans fat is found predominately in fried, processed, and fast foods that can influence hormone regulation, particularly estrogen balance has strongly associated with chlamydia trachomatis in the lower genital tracts of young women.

Red Meat – They are high in saturated fats that increase the risks of inflammation. One study showed 70 percent of them had a decrease in pain after eliminating gluten from the diet.

Simple Carbohydrates – White flour products, cereal made from rice or corn, high GI fruits, and juices spike the glucose level releasing a large amount of insulin has been shown to cause and worsen inflammation.^2,3

Foods That Positively Influence Pelvic Infection

Nutrient-dense foods are the best to fight inflammation and pain caused by pelvic infections. Most of these infections are often associated with an imbalance of the normal vaginal bacteria. Microorganisms when taken in an adequate amount bring health benefits to human and animal bodies.

Probiotics – Vaginal capsules with probiotics have also proven to be useful in reducing infections in your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.

Vegetable Proteins – Foods such as soybeans, beans, lentils, legumes especially dark and leafy ones like broccoli, kale, spinach, and fruits showed a reduction in chronic pelvic pain and a decrease in inflammation.

Complex Carbohydrates- Whole grains, brown rice, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, steel-cut oats, and buckwheat are a part of a healthy diet to balance your blood sugar, reducing spikes that cause inflammation.⁴

Pelvic inflammatory disease is a common condition occurring in 1 in 7 women. Approximately a constant percent of women aged between 25-35 years are treated for this condition annually. Pelvic infections is a suspected infection with resultant inflammation of the female upper reproductive tract that occurs as a result of the ascension of microorganisms from the lower genital tract.

Inaccurate diagnosis and unhealthy lifestyle habits increased the magnitude of the condition and lead to an increased toll of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, acute pelvic pain, and recurrent episodes of pelvic infections.

References:

Complementary and Alternative Medicine – Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, What to Eat and What to Avoid If You Have Endometriosis” umr.adam.com/content.aspx?productid=107&pid=33&gid=000124#
“Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Pelvic Pain Management. Anti-Inflammatory Diet to Help Ease Chronic Pain” Mesh Medical Device News Desk: Home, www.meshmedicaldevicenewsdesk.com/articles/anti-inflammatory-diet-pelvic-pain-management
“Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.” SuperPharmacy, Inflammation & Chronic Pain, Managing Chronic Pelvic Pain through Diet, www.superpharmacy.com.au/blog/pelvic-inflammatory-disease
Ross, Jonathan D C. “Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.” BMJ Clinical Evidence, BMJ Publishing Group, 10 Mar. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907941/

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What To Eat & Avoid When You Have Pelvic Infection?