This EndoLife

This week I caught up with the wonderful Jessica Murnane, talking about her new book, Know Your Endo, which is out now. If you didn’t manage to catch the IG Live, you can listen to our interview here, where we talk about:

• How she found writing a book about endo - in the middle of COVID!

• How to prioritise your health with endo without feeling guilty or overwhelmed.

• Defining what your ‘best’ is with endo and how to walk the line between accepting that some symptoms may not fully resolve (but can be reduced) whilst also recognising when there is a deep root cause to be investigated.

• How she celebrates her progress with endo and practices self-compassion.

• Her key tools for managing endo including knowing your endo, stress management, good food, movement and changing our body/home products for more endo friendly versions.

• Navigating relationships, having friends with endo and looking after yourself in community spaces.

• How to be an advocate for endo without the burn out!

Jessica’s new book Know Your Endo is out now in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.

Listen and subscribe on your favourite player or listen directly/download MP3 here or just listen below!

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

Show Notes

jessicamurnane.com

Know Your Endo

Excruciating pain, heavy bleeding, nausea and vomiting are all symptoms many of my clients first come to me with.

Whilst I first and foremost use nutrition and lifestyle changes to help my clients resolve their endo symptoms, there are also supplements that have been shown to specifically lower premenstrual and menstrual problems such as pain and nausea, and I use a selection of these when necessary with my clients. I’ve seen so much success with these supplements that I included them in the supplement module of my course, Live and Thrive with Endo. In today’s episode I’m sharing another clip from this module, this time focusing on the supplements that help to relieve these specific symptoms.

Last week I shared the supplements shown to target endo and some of those supplements have also been shown to alleviate dysmenorrhea and other menstrual issues too, so I would definitely listen to both of these episodes.

Also, I want to make it clear that I believe in using diet and lifestyle changes to manage endometriosis, and getting to the root cause(s) of our symptoms. I usually use supplements later in my coaching with clients, to allow them to experience changes in their symptoms from an anti-inflammatory diet, physio, gut healing, etc. but if a client is really struggling then we do bring supplements in sooner. My point is, these shouldn't be used in isolation, but rather in tandem with healthy habits that support you to live well with endo and resolve the root problem behind your inflammation, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, etc.

I’ve also distinguished between studies on animals or in vitro in contrast to studies on humans, as of course, for those supplements which haven’t been tested on humans yet, we need more research and larger studies would be helpful for all of these supplements. I also do not advocate for animal testing and so this episode isn’t about promoting or supporting animal testing, but is rather about sharing with you the information that we have so far, whilst acknowledging the gaps in the research and the ethical issues.

Here’s the transcript from the module:

Disclaimer

So before we get started I just wanted to share a quick disclaimer as supplements can occasionally come with side effects and health risks. 

So as outlined in the agreement you signed when you enrolled into the course, you should consult with your doctor before starting a new supplement regime, this is especially important if you are on medication as some supplements can change how the medication works. It may also be important to get tested first before taking some supplements, like with vitamin D and iron. I’ll mention this in the slide if this is necessary, though I do generally recommend getting your levels tested either way.

This is even more important when you’re trying to conceive or are pregnant, as some supplements aren’t safe during conception and pregnancy. 

As you’re aware, I am not a dietician or medical professional. These practitioners are licenced to give specific prescriptive doses to individuals whereas I am not. Instead, these are general yet therapeutic doses (which essentially means effective) for the specific issues I highlight them as useful for in this lesson, provided to you for educational purposes with the intention that you will then discuss these with your doctor or the practitioner you’re working with before beginning. These doses are either from the studies, from my training or from other practitioners and are generally safe to use - if there are any risks, I have highlighted them in the slides. 

Finally, you’ve probably heard the phrase ‘you can’t out-supplement a bad diet or lifestyle’ and it’s especially true with a chronic condition. You’re not going to reap the full benefits of these supplements if your diet choices and lifestyle are standing in direct opposition to them. I do think supplements play a role with endometriosis, especially as gut health issues, deficiencies and high inflammatory markers and low antioxidant markers are factors we see in our population, but they need to be alongside healthy choices. So keep that in mind as we go through this lesson today.

Okay, now that’s the boring bit over! Let’s get to supplements!

Period Pain and Associated Symptoms

So now let’s move onto some supplements which have been shown to be effective for period pain and associated symptoms like nausea and vomiting.

 

Magnesium

Okay, you know I’m a major fan of magnesium and here’s why:

• Magnesium supports healthy oestrogen metabolism

• Supports blood sugar stability by improving insulin sensitivity

• Lowers inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory prostaglandins and lowering oxidation levels

• Reduces dysmenorrhea 

• Supports progesterone production by supporting processes involved in hormone regulation

• Reduces PMS symptoms

• Magnesium oxide and citrate reduce constipation

Dose wise, if you’re looking to use citrate or oxide for constipation, Dr Allision Siebecker recommends 500mg to 2000mg per night, building up gradually until you get a healthy bowel movement the following morning, and then continue for maintenance or as needed. Do not go straight in at the higher dose as this will cause diarrhea.

For pain, you can use 500-600g of Epsom salts 2-3 times a week for optimal absorption or 150mg to 450mg a day (though some practitioners use higher levels). Honestly, most of us are so deficient in magnesium that this should be an ongoing supplement, but for endo pain, try using for a minimum of six months though I expect you’ll see results much quicker.

For blood sugar, the recommended dose is 150mg to 200mg of magnesium glycinate or l-threonate two to three times per day. You can use this ongoing.

 

Ginger

Okay another one I love is ginger! 

• Ginger has been shown to be just as effective as ibuprofen and mefenamic acid for dysmenorrhea, so if you’re looking to get off NSAIDS, this could help. It’s also been shown in multiple other studies to reduce dysmenorrhea.

• Additionally, it’s been shown in research to aid with nausea.

• It’s a generally a wonderfully powerful anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, demonstrated in numerous studies.

• Aid withs migraines and headaches and has been shown to be as effective as migraine medication when taken at a dose of 250mg at the start of the migraine.

• Ginger is a natural antihistamine, shown to just as effective as loratadine.

Dose wise, the recommendation for dysmenorrhea is between 750mg to 2000mg per day, split into doses of around 250-500mg in the lead up to your period and during the first 3-4 days of your cycle. If you wanted to lower inflammation overall for endo, Dr Aviva Romm advises you could also take ginger daily for three-six months (at least) at 1000mg a day, though you could go higher as long as you didn’t exceed 2000mg per day. 

I do just want to caution, if you have interstitial cystitis, ginger may be irritating for the bladder. Additionally, high doses in one go can cause stomach upset like diarrhea so always take in divided doses and build up your doses to test your tolerance.

 

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another lovely supplement which can really help with periods.

• Cinnamon has been shown to significantly reduce heavy bleeding in people with primary dysmenorrhea. 

• It also has been shown to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting during menstruation.

• ·Significantly reduces pain with primary dysmenorrhea.

•  Very effective for balancing blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity.

The studies of cinnamon for dysmenorrhea used 420mg three times a day or 1000mg three times a day during first three days of the participants cycles. 

The dose for blood sugar balance is 3000mg a day, divided into doses and taken with carbohydrate foods, though up to 6000mg has been used in studies. This can be ongoing to support with blood sugar stabilisation or short-term to help you to get on track with your blood sugar.

Due to the oxalate and histamine levels of cinnamon, cinnamon may cause bladder irritation to those with interstitial cystitis. Cinnamon extract may be more beneficial because it significantly lowers the histamine and oxalate content, though it’s unclear whether the studies used cinnamon extract or powder, but the extract still appears to be safe in these doses. Of course, consult your doctor and read the label recommendations.  When choosing your product, look for ceylon cinnamon not cassia cinnamon, which contains toxic compounds that can be harmful at high doses. If you have kidney stones, you may need to adopt a low oxalate diet temporarily so consult with a partitioner before taking lots of cinnamon powder.

 

Vitamin D

We all know that vitamin D is an essential nutrient, here some of its super powers:

• Low vitamin D have been associated with endo, chronic pain conditions, insulin resistance and menstrual disorders such as PCOS.

• In research, vitamin D supplementation has been shown to significantly reduce pain with dysmenorrhea.

• It’s also been shown to reduce premenstrual syndrome and the associated symptoms.

So in my training we’re taught that a safe maintenance dose that you can take with normal vitamin D levels is 2000IU, though the department of health recommends a minimum of 400IU a day. So you could start lower or just stick to that level if you feel more comfortable dosing at the lower end, however it’s really only enough to avoid deficiency but is not an optimal amount for good health. 

In terms of testing, a healthy optimum level of vitamin D is 50 ng/ml or near that number. If your levels are lower then you’ll need to increase your intake. 5000IU daily is the recommendation for low levels of vitamin D but because of the risk of vitamin D toxicity if you take too much, you should work with your doctor to agree on the required dose for you personally and retest between 60 to 90 days after beginning to supplement at these higher levels. Once you’re at a healthy range, you can drop down to a maintenance dose.

 Show Notes
References

Magnesium

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/5/10/3910

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dme.12250

https://drbrighten.com/boost-low-progesterone/

https://www.composednutrition.com/blog/increase-progesterone-naturally

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2675496/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25023192/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5112180/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30880352/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4847116/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17229895/

 

Ginger

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23865123/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26177393/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25912592/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.6730

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7171779/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23657930/

 

Cinnamon

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4443385/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30396627/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5220230/

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/3/815/4596714

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30396627/

https://examine.com/supplements/cinnamon/

https://jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(16)30899-1/fulltext

Vitamin D

https://endometriosisnews.com/2016/11/11/ovarian-endometriosis-linked-to-vitamin-d-blood-levels-in-study

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4427945/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29447494/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6250088/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22371927/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27147120/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/08/24/vitamin-d-why-you-are-probably-not-getting-enough/

As many of you may know, I’ve been busy delivery my course, Live and Thrive with Endo, which has just finished! As part of the course, I created a bonus module all about supplements for endometriosis, pain, inflammation and hormones.

In my book This EndoLife: It Starts with Breakfast I actually go into supplements that have been shown to target endometriosis, but in this module, I dive even deeper. For those of you who are in need of some extra support with your symptoms or who are curious about the evidence behind supplementing for endo, I wanted to share a part of this module, specifically, the supplements which has been shown to directly target endometriosis and reduce its symptoms, severity and growth rate.

Also, I want to make it clear that I believe in using diet and lifestyle changes to manage endometriosis, and getting to the root cause(s) of our symptoms. I usually use supplements later in my coaching with clients, to allow them to experience changes in their symptoms from an anti-inflammatory diet, physio, gut healing, etc. but if a client is really struggling then we do bring supplements in sooner. My point is, these shouldn't be used in isolation, but rather in tandem with healthy habits that support you to live well with endo and resolve the root problem behind your inflammation, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, etc.

I’ve also distinguished between studies on animals or in vitro in contrast to studies on humans, as of course, for those supplements which haven’t been tested on humans yet, we need more research and larger studies would be helpful for all of these supplements.

Here’s the transcript from the module:

Disclaimer

So before we get started I just wanted to share a quick disclaimer as supplements can occasionally come with side effects and health risks. 

So as outlined in the agreement you signed when you enrolled into the course, you should consult with your doctor before starting a new supplement regime, this is especially important if you are on medication as some supplements can change how the medication works. It may also be important to get tested first before taking some supplements, like with vitamin D and iron. I’ll mention this in the slide if this is necessary, though I do generally recommend getting your levels tested either way.

This is even more important when you’re trying to conceive or are pregnant, as some supplements aren’t safe during conception and pregnancy. 

As you’re aware, I am not a dietician or medical professional. These practitioners are licenced to give specific prescriptive doses to individuals whereas I am not. Instead, these are general yet therapeutic doses (which essentially means effective) for the specific issues I highlight them as useful for in this lesson, provided to you for educational purposes with the intention that you will then discuss these with your doctor or the practitioner you’re working with before beginning. These doses are either from the studies, from my training or from other practitioners and are generally safe to use - if there are any risks, I have highlighted them in the slides. 

Finally, you’ve probably heard the phrase ‘you can’t out-supplement a bad diet or lifestyle’ and it’s especially true with a chronic condition. You’re not going to reap the full benefits of these supplements if your diet choices and lifestyle are standing in direct opposition to them. I do think supplements play a role with endometriosis, especially as gut health issues, deficiencies and high inflammatory markers and low antioxidant markers are factors we see in our population, but they need to be alongside healthy choices. So keep that in mind as we go through this lesson today.

Okay, now that’s the boring bit over! Let’s get to supplements!

Endo Specific

So of course, I wanted to start with endometriosis specific supplements that have been shown to target endometriosis, while also have numerous other benefits.

Curcumin

Let’s start with my absolute favourite, curcumin. Now in terms of endometriosis, the research is unfortunately only in rats or in vitro (meaning outside of a human or animal such as in a test tube or a petri dish) but hopefully we’ll soon have some human studies.

• Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the spread of endometriosis and lesion formation by reducing cell proliferation (the process where cells divide to make new cells) and by reducing the adhesion molecules which allow endometriosis cells to stick to surfaces and form lesions. 

• It also been shown to reduce endometriosis by speeding up the death of endo cells, known as apoptosis. Apoptosis is the normal death of cells in their life cycle, which endometrial cells are more resistant to than normal, healthy cells.

• ·Research also found that curcumin slows down growth rate by reducing oestrogen levels inside the endometrial cells, so they essentially have less fuel to feed them.

• Of course, as you probably know, there are now countless studies on curcumin’s powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In fact, in research it’s been shown to reduce oxidation levels in mice with endometriosis, which we know are high in people with endometriosis and contribute to endometriosis growth.

In studies not on endometriosis, curcumin has been shown to…

• Be as effective as ibuprofen for pain relief when taken daily for 4 weeks at 1,500mg. It was also shown to have less GI side effects that ibuprofen. 

• It has additionally been shown to boost mood and cognitive function in several studies. One study on healthy adults showed that just one hour after taking curcumin, attention and memory improved and with longer term use fatigue, mood, stress and mood significantly improved. 

• It can also help to repair leaky gut and lowers intestinal inflammation by reducing the immune system’s reaction to LPS, which is why I tend to use it as one of the first supplements to try as it can heal the gut, lower inflammation in the body/gut/pelvic cavity and directly target endo. All important factors in better managing endo.

• Finally, it’s been shown to support blood sugar, which as you know is important for keeping energy levels up, inflammation down and hormone levels balanced. In one study on people with prediabetes, it was 100% effective in preventing the development of type 2 diabetes.

So the general therapeutic dose is 500mg to 1000mg a day, ideally divided in doses but don’t worry if all you can find is a single large dose. Curcumin is generally metabolised quickly and so dividing the doses means we can have it hanging around in our body for longer, doing good work!

You may feel the benefits of curcumin in a month or so, especially if you’re taking it at higher doses. However, for others it can take longer and for the best benefit we need to give curcumin at least six months to a year as the processes of directly targeting endo and reducing the effects of inflammation can take time. Of course, if you have adverse reactions, stop immediately and consult with your practitioner. 

Finally, curcumin can be difficult to adsorb so when choosing a product, go for one either with piperine (which is an extract from black pepper) or is paired with fat or is labelled as ‘bioavailable’. Really, fat or piperine are the best options and take with a fat containing meal to aid absorption further. If you have interstitial cystitis, black pepper is irritating to the bladder, so definitely avoid supplements that just add black pepper itself and experiment with how you feel on the extract, as that may be less irritating. In the handout I’ve linked to one of my favourite brands which do a bioavailable form without piperine. Also, if you do have IC, avoid turmeric supplements and rather go for curcumin, which is the active extract from turmeric, as turmeric can also be irritating to the bladder. Generally, you’re also going to get more bang for your buck with curcumin because it’s in a more concentrated form than just taking turmeric.

Quercetin

Okay so quercetin is another one of my absolute favourites! 

• Quercetin has been shown in studies on rats to inhibit endometriosis growth by lowering oestrogen levels, stunting development.

• In another rat study, quercetin significantly reduced the size of endometriosis lesions.

• Quercetin is anti-inflammatory and immune supportive, which is of course important with endo as we know inflammation is high and the immune system is compromised. 

• It’s also a great leaky gut healer and is one of the supplements I recommend trying first for leaky gut due to its other benefits listed in this slide. 

• It’s also a powerful antihistamine which can be used for reducing allergic reactions, histamine intolerance and asthma symptoms.

Dose wise, I don’t have a specific dose for endometriosis but for histamine issues, the dose varies from 100mg to 500mg. Dr Jessica Drummond recommends 100mg in our training, whereas I know Dr Aviva Romm recommends 500mg in her article on allergies. My personal feeling is that to reap the benefits for both inflammation, endo and histamine (which we know is often a problem in people with endo), the higher dose is probably going to be better here.

Like with all of these supplements, we’re really looking at about six months at a minimum, unless you react, in which case, stop immediately. 

Finally, a gentle caution here, from the studies and reviews, quercetin is deemed as safe and I’ve not seen any warnings from practitioners, but it does lower both oestrogen and progesterone through lowering FSH and LH. I don’t think this is a problem because as I’ve mentioned, it’s not come with any warnings in my trainings or by practitioners who use it regularly in their practice, but if you have low progesterone I would maybe use with caution. If you can’t afford testing and you’re not sure, I would just observe your cycle and if you start getting low progesterone symptoms, ease up on your dose or remove completely if necessary. Ideally track your cycle with the FAM to ensure you’re ovulating. Again, I don’t think this is a huge issue or risk but keep it in mind when using just to be safe.  

N-Acetyl Cysteine

Okay, another great supplement is n-acetyl cysteine. 

 N-acetyl cysteine has been shown in human studies to reduce the growth rate of endometriomas.

• It’s also been shown to reduce the size of endometriomas and endometriosis lesions, in some to the point where the endometriomas disappeared entirely. In fact, in one study, half of the patients treated with NAC cancelled their laps due to a reduction or resolution in symptoms and/or a decrease or total disappearance in endometriosis lesions and endometriomas. 

• As I mentioned, these studies also showed significant reduction or total eradication of pain and symptoms. 

• An added bonus is that in these studies, there were more pregnancies in the groups treated with NAC than those without so it may support fertility. 

• Finally, it also supports liver function as it is the precursor to the antioxidant glutathione (which basically means NAC makes glutathione). Glutathione is essential for protecting the liver from inflammation and damage from the toxins and waste materials it processes, allowing it to function optimally and aiding oestrogen clearance.

 Dose wise, the studies used 1800mg, split into three doses of 600mg for three months. However, in my training we tend to use lower levels of 500mg - 1000mg. 

One word of caution is that Dr Allison Siebecker warns that NAC may possibly aggravate hydrogen sulphide SIBO symptoms because this amino acid contains sulphur, which can worsen symptoms for some people. If you know or suspect you have H2S, I will just see how you respond as this isn’t proven, it’s just something she cautions as sulphur containing foods often aggravate those with H2S.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

• Next up is fish oil or omega 3 fatty acids, and as we know these fats are essential and most of us aren’t getting enough, so there’s definitely a real benefit of adding these into our supplement regime whether we have endo or not!

• Fish oil was shown to reduce adhesion formation following surgery on mice with induced endometriosis and reduced the inflammatory healing process post-surgery which could contribute to further endo development due to the heightened inflammatory chemicals. This led to the mice who were fed with fish to have fewer lesions than those who were fed a standard diet without fish oil supplementation; therefore this could be a potential helpful supplement before and after surgery (though I would argue it’s an essential daily supplement). 

• In rabbits, 8 weeks of fish oil treatment led to a significant reduction in size of endometriosis lesions. 

• In humans, several studies have demonstrated a reduction in pain and inflammation with endometriosis and pelvic pain. 

• It’s also been shown to significantly reduce pain in those with primary and secondary dysmenorrhea (primary means period pain with no disease or condition behind it, whereas secondary is period pain due to a condition like endo) to the point where less pain medication was needed. 

• Additionally, it’s been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory pain reliever for issues like chronic back ache and neck pain. 

• One of the ways that omega 3 fatty acids do this is through lowering inflammatory prostaglandins and raising the levels of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. 

• Additionally, because of the powerful anti-inflammatory processes of omega 3 fatty acids, they may play a role in healing leaky gut and lowering intestinal inflammation. Many gut health practitioners use fish oil for this purpose.  

The dose is between 1000mg to 3000mg a day. I personally find I get more relief from the higher doses, but it can be tricky to get hold of those levels without exceeding the dose recommendations on the bottle. I have linked to a few higher dose supplements in the handout, but if you chose to exceed the dose recommendations on the label, obviously that’s your choice but you’ll need to consult with a practi

You’re doing everything ‘right’ yet you’re still having flare ups.

Does this sound like you?

If so, I think you’ll find this mini episode helpful!

Today’s episode is another special episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group.

The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

In this episode I’m answering the question ‘Why am I still getting flare ups when I’ve made so many changes to my diet? How much of an impact does diet really have?’

In this episode I discuss:

• Why we generally begin with diet changes

• How we can be eating anti-inflammatory foods but still triggering inflammation with imbalanced blood sugar

• How stress can impact pain signals

• How infections and gut health can worsen inflammation in the body

• Why it’s important to explore pelvic floor health and adhesions when healing endo

• Other factors to check in with such as sleep ands lack of exercise.

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

Show Notes

Useful podcast episodes to listen to if you’re still having pain after diet changes -

Can Stress or Trauma Trigger the Onset of Endometriosis?

9 Root Causes of Painful Sex with Endometriosis

Your Brain on Pain - How Your Nervous System Affects Interstitial Cystitis and Endo Pain with Dr. Nicole Cozean

The SIBO, Endometriosis and Interstitial Cystitis Connection wth Dr. Allison Siebecker

Anti-inflammatory Living for Endometriosis

Pelvic Floor Therapy for Endometriosis with Heba Shaheed of The Pelvic Expert

Is constipation a symptom of endo? Is it more common within the endo community? Why does it happen? What can we do about it?

Constipation is something that I see with a lot of my clients and is something that Registered Dietitian and Master of Applied Nutrition Cindy Dabrowska sees too!

In fact, if a client is struggling with constipation, this is one of the first areas that Cindy addresses because good gut health is crucial to healing with endo. As part of Endometriosis Awareness Month Cindy and I took to Instagram Live to discuss this common gut health issue within the endo community and I decided to share it here as well because it’s such an important conversation!

In this episode we discuss:

• Why constipation occurs so often within the endo population and how it can affect endo healing.

• The key causes of constipation that Cindy and I commonly see.

• Simple strategies you can begin to try at home to begin alleviating constipation and improving gut health.

• Some of her favourite supplements and tools for supporting the gut.

This is such an important conversation to have and the key takeaway is - constipation doesn’t have to be just another symptom you live with. There’s lots that can be done and many of the strategies are simple!

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

 

Show Notes

Cindy’s website

This week as part of my IG Live series for Endo Awareness Month I chatted with my friend and colleague Tara Ghosh to learn all about the benefits of Arvigo Therapy for endometriosis, bloating, constipation, adhesions and SIBO.

Tara is a wonderful Arvigo Therapist and wellness consultant dedicated to supporting people with periods to improve their health through accessible and simple at-home strategies.

In this conversation we discuss...

• The origins of Arvigo Therapy.

• How Arvigo Therapy works and how it benefits the body.

• How and why Arvigo Therapy can help with endometriosis pain.

• How Arvigo therapy can help you reduce IBS and SIBO symptoms that often accompany endo such as bloating, constipation and nausea.

• How Arvigo Therapy differs from visceral manipulation and whether Arvigo massage can help with adhesions or a ‘frozen pelvis’

• How to work with Tara and learn Arvigo Therapy to practice at home!

I really hope you enjoy this conversation and find it as fascinating as I did!

Listen and subscribe on all podcast players, listen directly/download MP3 here or just listen below!

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

 

Show Notes

https://www.arvigotherapy.com

Tara’s Instagram: @_taraghosh_

A few of you have been asking how my SIBO treatment has been going and to celebrate Endometriosis Awareness Month, I’ve been doing a series of lives discussing endo and SIBO. As part of this, I decided to jump onto Instagram Live to give a full update and to answer your SIBO questions. I also wanted to share it here in case you guys missed it.

In this podcast episode I’m sharing…

• My SIBO levels for methane and hydrogen, and why I decided to treat for hydrogen sulfide as well.

• My experience with antimicrobials, especially high dose oregano, allicin, atrantil, silver hydrosol, uva ursi and bismuth formulas.

• The updates around hydrogen sulfide treatment and bacteria.

• My experience with natural prokinetics and the challenges I faced having interstitial cystitis whilst taking them (some prokinetic ingredients can worsen IC).

• My experience with die off and ways to manage and reduce.

• When I’m retesting and my next treatment option and how to time retesting.

• What I’m doing to prevent relapse once I get the all clear.

• How to manage expectations and set realistic goals (SIBO is chronic in 2/3s of patients and relapse is typical between 2 months and a year post treatment).

• Where to get tested in the UK and how to test generally...

...Plus much more!

Please reach out and let me know in if this was helpful and if you’d like to hear more on how to manage SIBO and endo together!

Listen and subscribe on all podcast players, listen directly/download MP3 here or just listen below!

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

 

Show Notes

SIBO Made Simple Cookbook

Healing SIBO

SIBOinfo.com

Today’s episode is a another special mini-episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group.

The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

In this episode I’m answering the question ‘How quickly can food trigger an endo flare (if that food is inflammatory to you)?’

In this episode I discuss:

• The inflammatory response of prostaglandin E2 and their connection to endo.

• How a food can trigger a local inflammatory response in and around the gut, which then leads to an full-body inflammatory response.

• How quickly these immune responses occur.

• The difference between acute inflammatory responses and long-term chronic inflammatory responses.

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

Today’s episode is a another special mini-episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group.

The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

In this episode I’m talking about whether stress or trauma can actually trigger the onset of endometriosis.

In this episode I discuss:

• The research around trauma and onset of endometriosis symptoms.

• The link between endometriosis, autoimmune conditions and childhood trauma.

• The effects of stress on inflammation and the immune system.

• How stress impacts the way the brain responds to physical injury and how you experience pain.

Lastly, I want to emphasise that this is a direct answer to a direct question from a student. This is not blanket advice for everyone. I just wanted to share this in case you're having a similar experience, but please know that everyones journey with healing endo will be different.

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

Today’s episode is a another special mini-episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group.

The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

In this episode I’m talking about whether heavy bleeding and clots are really all because of endometriosis, or whether something else is going on.

In this episode I discuss:

• What causes excruciating cramping and contractions on your period - with or without endo.

• Why I don’t believe heavy menstrual bleeding and big clots are caused by endometriosis.

• Why vomiting on your period may be linked to your histamine levels.

Lastly, I want to emphasise that this is a direct answer to a direct question from a student. This is not blanket advice for everyone. I just wanted to share this in case you're having a similar experience, but please know that everyones journey with healing endo will be different.

Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page guide includes evidence based and effective remedies which you can use at home to reduce your pain with endo. Download your copy here.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk