This EndoLife

Today I wanted to follow up on last week’s episode Six Tips for Reducing Endometriosis Pain in The Week Before Your Period, with something a little more focused around nutrition. As most of you will know by now, I lean towards making healthy choices to support us with endo all month long, but that doesn’t mean that focusing on foods to add in just before our period can’t be useful. In fact, if you’re struggling with where to get started with endometriosis management, I would start here and with my last episode.

As always, these are just options - you don’t have to do them all nor do you have to do them exactly as suggested, tweak and tailor to your lifestyle and preferences. If you’re triggered by any of this, seek the support of a therapist and dietician/health coach/nutritionist before making further dietary changes.

So, here are any foods to to eat before your period to reduce pain with endometriosis:

1. Spinach and other leafy greens such as kale, boy chow, lettuce, rocket, chard and other greens. Add these in for anti-inflammatory nutrients, magnesium iron and fibre. Leafy greens can help to reduce period pain, fatigue, PMS symptoms like bloating and can aid reducing any excess oestrogen. You can throw some spinach in your morning smoothie and a big handful or two of lettuce to your lunch.

2. Olive oil and other Vitamin E containing foods such as almonds, olives, avocados, greens and sunflower seeds. Vitamin E has been shown to reduce inflammation in numerous studies, as well as reduce pain with endometriosis and painful periods. Try drizzling two tablespoons of olive oil or sunflower seed butter over your lunch time salad, and snacking on almonds!

3. Broccoli and other cruciferous veg like kale, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli sprouts, sprouts and cabbage. These help to reduce oestrogen dominance by supporting the body to remove old oestrogen that needs clearing out and can cause symptoms like clots periods, heavy periods and period pain. You could try roasting wedges of red cabbage and mixing into a salad, grating red cabbage over a tex-mea meal or adding broccoli sprouts to salads and smoothies.

4. Salmon and other sources of omega 3 fats such as mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, walnuts and chia seeds. Omega 3 fats help to lower inflammation and have been shown to reduce period pain and in studies on rats, reduce the size of endometriosis lesions. Add no more than two portions of fatty fish a week in addition to walnuts and chia seeds, and be cautious of large fatty fish as these can have a higher mercury content. If you don’t eat fish, it’s worth noting that most of us can’t convert plant-based sources of omega. fats into the usable form, so you’ll need to supplement with a vegan DHA and EPA supplement. One way to get in extra fish is to pair it with a Mediterranean salad and whole grains like quinoa for dinner, and try adding in some chia with a chia pot snack mixed with blueberries, walnuts and some almond milk.

5. Tomatoes and other colourful vegetables such as berries, red cabbage, parsnips, peppers, squashed carrots. Studies have shown that people with endometriosis have higher levels of oxidation (which leads to higher levels of inflammation and therefore pain) and that when participants added in a high anti-oxidant diet in the form of extra fruits and vegetables, their oxidation levels lowered. When it comes to fruit and veggies, the more colour, the more anti-oxidants - so eat the rainbow! Try snacking on red and yellow peppers and cucumber dipped in hummus, and make a dinner that has a delicious roasted veg salad with it such as roasted carrots, beetroot and fennel - delicious with some puy lentils, fresh herbs and rocket!

6. Turmeric and other herbs and spices like cinnamon and ginger. Many herbs and spices are anti-inflammatory, yet turmeric, ginger and cinnamon are particular stand-out stars, with curcumin (the active compound in turmeric) showing promise with endometriosis lesion suppression and ruction in mice, and ginger being an effective pain reliever in people with primary dysmenorrhea. How about making up a daily turmeric latte and a carrot and ginger soup to enjoy for the week?

7. Bonus food! Raw cacao and sugar free dark chocolate. Rich in magnesium, iron and anti-oxidants, raw cacao can help lower inflammation and support energy production, whilst helping us with those sugar cravings! Just be mindful of how much you have as cacao does have a little caffeine. My superfood hot chocolate recipe is a lovely way to get this delicious food into your diet before your period.

So which one are you going to start with? Dm me over on Instagram and let me know which food you try this cycle!

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is sponsored by my free “Endometriosis Symptom Tracker”. If you feel like you’re just in pain or tired all the time, and you can’t tell what’s making your endo better or worse, this tracker could help you begin to understand the subtle patterns in your endometriosis symptoms. As always, this guide doesn’t replace your medical treatment and is not intended to treat or cure endometriosis, but provides you with options that helped me to live well with endometriosis. Download here.

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

My FLO

How to track your period

Magnesium

Study

Magnesium baths for pain article

Magnesium--a new therapeutic alternative in primary dysmenorrhea

Vitamin E

Vitamin E, oxidative stress, and inflammation

Antioxidant supplementation reduces endometriosis-related pelvic pain in humans

Evaluation of the effect of vitamin E on pelvic pain reduction in women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

NHS fish guidance

Dietary fish oil supplementation inhibits formation of endometriosis-associated adhesions in a chimeric mouse model

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on intensity of primary dysmenorrhea

Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Omega 3 Fatty Acid In Fish Oil Linked To Lowering Of Prostaglandin

Outsmart Endometriosis by Dr Jessica Drummond

Eat the rainbow

Foods That Fight Inflammation - Harvard Health

Oxidative Stress and Endometriosis: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Women with endometriosis improved their peripheral antioxidant markers after the application of a high antioxidant diet

Curcumin

 Curcumin inhibits endometriosis endometrial cells by reducing estradiol production

Ginger

Dr. Aviva Romm ginger recommendations

The effect of ginger for relieving of primary dysmenorrhoea

Comparison of Effects of Ginger, Mefenamic Acid, and Ibuprofen on Pain in Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea

Cacao

100% black sugar free peanut butter mini eggs

Hazelnut truffles

Absolute Black (can find the bar in Sainsburys)

Hotel Chocolat buttons (these are AMAZING, but I don’t love their other 100% chocolate products)

So Free sweet dark chocolate

Raw cacao (you can find this in Sainsburys, but generally you can get raw cacao everywhere and online)

My brownie recipe

Most of us with endometriosis have experienced debilitating periods that stop us in our tracks and derail our day or week completely. Perhaps we get through with a mix of pain killers or maybe nothing helps at all - whatever is going on for you, today I want to offer you six simple pain relieving strategies that can help alleviate your endometriosis pain when your period arrives. These methods are best begun seven days before your period so the effects build up and compound and I do totally recommend continuing them into your period too, for extra benefits!

As always, these are just options - you don’t have to do them all nor do you have to do them exactly as suggested, tweak and tailor to your lifestyle and preferences. Consult your GP before adding in supplements.

Here are my six tips for reducing your endometriosis pain for when your period starts:

1. Magnesium rich baths, 2 - 3 times the week before your period, with 500g - 600g Epsom salt baths, soaking for at least 10 minutes each times.

2. Two portions of low mercury, fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies salmon, herring) in addition to 1000mg - 3000mg good quality omega 3 fatty acid supplementation.

3. Turmeric lattes with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (1g) and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ginger root powder (350mg-700mg) in addition to ginger tea (made with ginger root powder), raspberry leaf tea and dandelion tea. Always add some fat into your latte to aid absorption of the turmeric - coconut oil, coconut butter, cacao butter or nut butter all would work well.

4. Daily yoga or stretches for endometriosis and pelvic pain.

5. Reduce or eliminate sugar, utilising stevia, inulin root syrup, berries and 100% dark chocolate as alternatives.

6. Eat the rainbow! Get in 5 to 10 servings of fruit and veg a day, focusing more on vegetables (think 80% vs 20%).

I hope this episode helps you prepare for your period! Please do let me know if it changes your experience of your next period - I would love to hear from you! Scroll down to the show notes for links to studies, brand recommendations, recipes, etc.

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is also sponsored by my free Endometriosis Diet Grocery List. This pdf list includes all the foods I buy on a monthly basis, categorised into easy sections. I share my personal endometriosis diet plan, free recipe resources, recommendations to help you get started with the endometriosis diet and nutrition tips. Download here.

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

Magnesium

Study

Magnesium baths for pain article

Magnesium--a new therapeutic alternative in primary dysmenorrhea

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

NHS fish guidance

Dietary fish oil supplementation inhibits formation of endometriosis-associated adhesions in a chimeric mouse model

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on intensity of primary dysmenorrhea

Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Omega 3 Fatty Acid In Fish Oil Linked To Lowering Of Prostaglandin

Outsmart Endometriosis by Dr Jessica Drummond

Lion Heart

Aqua Biome Fish Oil

Lattes and teas

Super Turmeric Latte recipe

 Curcumin inhibits endometriosis endometrial cells by reducing estradiol production

Nicole Jardim Fix Your Period book

Dr. Aviva Romm ginger recommendations

The effect of ginger for relieving of primary dysmenorrhoea

Comparison of Effects of Ginger, Mefenamic Acid, and Ibuprofen on Pain in Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea

Yoga and stretches for pelvic pain

Yoga for endometriosis

Stretches for endometriosis

Pelvic floor and fascia release exercises by Dr. Nicole Cozean

Sugar

Inflammatory cytokine concentrations are acutely increased by hyperglycemia in humans: role of oxidative stress

Proinflammatory effects of glucose and anti-inflammatory effect of insulin: relevance to cardiovascular disease

100% black sugar free peanut butter mini eggs

Hazelnut truffles

Absolute Black (can find the bar in Sainsburys)

Hotel Chocolat buttons (these are AMAZING, but I don’t love their other 100% chocolate products)

So Free sweet dark chocolate

Raw cacao (you can find this in Sainsburys, but generally you can get raw cacao everywhere and online)

Stevia drops 

Troo syrup

Stevia powder

Perfect World ice cream

My brownie recipe

Sweet Laurel’s Bakery blog

Endometriosis and dairy episode

Endometriosis and caffeine episode

Endometriosis and sugar episode

Endometriosis and gluten episode

Molly Roberson interview

Eat the rainbow

Oxidative Stress and Endometriosis: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Women with endometriosis improved their peripheral antioxidant markers after the application of a high antioxidant diet

Dr. Nicole Cozean is the pelvic floor physiotherapist who is changing the way we think about and treat pelvic floor disorders and pelvic pain - and lucky for us, interstitial cystitis is her passion area.

Dr. Nicole Cozean is the owner of Pelvic Sanity and author of the incredible The Interstitial Cystitis Solution, which is an amazing resource for both patients and practitioners alike. We know that endometriosis and pelvic pain are more often than not found together, causing those of us who live with them to often feel helpless and confused as we battle two chronic conditions at one time. But Nicole takes a refreshing and almost radical approach to IC and pelvic pain in contrast to the conventional medical approach - she rarely treats the bladder itself. Instead, through extensive research and clinical practice, Nicole has identified three key areas that she addresses to see long-term remission of IC: dysfunction, inflammation and pain signals.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How do you know if you have interstitial cystitis when you’ve been in pain for so long with endo - what is ‘normal’ bladder function?

• The theories behind interstitial cystitis and the validity of them - what should we believe and what do we know to be true?

• The link between the menstrual cycle and interstitial cystitis - is there actually a connection?

• Common IC triggers - do oxalates and histamines play a role?

• How the brain is more responsible for our IC pain than our bladder is, and what to do about it.

• DIY pelvic floor physio and fascia release we can do at home.

This is a really powerful conversation - one that both educates, empowers and provides hope. I know I’m going to be making changes thanks to the advice Nicole has shared in this episode, and I truly hope this conversation helps you with your IC and Endo healing journey too.

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

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.

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.

This episode is also sponsored by my free guide ‘Managing Endometriosis Naturally’. This guide is perfect for anyone just starting out on this journey of managing and reducing their symptoms. Download here.

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

Pelvic Sanity

Nicole’s Instagram

Nicole’s book

Pelvic Sanity YouTube

IC Roadmap - online course

Strategies for calming the nervous system episode

Just a quick message to say I'm taking a season break on the back of ep.100 to batch record some really exciting interviews and get them all ready for you! I'll be back in two weeks.

In the meantime, you can keep learning about endometriosis in my articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net.

It’s the 100th episode! To celebrate I’m sharing the foundation steps I take with my clients to create their personalised holistic healing plan for endometriosis.

I’ve developed this approach after spending seven years working with the endo community and on my own healing journey, and studying with leading specialists such as Dr Jessica Drummond and Dr Allison Siebecker. I hope by sharing some of my core steps, it’ll help you navigate your own healing journey and give you a foundation on which to build your own plan.

In this episode I share some of my main areas of focus when creating an endo healing plan:

Remember, everyone is different and your healing has to tailored to you - your life, your body and your needs. Take from this what feels right for you in this moment and don’t worry about the rest!

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is sponsored by my free “Endometriosis Symptom Tracker”. If you feel like you’re just in pain or tired all the time, and you can’t tell what’s making your endo better or worse, this tracker could help you begin to understand the subtle patterns in your endometriosis symptoms. As always, this guide doesn’t replace your medical treatment and is not intended to treat or cure endometriosis, but provides you with options that helped me to live well with endometriosis. Download here.

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

Episode on managing stress to lower pain signals

Episode on managing blood sugar with Megan Hallet

Episode on blood sugar

Understanding the Endo Belly ep.1

Understanding the Endo Belly ep.2

Article on BeYou about natural pain relievers

The SIBO queen, Dr. Allison Siebecker, is back with part two on our deep dive into all things SIBO, endometriosis and interstitial cystitis.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to test for SIBO and how to interpret your results, how to treat SIBO and how to lessen your chances of relapse with prevention methods. It’s a great episode and one that I cannot recommend enough for starting out on this SIBO/endo belly journey.

Here’s a breakdown of everything we discuss in this interview:

• How to test for SIBO and which type of test is best - the lactulose breath test or glucose?

• Why a three hour test is always recommended over a two hour test.

• How to interpret your results and what your gas levels mean for your treatment options and how to look for hydrogen sulfide clues.

• Why you have to test to know how to treat.

• The treatment options for hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulfide.

• The types of antibiotics used for SIBO.

• The types of antimicrobial herbs used for SIBO.

• What the elemental diet is and when it should be used for SIBO.

• Why prevention is a crucial stage of SIBO recovery.

• How and when to use diet for SIBO.

• The role of prokinetcis in SIBO.

• How to do meal spacing to prevent a relapse after treatment.

• Why patience and persistence is all part of the process of treating SIBO.

If you’ve been struggling with the endo belly, constant IBS issues, bloating, nausea and so many of the other stomach issues that seem to come hand in hand with endometriosis, this episode is absolutely the one to listen to.

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is also sponsored by my free Endometriosis Diet Grocery List. This pdf list includes all the foods I buy on a monthly basis, categorised into easy sections. I share my personal endometriosis diet plan, free recipe resources, recommendations to help you get started with the endometriosis diet and nutrition tips. Download here.

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

Smart SIBO Test

Find a doctor

Find a testing lab in your area

Dr Siebecker’s testing info ( including the food poisoning test)

Frequency Specific Microcurrent Therapy

Clear Passage

Neural Therapy

Visceral Manipulation Therapy

SIBO and endo study

SIBO and endotoxins

Dr Siebecker’s treatment plan article

Dr Siebecker’s interview about hydrogen sulfide treatment with Dr. Ruscio

Dr Siebecker’s interview about methane treatment with Rebecca Coomes

Dr Siebecker’s patient course

Is this the highlight of my podcast career so far? Absolutely. Today I’m joined by my tutor, the wonderful Dr. Allison Siebecker discussing small intestine bacterial overgrowth, endometriosis and interstitial cystitis.

A naturopathic doctor and SIBO patient herself, Dr. Allison Siebecker is one of the world’s leading SIBO experts and provides truly the best SIBO resource on the internet. Dr. Siebecker has worked with thousands of patients and has dedicated her career to treating some of the most difficult SIBO cases, whilst educating both health care practitioners and the general public about this commonly under diagnosed condition with her courses, website and upcoming book.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Her own experience of developing chronic SIBO and how she manages it now.

• Why a chronic case of SIBO doesn’t mean you can’t live a full and happy life.

• The signs and symptoms of SIBO to look out for.

• The associated conditions including interstitial cystitis and endometriosis.

• The root causes of SIBO - specifically endometriosis adhesions and what we can do about them.

If you’ve been struggling with the endo belly, constant IBS issues, bloating, nausea and so many of the other stomach issues that seem to come hand in hand with endometriosis, this episode is absolutely the one to listen to.

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is also sponsored by my free guide ‘Managing Endometriosis Naturally’. This guide is perfect for anyone just starting out on this journey of managing and reducing their symptoms. Download here.

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

Smart SIBO Test

Find a doctor

Find a testing lab in your area

Dr Siebecker’s testing info ( including the poison test)

Frequency Specific Microcurrent Therapy

Clear Passage

Neural Therapy

Visceral Manipulation Therapy

SIBO and endo study

SIBO and endotoxins

Some of you may know that I was recently diagnosed with both hydrogen and methane type SIBO, and suspected hydrogen sulfide type SIBO too. This diagnosis, whilst I was certain would come back positive, still knocked me emotionally.

With this knowledge, I was able to piece together symptoms and struggles I have faced my entire life and begin making sense of my health story. Though endometriosis has played a huge part, SIBO has in fact been with me for much longer and has continued to cause me problems despite getting my endometriosis under control. Coming to terms with this news has been a relief but also a grieving process as I’ve looked back and realised how much SIBO had dictated my life up until this point.

As a result, I thought it might be helpful to share with you my considerations when choosing my treatment, how I’m processing the news, my concerns about managing and/or treating my SIBO, how SIBO has affected my health and what I’m doing in the present moment to reduce my symptoms.

In this episode, I’m sharing:

• My SIBO test results and what they mean.

• A recap of SIBO symptoms and signs.

• What kind of treatment plan I’m going to go with - antibiotics, antimicrobial herbs or the elemental diet, or a combination, and what these are.

• My reflections on how SIBO has shaped both my physical and mental health as a child and the implications of that, including chronic fatigue and anxiety. Trigger warning: this section includes a discussion around eating disorders.

• My process for managing my symptoms now until I begin treatment.

As mentioned above, this episode comes with a trigger warning as I spend a significant portion of time discussing my past history with disordered eating. Please take care of yourself and if it’s best for you to skip this episode, please feel free to do so.

Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, listen directly/download MP3 here or just listen below!

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is sponsored by my free “Endometriosis Symptom Tracker”. If you feel like you’re just in pain or tired all the time, and you can’t tell what’s making your endo better or worse, this tracker could help you begin to understand the subtle patterns in your endometriosis symptoms. As always, this guide doesn’t replace your medical treatment and is not intended to treat or cure endometriosis, but provides you with options that helped me to live well with endometriosis. Download here.

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

L-glutamine and cancer: I went back and checked my course and Dr Drummond states that high doses of l-glutamine may feed cancer cells. She felt it better to do high doses for a short period of time rather than lower for longer, but speak to your practitioner for accurate dosaging. You can also have a read of this article for more information on the link between cancer and l-glutamine.

Smart SIBO Test

Find a doctor

Find a testing lab in your area

Dr Siebecker’s testing info

It’s finally here! The long awaited episode on how to test for SIBO. Many of you have been contacting me to ask how to get tested or whether you can test at home, so here’s my episode discussing all the ins and outs.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the key points in the episode:

• Hydrogen and methane type SIBO can be detected through a SIBO breath test.

• You can order at-home kits. In my experience, most GPs won’t/can’t order SIBO breath tests and aren’t familiar with it, though GI doctors may be able to and SIBO specialist doctors certainly can.

• A SIBO breath test involves drinking a solution of glucose or lactulose and breathing into a test tube for 2-3 hours. The substrate will feed the bacteria, which will create fermentation, and the gas is then collected in the test tube and measured in the lab in parts per million.

• Tests can be either 2 hours with 8 test tubes or 3 hours with 10 test tubes. 2 hours runs the risk of missing SIBO in a person with slow gut motility, so for that reason, I prefer to go with a 3 hour test.

• Some specialists prefer testing with glucose, others lactulose. I like to use lactulose as glucose is absorbed in the first 1-3 feet of the small intestine and the small intestine is on average 22 ft long! So if the SIBO is further down, a glucose test can miss it entirely.

• A prep diet and overnight fast is required before taking the test. This is a low to no carb diet of meat, fish, eggs, black tea or coffee. There are some allowances for vegans, vegetarians or diabetics. If a patient ate too many carbs, or did the prep test incorrectly it would skew the test results and the test would need to be redone.

• The North American breath testing consensus states that a positive for hydrogen would be a rise of 20 ppm or more (parts per million) from the baseline (the breath before drinking the solution) in the first 90 minutes. A positive for methane would be 10ppm or more in the whole 180 minutes, including the baseline.

• Dr Allison Siebecker, who I trained with, has a slightly different diagnostic range after years and years of working with SIBO clients and consulting with other SIBO specialists. A positive hydrogen for her would be 20ppm in the first 120 minutes, with no rise needed as long as the baseline isn’t the highest number. Methane is 10 within 180 but if constipation was present, the methane would be positive if the reading was 3-9ppm.

• Though hydrogen sulfide SIBO cannot be detected with this test, some H2S patients have a flat line pattern that indicates the presence of H2S. This would be a result of 6ppm or less for hydrogen and 3ppm or less for methane.

• An elevated baseline (so not 0) is normal for methane.

• In the USA, lactulose requires a prescription so you would need to find a doctor who could help you order it.

For a deeper dive and my breakdown on how to take the test itself, have a listen to the show! I really hope this episode helps those of you who are suspecting that SIBO may be the culprit behind your endobelly.

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is also sponsored by my free Endometriosis Diet Grocery List. This pdf list includes all the foods I buy on a monthly basis, categorised into easy sections. I share my personal endometriosis diet plan, free recipe resources, recommendations to help you get started with the endometriosis diet and nutrition tips. Download here.

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

Smart SIBO Test

Find a doctor

Find a testing lab in your area

Dr Siebecker’s testing info

If you have endometriosis, it’s pretty like you have bladder pain or bladder problems too. Many us struggle with frequency, urgency, bladder pressure, bladder pain and chronic UTIs without much hope of resolution when we go and see our doctor.

Elisabeth Yaotani experienced this for over a decade of her life. For years, her bladder pain and symptoms worsened despite undergoing the standard medical treatment for interstitial cystitis. Finally, she stumbled upon some alternative healing strategies and for the first time in 10 years, began to see symptom reduction.

Today, she is the founder of IC Wellness. A digital space providing community, resources, education and services to put your IC into remission.

In this episode, Elisabeth and I discuss:

• What interstitial cystitis is and the key symptoms.

• The root causes and associated conditions.

• The conventional approach to IC treatment and how that varies from the functional medicine approach.

• Her own story of healing.

• Her version of the IC diet and why nutrition plays such a pivotal role.

• The key healing strategies she recommends for putting IC into remission.

• The best testing options for interstitial cystitis.

This episode was so fascinating and informative! I know if you experience bladder pain like I do, you’re just going to love this conversation. It’s worth taking notes!

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

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.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

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.

This episode is also sponsored by my free guide ‘Managing Endometriosis Naturally’. This guide is perfect for anyone just starting out on this journey of managing and reducing their symptoms. Download here.

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.

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

IC Wellness

Organics acids test

GI Map test

MicrogenDX

Pathnostics

Aperiomics 

DUTCH

Pain signals podcast