Endometriosis, Inflammation, and Hot Tea

Drinking hot tea is one of the few things I found comforting when I started suffering from endometriosis. Being a Southern woman, I grew up drinking iced black tea. Despite this, the only time I ever drank hot tea was to soothe a sore throat. I realized drinking hot tea would help calm me and ease some of my endometriosis pain and my soul.

Endometriosis and inflammation

Endometriosis is a disease in which the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, typically on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue of the pelvis. It is believed that these out-of-place tissue growths cause inflammation within the body, causing endometriosis to be characterized as a disease of inflammation.¹

Regardless of where the tissues are located, it still sheds every month without a way to exit the body.  The increased estrogen from the tissue growths can also lead to increased inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory tea varieties

Some anti-inflammatory teas include but are not limited to green tea, black tea, and rooibos tea.

Green Tea

Green tea is one of the most thought-of anti-inflammatory teas. A combination of tea catechins and flavonoids work together “to prevent free radicals from provoking or increasing cell damage and the resulting inflammation”.²

If you remember from school, a free radical is an unpaired electron. the number of antioxidants in green tea “reduce free radicals and combat oxidative stress.”³³

There are scientifically valid studies that have proven additional benefits of green tea that include:

• Boosted immune support
• Weight loss
• Improved dental health
• Better metabolism
• Improved neurological function
• Decreased risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.¹

Black Tea

Out of black tea, green tea, and white tea, black tea is the most processed; black tea is deeply rooted in Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic medicine is an Indian alternative medicine system. The compounds, flavonoids, and theaflavin, actually “inhibit inflammatory enzymes and control or eliminate free radicals in the body”.²

Black tea comes in a large variety and can even be enjoyed with milk and sugar. Unfortunately, black tea contains caffeine, which may negatively affect some individuals.^2,3

Despite this, “research does show that black tea has similar protection against inflammation and inflammatory conditions, including heart disease and some types of cancer.” ^2,3

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea can be either red or green, has a similar taste to black tea, and is primarily grown in South Africa. It is a great tea to transition to from drinking black tea. Rooibos contains two powerful flavonoids (aspalathin and nothofagin).^2,3

This is what helps this tea be such a strong anti-inflammatory tea.

This tea’s benefits include “reducing oxidative stress, preventing damage to the DNA and inflammation, protecting against cardiovascular toxicity,” as well as powerful relief from insomnia, tension headaches, stomach cramps in babies, and irritability.²

Trying out tea for endo relief

While hot tea may not be for everybody, I feel it is worth a try. If you find yourself faced with some bitterness, you find it unpleasant.

Some local honey may help take the bitterness away. Do not forget to mind your caffeine intake.

While there is no evidence that caffeine affects endometriosis, it can affect other aspects of your body.

Do you have a favorite tea?