This Endolife

Today we’re continuing with our series on endo and period pain and their associations with low nutrient levels. Today, we’re talking about vitamin C.Vitamin C is an anti-inflammatory antioxidant, which means it can help lower inflammation and also prevent oxidative stress - a process that triggers inflammatory reactions in the body and is involved in endo pain and progression. It also has antiangiogenic effects, which means it prevents the formation of new blood vessels, which endo relies on to grow. Read more.Show notesEndo, period pain and prostaglandinshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6790261/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7068519/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09513590.2011.588753https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4512562Vit C antioxidant propertieshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27521769/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27125410/Vit C and endo or dysmenorrhea riskhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3484190/https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/1308/2311-final.pdfhttps://pmc.ncbi.

Today we’re continuing with our series on endo and period pain and their associations with low nutrient levels. And I was going to make today’s episode all about vitamins, but there are so many vitamins to cover, that I thought it would be less overwhelming to break them up, so today, we’re starting with vitamin E.However, before we get into today’s episode, if you haven’t listened to the previous episodes in this series then you’ll be missing some of the essential science behind endo and period pain, which will help you to understand how vitamin E plays a role.Read more.Show notesEndo, period pain and prostaglandinshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6790261/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7068519/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09513590.2011.588753https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4512562Oxidative stress and vit Ehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5625949/ https://www.clinicalnutritionespen.com/article/S2405-4577(22)00500-9/abstract Vit E and endo riskhttps://rbej.biomedcentra

Today we’re continuing with our discussion on low nutrient levels and their association with period pain. Menstruation is often (though not always) one of the most painful parts of the menstrual cycle, for people with endometriosis - and a connection we see between both dysmenorrhea (which is the medical term for period pain) and endometriosis, is low omega 3 fatty acids.Omega 3 fatty acids are the precursors to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins; which basically means omega 3 makes our anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. In contrast, omega 6 makes our inflammatory prostaglandins, namely prostaglandin E2. And for those of who don’t know, prostaglandins, in the simplest of terms, are immune chemicals.Read more.Show notesOmega 3 and inflammationhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09513590.2011.588753https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7068519/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6790261/Dietary modulation of prostaglandin E2https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0334211100https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/2/3/

This week I want to highlight three key minerals that when you’re low in, can cause you more period pain. These have all been associated with endo in the research too, and of course, as a classic symptom of endo is horrific period pain, replenishing these minerals could help you improve your experience of your period with endometriosis, Read more.Show notesMagnesiumhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2675496/https://www.ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_624.pdfhttps://ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_195.pdfhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3626048https://www.jle.com/fr/revues/mrh/e-docs/magnesium_in_the_gynecological_practice_a_literature_review_309489/article.phtmlCalcium https://ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_195.pdfhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7834752https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)11191-7https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3626048https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(34)90970-4/abstracthttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1924661/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10763903/https://www.tandfonline

Okay so last week we looked at foods to eat more of to support progesterone production. Today, we’re going to discuss the supplement forms of these nutrients and the doses to take.Before we get into it, I have given a lot of warnings for each supplement. This is because I want you to have all the information, including possible side effects, so you can make an informed decision and so you understand what’s happening if you do experience side effects. But to be clear, most of the side effects occur with high doses, over prolonged periods of times, with the exceptions occurring rarely in individuals who are particularly sensitive or have other issues going on that have affected how they respond or tolerate these supplements.Read more.Show notesVit E Thorne Ultimate-E® (500 IU) Pure Encapsulations Vitamin E (400 IU) https://ovarianresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1757-2215-2-1https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/Ome

The past two episodes we’ve been talking about low progesterone levels and some of the signs to watch for. Today, I want to talk about how to raise your levels with specific nutrients.Read more.Show notesZinchttps://ovarianresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13048-024-01442-zhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36920672/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3275394/https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessionalMagnesiumhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11013220/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3198864/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6747732/B6https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6684167/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1923170/ Vit Chttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4700980/https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(03)00657-5/fulltexthttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4700980/http://www.usa-journals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Al-Katib_Vol18.pdfhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0739724009000356Seleniumhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24206213/https

In our last episode, we discussed spotting before your period and what’s normal and what could be a sign of low progesterone or even endo. Today I want to discuss spotting around ovulation and again, this is going to be a nice and easy to digest bite sized episode.So, ovulation occurs roughly midway in your cycle, though that’s just the average. Statistically, the average ovulation day is around Day 14 but it can be a few days before or after, and maybe we can do an episode on what’s a healthy time frame for ovulation and what’s a sign of a problem, but until then, I actually have an episode on what’s a healthy cycle, so I’ll link to that in the show notes.Read more.Show noteshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/8/4499https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030372071730504Xhttps://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/uterine-fibroidshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6838950/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12369286https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih

Today is one of my shorter episodes, a bite size episode!Recently I started working with two new clients and they were both really concerned that they were spotting one to two days before their periods.First up, what do I mean by spotting? Spotting is typically spots of blood appearing in your underwear - it’s light and is typically not very consistent. Often it’s dark red or brown, and we’ll get to why it’s that colour in a minute.So, if you’re spotting one to two days before your period, is this a problem and is it anything to do with endo?Some of you may be surprised to learn that spotting one to two days before your period is okay and normal. Read more.Show notesLow progesterone signs and testing optionsArvigo massageVisceral manipulationMercier therapyNeed more help or want to learn how to work with me?Free resources:This podcast! Endometriosis Net ColumnEndometriosis News ColumnNewsletterInstagramWays to work with me:This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbookMasterclasses in endo nutrition

At the end of last year I released a series on dairy and its possible effects on endo pain, endo belly and hormones, as well as its benefits - as I know so many of you are confused about the topic.Today, I want to provide you with a summary of these episodes, so you can get the top lines in one place, and then of course you can deep dive into the individual episodes if you need to.So, a big, BIG disclaimer here in case you haven’t listened to the previous episodes. If you’re vegan, please feel free to skip this episode. This episode is not about being for or against dairy, it’s about providing you with information so you can make an informed decision about whether dairy is right for you. The research is very varied and our reactions to dairy really depend on our own individual genetics, so the key takeaway here is that it’s worth investigating if dairy agrees with you personally before coming to any conclusions.Of course this series also does not address ethics or environmental considerations with dairy, I am

Today’s episode is continuing with the theme of why some of your conditions may be worse in January, and today, we’re focusing on endometriosis.Before we get into it, this is a short episode where I am giving you an overview of some of the ways these things can affect people with endo, but it’s not an exhaustive list. In fact, each of these topic areas could have their own episode with a deep dive into how the science works in regards to hormones, inflammation, liver function and so on, but rather than overwhelm you with a bunch of science, I am keeping in what you need to know and have linked to some further resources if you want to learn more.Additionally, the strategies I’m suggesting are very much top line suggestions, but if you go to last week’s episode and listen from 14 minutes in, I give a much more detailed breakdown of how to make these changes there.Show NotesSleephttps://endometriosisnews.com/2020/09/17/5-ways-sleep-deprivaton-affects-endometriosis/https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/how-th

It’s a New Year and perhaps you’re feeling the pressure to get up and go, but you can’t get yourself out of bed.Maybe you’re in more pain than usual, perhaps you’re more depressed than usual or maybe you’re experiencing extreme fatigue and energy crashes?If this is you, please know you’re not alone.As I return to work, I’ve received many emails from endometriosis clients telling me their symptoms are worse and they’re panicked, but I’ve also had friends and endo clients who struggle with Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) experiencing heightened symptoms. And even for me, my anxiety, bladder pain and adhesion pain are worse.This is not uncommon. In fact, in my line of work, it’s expected that many people will have worsening periods or hormonal problems in January. Show NotesOther episodes on PMDDhttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/what-is-pmdd?rq=PMDDhttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/natural-treatment-options-pmdd-endometriosis-rebecca-sairs?rq=PMDDhttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/e

With a new year beginning, I am resharing a very old meditation episode. This episode is a visualisation meditation to help you envision how you want to feel in 2024.I use this visualisation exercise with every one of my clients, to help them see the big picture they want for their health and then to take that big picture and break it down into small, attainable goals. I also use this meditation with course students and with anyone who comes to my free workshops, so you may very well know it!The key question you will be asking yourself in this meditation is - what if you thrived with endometriosis in 2024?What would your body feel like?What would your life look like?You’ll be invited to envision what your life would be like if you did thrive and if you didn’t - and what one accessible step could you take towards this vision of the future.Make sure you have a journal to hand, a pen and an hour to really sit with this episode and go deep with this powerful meditation. If now isn’t a good time to do this medita

The Christmas season is typically, a time of excess for those who celebrate – and even for those who don’t, New Year’s is right around the corner. For many people, we increase our intake of sugar, alcohol, processed foods, etc. and that’s okay – this episode isn’t about judgement. I love Christmas, including all the food that comes with it, but for many of us, the result can be more pain and a worse period come January, due to heightened inflammation levels.So today’s episode is all about how to lower the impact of added sugar and blood sugar spiking foods, to lessen inflammation and hormonal imbalances. Show NotesAllulose here or hereMonk fruitBerberine here or hereChromium picolinateNeed more help or want to learn how to work with me?Free resources:This podcast! Endometriosis Net ColumnEndometriosis News ColumnNewsletterInstagramWays to work with me:This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbookMasterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain reliefLive and Thrive with Endo: The

So, for those of us who feel social pressure or simply enjoy having a drink with friends or family, I wanted to share some tips that can help lessen the impact of alcohol.Remember, these are just tips and tricks and if you just want to have a drink and not worry about it, you absolutely can – that’s totally your choice!Show Noteshttps://www.fixyourperiod.com/castor-oil-packs/Need more help or want to learn how to work with me?Free resources:This podcast! Endometriosis Net ColumnEndometriosis News ColumnNewsletterInstagramWays to work with me:This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbookMasterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain reliefLive and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY courseOne to one coaching info and applicationThis episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-

In this penultimate instalment on our dairy series, I’m going to cover the effects of dairy on pain, and what to be aware of when managing endo. And yes - it’s not straight forward!In our first episode on dairy and endo, we discussed A1 casein, but for those who haven’t listened to that episode, let’s cover it again.A1 casein is a type of milk protein which research suggests some people find triggers intestinal inflammation and gut issues. The data on humans is emerging, and whilst it’s true for a number of people, not everyone will have this inflammatory reaction to A1 casein.However, if you do experience inflammatory reactions to A1 casein, this can trigger a systemic full body inflammatory response with regular exposure, in a few ways.Read more.ShownotesA1 caseinhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5593102/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JirAKjC_Kh0https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1501596/fullhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7033038/https://www.front

Today I want to shine a spotlight on maca, a herb you’ve probably heard lots about in the wellness space, but for those of us with endo, it can be confusing to know if it’s helpful or whether we should avoid it.Because maca can help us handle stress and burnout, I thought this busy time of year is a perfect opportunity to talk about it!Maca is an adaptogen herb, which means it helps our bodies to adapt to physical and emotional stressors. Maca does this by acting on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis) to promote a more normalised stress response. The HPA axis is a system between our brain and adrenal glands that controls our stress response and our cortisol and adrenaline output. If you want to learn more about the HPA axis, I’ve linked to an episode in the show notes.Read more.Show NotesMaca adaptogenic propertieshttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10910417/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3991026/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3614567/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl

Today is a quick episode but hopefully a helpful one.Today I want to talk about the glycemic index and the glycemic load of foods, and how you can use these tools to help you manage endo.The glycemic index and glycemic load are two tools to help you understand how food can affect your blood sugar levels and how quickly they can do so.Read more.ShownotesGlycemic index and load resourceshttps://glycemic-index.net/glycemic-index-chart/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522004944?via%3Dihubhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-lowdown-on-glycemic-index-and-glycemic-loadhttps://glycemic-index.net/bran-wheat-oat/https://glycemic-index.net/glycemic-load/Endo and blood sugarhttps://endometriosis.net/living/diet-sugarhttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/pcos-blood-sugar-endometriosis-megan-hallett?rq=meganhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5625949/https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/19E868FB1BE3A08DCFC0D00D7489ACAF/S095442241000

Okay so today we’re continuing with our series on dairy and endo, and today we’re taking about hormones. And I’m going to warn you up front - the research is mixed, and it really comes down to your personal response to dairy. That being said, non-organic dairy can be treated with extra hormones, which may influence our own, so it goes without saying that organic is preferable when possible. Of course, don’t worry about the one offs like an ice cream out or some cream on your dessert in a restaurant, but if you’re regularly eating dairy at home, organic would be a better choice.I currently having one more space available for one to one coaching. If this is of interest to you, you can reach out on hello@thisendolife.comRead more.Show notesOrganic dairyhttps://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Dairy - Guidelines.pdf - regulations for organic dairyInsulin/blood sugar/IGF-1https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4524299/https://www.levels.com/blog/what-we-know-about-dairy-and-blood-sugar]https://pmc.ncbi

This week we’re taking a pause from the dairy series to give those who don’t want to learn about diary or who feel distressed by the topic for ethical reasons, a bit of a break, as I appreciate it might be a bit much to go back to back with this topic.So today, I want to answer a question that was asked of me on a call the other day.And that’s when you’re starting to manage endo, and you put in place various protocols to get your symptoms under control, do you then have to do those strategies forever?And the answer is no.Let’s think of it as endo management and endo maintenance.Read more.Show notesBlood sugar resources https://endometriosis.net/living/how-to-balance-your-blood-sugar-levels-to-reduce-endo-symptomshttps://endometriosis.net/living/diet-sugarI am now taking applications for my final one to one coaching cohort of 2024Apply here: https://www.theendobellycoach.com/coachingFree resources:This podcast! Endometriosis Net ColumnEndometriosis News ColumnNewsletterInstagramEmail me: hello@theendobellycoac

If you’ve been considering eating for endo, or you have been, you may be thinking about or may have already, cut out dairy.But is it necessary to remove dairy entirely for people with endo?The answer is, it’s complicated and really depends on your body and of course, your personal values, because some people may choose to lower or omit their dairy intake for ethical or environmental reasons.So in this series, we’re going to explore all the factors to consider around dairy and endo - because there is a lot to discuss!Read more.Show notesLactosehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28690131/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20132150/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26138365/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9660426/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694618300608 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Lactose-content-of-dairy-products_tbl1_268035497https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534631/A1 caseinhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28916574/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24166511/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih