This week we are speaking with Louise who is a sufferer of Endometriosis and will be telling us about her unique experience of the condition. We recently made a podcast about this topic with Endometriosis UK (episode 18) which provides more detailed information. It was a privilege to hear Louise's experience of endo, we hope you enjoy it!

There is some swearing in this episode. 

https://www.wellandgood.com/women-clinical-trials/

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Louise Litchfield

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

instagram.com/willgrantt

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Dr Kokes

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://drkokesnd.com/

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

instagram.com/willgrantt

What is Endometriosis and why don't more people know about it?

Endometriosis is a serious condition that affects 1 in 10 women, and takes an average of 8 years to get diagnosed. There are very few options for treatments and research is lacking to help the women affected by this condition, and according to an article in the Guardian more money has been has been spent on erectile dysfunction than endometriosis

(https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/dec/18/women-have-been-woefully-neglected-does-medical-science-have-a-gender-problem)

As it affects such a vast percentage of the population, we really wanted to open the conversation and invited Faye from Endometriosis UK and Rhea who suffers from endometriosis. 

Rhea's Story:

I was diagnosed with stage 4 severe endometriosis in 2011 after 7 years of misdiagnosis in a London hospital.  Both my bowel surgeon and gynae surgeon performed what they called pioneering surgery on a woman of my age. They had to remove 10 inches of bowel, my left fallopian tube and I had a lot of work on my pelvis to name but a few things. The recovery was a struggle and endometriosis still throws obstacles at me. My experience of the disease prompted me to try and help other woman and show them that I am living proof you can get through. I was lucky enough to be selected to work as an online support Group Leader for Endometriosis UK and I have been volunteering for 3 years. I love the role and want to do as much as I can to raise awareness of this debilitating disease.

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Faye and Rhea

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

https://www.instagram.com/willgrantt/

Moira Bradfield is a Naturopath, Acupuncturist, Academic and the founder of Intimate Ecology, which is a holistic health service based on the Gold Coast in Australia. Moira specialises in helping her clients achieve optimal vaginal health naturally. She is also an educator providing training on the vaginal microbiome, mentoring practitioners and running courses. 

In this episode we asked every question under the sun about our vagina's, from the impact of antibiotics to pain during sex, UTI's to menopause. 

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Moira Bradfield

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://intimateecology.com.au/ 

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

instagram.com/willgrantt

Cathy “The Bitch” Brown is a former professional British boxer, being the 2nd female in the UK to receive her professional licence in 1998. She went on to become British and European Champion and ranked 3rd in the world. 

Cathy was at the forefront of women’s boxing, her legacy being the rise of female boxers over the past 20 years. In her training she was regularly turned away from clubs, told she was too pretty to box and received little to no pay when she had a fight. It was her grit and passion for boxing that kept her in the ring, retiring only when her health was at risk. She is now a coach, cognitive behavioural therapist, public speaker and author of the comprehensive boxing instructional book ‘Boxology’. Throughout her career she has been fighting the inequality in sport, so who better to tell us how she dealt with systemic sexism, breaking the taboos and persevering through adversity to follow her dream. 

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Cathy Brown

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://www.cathybrown.co.uk/ 

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

instagram.com/willgrant_music

Trigger Warning: This Episode contains a detailed experience of mental illness and could be triggering for some people. 

Teanna Taylor is a blue belt under Stealth BJJ. She has been diagnosed with severe anxiety, depression and Psychogenic Psychosis, brought on by the stress of physical illness. Despite a very healthy lifestyle, she initially fell seriously unwell in 2017 after contracting a very rare virus that led to liver disease. The trauma of this experience and the fear of losing her job during this time was a catalyst for her developing severe mental health issues. This kind of situation could happen to anyone and yet it is still misunderstood, particularly psychosis, which has a lot of associated misconceptions.

In this episode Teanna tells us her story, and we are grateful to be given the opportunity to share it.

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Teanna Taylor

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://www.instagram.com/teanna_taylor_bjj/

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

instagram.com/willgrant_music

Maisie Hill is a Menstrual Health Expert with over a decade of experience as a practitioner and Birth Doula. Maisie wrote the fabulous book ‘Period Power’ which seeks to educate women about their cycle, using the four seasons metaphor to explore how women can harness the power of their menstrual cycle by following its rhythm. This approach is a game changer as it transforms our relationship with our cycles, something so fundamental to our lives but which is taboo within our culture. 

We were thrilled to have her as a guest to talk about periods and everything that goes with it. 

Warning: There is a little swearing during this podcast.

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Guest: Maisie Hill

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant

https://www.maisiehill.com/ 

https://www.womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

instagram.com/willgrant_music

For this episode we were joined by Elaine Wynn, THE Jiu Jitsu Grandma. At 72 she has been training for 3 years and is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Gracie Barra Alabama, and a video of her competing recently went viral. Elaine is extraordinary with her openness to learn and try new things! We came away from this feeling energised and inspired. 

Hosts: Shanti & Marina

Elaine's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/jiujitsu_grandma/

Our website www.womenwhofight.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

https://www.facebook.com/womenwhofight.co.uk/ 

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant - instagram.com/willgrant_music

Annelie Whitfield is a Naturopath, Herbalist and Functional Medicine Practitioner.

Naturopaths looks at the root of disease and imbalances and use herbal medicine and lifestyle to fix the imbalances. 

Annelie works primarily with women and is deeply passionate about helping people achieve optimal health; working with an individual’s unique physiological and biochemical needs to understand the nuances of her clients.

Staying well is essential for athletes and chronic issues can creep up on us and compromise our health. Annelie’s job is to get to the root of these issues and resolve the underlying cause, using herbs, food and positive lifestyle practices. 

Hosts: Women Who Fight aka Shanti & Marina

Annelie's Website: https://www.honouryourbiology.com/

https://www.instagram.com/annelieuk/ 

Follow us on instagram @womenwhofight.co.uk

and facebook /womenwhofight.co.uk

Website www.womenwhofight.co.uk

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant - instagram.com/willgrant_music

Strongher is a women's only gym, an inclusive place that discards the stereotype of what gym's are and creates its own definition of the word. Where ALL women feel welcome and the game isn't about being bigger and better but about having a great experience and becoming strongher in the process. Incredibly supportive and inspiring we spoke to the founders Tig and Sam about their journey and about Strongher's mission. They are doing amazing things and have big plans...

Hosts: Women Who Fight aka Shanti & Marina

https://www.strongher.co.uk/

Follow us on instagram @womenwhofight.co.uk

and facebook /womenwhofight.co.uk

Website www.womenwhofight.co.uk

Sound Editor and Song Writer: Will Grant - instagram.com/willgrant_music