Nutrition and lichen sclerosus

Written by Lotte Boekhout

Do you have lichen sclerosus and are you looking for ways to reduce your symptoms? The good news is that what you eat can have an enormous impact. Although we do not yet know everything about the cause of lichen sclerosus, hormonal imbalance, inflammation and your immune system are known to play a significant part. And these are precisely the areas in which nutrition can make a difference.

In this blog, you will discover how a few simple changes to your diet can support your hormones, reduce inflammation and give your body an opportunity to return to a better balance. Ready to discover what nutrition can do for you? Read on.

Nutrition that supports your hormones with lichen sclerosus

Lichen sclerosus is often linked to hormonal function. It therefore makes sense to look at foods that have a positive influence on hormonal balance. Nutrition and hormones are often made unnecessarily complicated, but the basics do not need to be so complex. To understand how nutrition may help, it is useful to know how your hormonal cycle works. This knowledge helps you understand why certain foods may help during different phases of your cycle:

• First half (days 1–14): during this phase, your oestrogen builds up. Eat healthy fats and sufficient protein to support your hormones.
  
  
• Second half (days 15–30): progesterone rises here and oestrogen is broken down. Supporting your liver and gut is important at this stage.

Seed cycling for hormonal balance

One simple way to support hormonal balance is seed cycling. This involves eating particular seeds during different phases of your menstrual cycle:

• Second half (after ovulation): switch to one tablespoon of sesame seeds and one tablespoon of sunflower seeds. These seeds support progesterone production and help break down excess oestrogen.

• First half (before ovulation): have one tablespoon of flaxseed and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds each day. These seeds contain phyto-oestrogens that help your body produce healthy oestrogen.

Eating enough is crucial

Many women eat too little or do not get enough nutrients. Weight loss, strict diets or an unbalanced diet can put your body into survival mode. When your body thinks there is a shortage, it switches to ‘energy-saving mode’, and hormone production is one of the first things to be reduced. Your body needs sufficient energy and nutrients to produce hormones and keep them balanced. If your cycles are irregular, consider whether you may be eating enough.

Essential nutrients for hormonal balance and lichen sclerosus

Healthy fats for hormone production

Healthy fats are among the most important building blocks for your female hormones. Hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone are made from fats in your diet. Omega-3 fats are particularly crucial. Omega-3 fatty acids play an important part in regulating your hormones and also have an anti-inflammatory effect that may help reduce lichen sclerosus symptoms. Your body cannot produce these fatty acids itself, so you must obtain them through food. Good omega-3 sources include oily fish and plant foods such as avocados, olive oil, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts.

Protein for building tissue and hormones

Protein is essential for building and repairing tissue, but also plays an important part in hormonal balance. It helps regulate your blood sugar and supports the production of hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. Protein is particularly important during the first weeks of your cycle for building healthy oestrogen. Good plant sources of protein include pulses, nuts and seeds, quinoa, whole grains, tofu and tempeh.

Supporting your gut and liver with lichen sclerosus

Both your gut and your liver play a crucial part in breaking down oestrogen and other hormones. This is especially important during the second half of your cycle and may influence the severity of your lichen sclerosus symptoms.

Fibre for healthy bowel movements

Fibre is essential for hormonal balance. It feeds beneficial gut bacteria, helps bind and remove hormones, and supports regular bowel movements. All this contributes to a healthy hormonal balance.

Good bowel function is particularly important for women with lichen sclerosus. The condition can sometimes also occur around the anus, which can make bowel movements painful. Keeping stools soft and easy to pass can prevent a great deal of discomfort. Psyllium fibre may be valuable for women who have difficulty with bowel movements. It softens stools and reduces discomfort when they pass. Begin with a small amount—one teaspoon in a large glass of water—and gradually increase this to one to one and a half tablespoons a day. In any event, see your GP if you are experiencing significant problems with bowel movements.

And remember to drink enough. Fibre needs water in order to work properly. Drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day.

Gut bacteria: your allies

Your gut contains trillions of bacteria that have a major influence on your hormonal function and immune system. These bacteria help process hormones and may reduce inflammation.

You can support them by eating enough fibre, but also by adding probiotics to your diet. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in live-culture yoghurt, kefir, kombucha and fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut and kimchi. You could also consider a probiotic supplement alongside your diet.

Supporting your liver for healthy hormonal function

Your liver is essential to breaking down hormones. If your liver is overloaded, hormones such as oestrogen may build up in your body. You can support your liver with chlorophyll-rich green vegetables such as spinach, kale, rocket and alfalfa sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, are particularly beneficial because they contain substances such as DIM and indole-3-carbinol that help your liver break down oestrogen in the right way.

Think too about antioxidants, which protect your liver against damage. They are found in blueberries, pomegranate, red berries—preferably organic to avoid pesticides—turmeric and green tea. These foods help your liver function as well as possible.

Minerals and vitamins

Your body needs various minerals and vitamins for healthy hormonal balance and healthy skin. Here are several important ones:

• Selenium: two Brazil nuts a day meet your entire requirement. Selenium is also present in fish, eggs and garlic. It is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce inflammation.
  
  
• Zinc: found in shellfish, pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts and pecans. Zinc requires extra attention on a plant-based diet. It is important for building proteins and repairing and renewing tissue.
  
  
• Magnesium: found in spinach, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, pulses and bananas. Magnesium helps muscles relax and may reduce stress.
  
  
• Iron: present in red meat, lentils, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, sesame seeds and leafy vegetables. Combine plant sources with vitamin C for better absorption. It is especially important if you experience heavy menstrual bleeding.
  
  
• B vitamins: found in whole grains, green leafy vegetables, pulses and nuts such as almonds and cashews. B12 occurs mainly in animal products, so supplementation is often necessary for vegetarians and vegans. B vitamins are indispensable for your energy levels and hormonal balance.
  
  
• Vitamin D: obtained from sunlight and found in oily fish and eggs. Supplementation is often needed in winter. Vitamin D plays a crucial part in your immune system.

Lichen sclerosus and your immune system

Lichen sclerosus is suspected to be associated with autoimmune responses. Autoimmune diseases often involve increased inflammation in the body and gut. Foods to which you are intolerant, allergic or sensitive may activate your immune system unnecessarily and worsen your symptoms.

Some women benefit from temporarily avoiding gluten or dairy. You could try a six-week elimination diet to see whether leaving out certain foods reduces your lichen sclerosus symptoms. Blood tests can also be used to test which foods your body reacts to. Seek guidance with this from a dietitian specialising in nutritional medicine, or a doctor with experience in this area.

Other foods and drinks that may worsen symptoms include coffee, alcohol and chocolate. I know: for many of us, these are the little pleasures in life. Sugar and highly processed foods may also intensify inflammatory responses and consequently worsen your symptoms.

But remember: the most important thing is that you continue to enjoy food. The great danger of ‘healthy living’ is imposing restrictions on yourself and creating unnecessary fear. Try not to think too much in terms of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Look at where you can cut down—for example, by limiting coffee to one or two cups a day and saving chocolate or alcohol for the weekend.

Your nervous system and nutrition

Our body has two modes: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. When the sympathetic part of our nervous system is active, all our energy goes towards survival, while functions such as digestion, immunity and hormone production are reduced. The parasympathetic nervous system is also called ‘rest and digest’ mode. The name says it all. In this state, there is space for rest, recovery and digestion. For hormonal balance and the immune system, it is important to spend plenty of time in ‘rest and digest’ mode.

Mindful eating for hormonal balance

One simple way to calm your nervous system is simply to eat slowly. Begin your meal with a deep breath to signal to your body that it can enter ‘rest and digest’ mode and prepare to digest food. Eat in a calm environment without the distraction of your phone, television or computer. This gives your nervous system an opportunity to relax. Take the time to chew your food well, which is important for your gut, and really taste what you are enjoying.

Warm food calms the body

Your body, especially your abdomen, prefers warm food. An enormous number of nerves run through your gut, and cold food can be difficult to digest. Choose warm meals more often instead of cold salads, or cooked vegetables alongside raw vegetables. Warm drinks such as herbal tea and chai latte also calm your nervous system. Preferably, do not drink during your meal, but before or afterwards. This supports good digestion and may indirectly help reduce lichen sclerosus symptoms.

Listen to your own body

What works for one person may make another person’s symptoms worse. Keep a food diary in which you record your symptoms and cycle as well as what you eat. After a few weeks, you may begin to see patterns. Dietary changes do not work overnight. Give yourself at least two to three months to experience their effects. Be patient and kind to yourself during this process.

Lichen sclerosus calls for a holistic approach. Nutrition is a powerful tool you can use yourself to ease your symptoms and improve your overall health.

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