This Endolife

This week I'm talking to Rachael Welford of Welford Wellbeing. Five years ago Rachael hit rock bottom when she experienced a breakdown and her entire life changed. Up until her breakdown, Rachael had been partying, working a million miles per hour and was self-medicating - all the while with severe anxiety. Following her breakdown, Rachael spent nine months recovering, and in that time, found support from medication, the Samaritans, therapy and eventually alternative healing. As a result of her experience, Rachael now runs Welford Wellbeing; a space where she supports and heals others through reiki, sound therapy and tapping, also known as the emotional freedom technique. Rachael and I get pretty deep on this episode; we're talking wanting a break by any means possible (even being hospitalised), just how bad anxiety can feel in the work place when you don't know how to tell people what you're feeling and how Rachael found finally peace with her mind.

Vickie Williams is a yoga teacher, reiki healer and theta healing practitioner with severe endometriosis. Since she was eleven years old, Vickie has dealt with intense endometriosis symptoms and was fainting repeatedly as soon as she began her period. When she was finally diagnosed, they discovered just how bad her endometriosis had progressed in all those years and since then, she's tried numerous treatments from the coil, to zoladex, to surgery. Now Vickie is facing the possibility of bowel surgery and an colostomy bag, but after seeing some dramatic and positive results, is giving the endometriosis diet and lifestyle changes a chance before moving forward with the procedure. This episode may not be what you're used to hearing from the podcast - Vickie's approach to endometriosis is both scientific and spiritual and her healing work features heavily in her own self-healing and management of endometriosis. We chat about how our experiences can affect our body, how yoga and alternative healing has improved he

This week on the podcast I'm talking to Shelby Hadden, Writer, Director and Producer of short animated film Tightly Wound. Shelby Hadden grew up with vaginismus, a condition which causes involuntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles that tighten the vaginal entrance, causing pain, penetration problems, and an inability to have intercourse. Last year Shelby created a Kickstarter to make a film raising awareness about the condition, with her good friend Sebastian Bisbal, and not only did they exceed their target - the world came out to back her. I talk to Shelby about how it felt to grow up as a teenager with such a difficult condition, how she's worked to become vaginismus free, how medical professionals failed to find an answer and the link between vaginismus, pelvic floor dysfunction and endometriosis. I'm just letting you know now - there's a lot of sex talk!    

Heather Crosby is the creator of Yum Universe, an incredible online resource full of recipes, meal plans and support for those looking to eat good, comforting food and increase their intake of plants. Heather's own struggles with health came to a climax when she was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, which is a chronic condition with no current effective treatment or cure, and so she turned to diet to help her manage the painful symptoms. Heather's health is now in an amazing place and she has just released her latest book, Pantry to Plate, which is all about cooking without recipes!  We talk about the possibility of Heather having endometriosis, her challenges with her health and interstitial cystitis, how listening to her body completely transformed her attitude to her health and how she went from refusing to eat vegetables to drinking mushroom lattes! 

Autumn Smith and Fela Dunfee are the duo behind the Endotwins, a website and newsletter serving up sick humour for sick minded girls. Both in their twenties, Autumn and Fela have stage four endometriosis and are facing serious surgeries, including a hysterectomy. We talk honestly about what it feels like to be so unwell with endometriosis at such a young age, why and how they started The Endo Twins, their plans for a future charity and just how important (and weird) their friendship is. Expect a lot of realness, a lot of laughter and a little bit of sex talk.

In this first episode, I'm talking to Jessica Murnane, host of the podcast One Part Podcast, creator of One Part Plant and author of One Part Plant. Jess is super passionate about supporting people to eat more plant based foods, as a result of changing up her diet to help manage her stage 4 endometriosis. We talk the endodiet, mental health, eating disorders, supporting hard to reach communities and of course, her debut cookbook...