This Endolife

This is week three of our Ease Endo Tea Challenge. If you’d like to receive a copy of each week’s challenge with all the references, research, doses and info, sign up to the challenge via email. I’ve linked to the sign-up page in my show notes. You can also hop over to Instagram and comment, ask questions or share pics of your challenge so far. This week, we're easing histamine levels, and as a result, pain and inflammation! The Symptom Did you know that histamine is involved in growth and inflammation of endometriosis? Mast cells, the immune cells which release histamines, have been found in high levels within and around endometriosis lesions - and the research shows that the higher the number, the more intense the pain. The involvement of mast cells and histamines is so integral to the growth and symptoms of endometriosis, that researchers are now calling for mast cell focused immune treatments for endo. Additionally, histamines are involved in both menstruation and ovulation. Their inflammatory nature help

Okay so this is week three of our Ease Endo Tea Challenge. Remember, if you’d like to receive a copy of each week’s challenge with all the references, research, doses and info, sign up to the challenge via email. I’ve linked to the sign-up page in my show notes. You can also hop over to Instagram and comment, ask questions or share pics of your challenge so far. This week, we're easing the endo belly! Did you know the endo belly might not be just caused by endometriosis? In fact, it's most likely not! Whilst the inflammation from endometriosis can definitely cause the endo belly at certain times of your cycle or make it worse, there are other contributing factors. Fluctuating hormones can be a cause - progesterone in the second half of your cycle slows gut motility down, leading to more accumulation of gas and waste in your intestines, which might create some bloating. The changes in oestrogen and progesterone in the second half of your cycle can contribute to water retention and bloating, and are worse wh

Okay so this is week two of our Ease Endo Tea Challenge. Remember, if you’d like to receive a copy of each week’s challenge with all the references, research, doses and info, sign up to the challenge via email. I’ve linked to the sign-up page in my show notes. You can also hop over to Instagram and comment, ask questions or share pics of your challenge so far. This week, we’re supporting the liver, which in turn, will help support our hormones. Did you know the liver plays a crucial role in balancing our levels of oestrogen? Once we've used up our oestrogen for the day, it's sent to the liver to package it up and get it ready for removal. It's then sent to the gut and leaves us through daily bowel movements. BUT, in this day and age, the liver is often overburdened with more important waste like sugar, caffeine, medication, pollutants, toxins from beauty and body products, smoking, alcohol, etc. When it has these guys to also clean out, it will put oestrogen to the back of the queue because these are more ha

January can often be the hardest time for those of us with endometriosis. The joys and delights of December for many menstruators can cause hormonal issues come January, and for those of us with endometriosis, it can be even more problematic. Instead of diving in headfirst with a hard-core challenge, I'd prefer to offer you some solutions that are gentle on the body, mind and spirit - because honestly, I think it's unsustainable for us to have to jump into a completely new health routine as soon as the clock strikes 12 on the 1st. Especially if we're feeling unwell with flared endo symptoms, in the dead of winter, when the human body still wants to take it slow and gentle. So, two weeks ago I launched my Ease Endo Tea Challenge. I did it last year, and almost 300 people joined and experienced symptom improvement with the teas I shared with the group. This year I’m bringing it back, and initially began running it as I usually do, via email, but as I was putting the emails together, I was just thinking how usef

In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Stefan Chmelik, inventor of Sensate, Integrated Healthcare Physician, author, teacher and founder of the New Medicine Group in Harley Street, London. In this episode, Stefan and I are talking about the vagus nerve and the nervous system, and how together, they work to support our health - and how when they’re not working properly, they can impact or even trigger certain conditions. In today’s episode we discuss - What is the vagus nerve and what is its role in the body?  How does the vagus nerve regulate our stress response?  Can the vagus nerve become damaged or impaired and what effect does this have on the body? What is heart rate variability and how can we use this to understand our vagus nerve health?  How can we improve the health of our vagus nerve and can Sensate aid with this? Can Sensate improve symptoms of endo/associated conditions such as accelerated heart rate, palpitations, gut health problems, anxiety and chronic pain?  What would be the most effecti

Whilst like many people, I’m a bit over the whole ‘new year, new me’ message, I do like to start the year feeling well and focused. Now that does look a little bit different for me versus what you’d expect for January. I actually don’t love the whole drinking cold smoothies, juice cleansing and going out for early morning jobs in Jan. I don’t believe that’s what my body wants. It’s always felt quite jarring for me, that we’re yanked from the dead of winter into a routine that is better suited to spring. Instead, I like to take January as slowly as is possible in a fast paced world. I focus on warming, nourishing foods, as much rest as I can fit in, and movement that feels good to my body - which tends to be yoga and pilates right now. However, I know personally how all of your best efforts can be thrown out the window if fatigue and brain fog are affecting you, and whether you’re someone like me, who prefers to ease your way into the new year, or whether you’re a new year bunny, charging full steam ahead, I’m

So today’s episode is a replay whilst I record with my next batch of exciting guests! But I actually think this replay is necessary… This podcast episode isn’t very old, it only came out in June 2022, but this time of year is full of messages about health, wellness, goals, resolutions, etc. and whilst I of course encourage healthy habits and lifestyle changes, doing this sustainably and in a way that we enjoy and that fits our lives is important. If we try to do everything all at once and hold ourselves to extreme standards, we’re going to burn out and feel pretty rubbish about ourselves when we can’t keep it all up because we’re exhausted or they weren’t realistic to start with. If you have ideas of changing up your experience of endo in 2023, then I am fully in support of that, but I want you to go into it knowing you don’t have to do it perfectly and you don’t have to do it all at once and that’s why I’m resharing this episode today. Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter

On today’s episode, I’m speaking with my friend and colleague, Kat Smith! Kat was diagnosed with stage IV endometriosis in 2009 and after years of decisions being made for her, took ownership of her own health by training as a nutritional therapist. Kat is a Lifecode Gx registered nutrigenomics practitioner who specialises in DNA testing. Kat's passion is empowering women with the mindset and nervous system tools to confront their trauma, which she believes is the missing piece in endometriosis management. In today’s episode, Kat and I are talking about how she uses genetic testing to help people with endo focus on their priority health areas with tailored and individual changes. In this episode we discuss: What DNA testing for endo is and why Kat uses it. The areas of genetic testing Kat typically focuses on with endo clients. Examples of gene variations and how someone may adapt their endo care/approach to better support these. In this episode I use a lot of my own health examples so that Kat and I can

In this episode, mindfulness teacher Kate McGoey takes us through a calming meditation for endometriosis. Christmas was just a few days ago and New Year’s Eve is at the end of the week. Often, the stress, busyness and certain foods like a little extra chocolate or alcohol, can trigger pain flares. The festive period can be one of the hardest times to experience a pain flare, so today I’m resharing a meditation for pain by Kate McGoey. This meditation is short but sweet, and is actually taken from an IG live I did with Kate during Covid, so the sound quality might not be great, but the meditation is wonderful! Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. 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 li

Dr. Stephanie Harrod is a doctor of physical therapy specialising in women’s health - in particular, endometriosis. In her patients, she often sees endo alongside SIBO and interstitial cystitis, but also hypermobility/EDS and POTS. Stephanie saw these patterns in so many patients, that she began developing protocols to support people with endo not just with their pelvic health and pelvic pain, but with all of these co-conditions, that often have an impact on endo and overall health. In today’s episode, Stephanie and I talk about her personalised approach for managing POTS/dysatuonomia with endometriosis and how these strategies differ from typical POTS treatment to better support endometriosis. In this episode we discuss: How managing POTS with endo differs from managing POTS alone and why. How to effectively use salt for POTS and dysautonomia management. The types of exercises that are better suited for POTS and how we can adapt them for endo. The lifestyle modifications and tools we can use to manage th

Did you know that ADHD has been linked to patients with joint hypermobility, pain and dysautonomia? Given that endometriosis is now being associated more and more with hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders, as well as POTS and dysautonomia, that means that there could be a reasonable percentage of people with endo also living with ADHD. So today on the podcast, I’m joined by Adele Wimsett to discuss this topic further. Adele Wimsett is a Women’s Health Practitioner specialising in cyclical awareness, education, hormone balance and ADHD. After being diagnosed with ADHD at 41, Adele went onto discover the many ways in which hormones and the stages of the menstrual cycle can affect ADHD traits. In today’s episode, Adele shares with us her story, the ways in which hormones impact ADHD and how we can work with our cycles to improve our experience of ADHD. In this episode we discuss: What ADHD is Why it presents differently in females and cyclical people and what this means for d

Dr. Saru Bala is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with a degree from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington and prior to attending medical school, she received her Bachelor's degree in Neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has done extra training in the areas of women’s health and naturopathic endocrinology. Her passion area and primary focus with patients is managing chronic hormonal issues such as PMS, period pain, heavy bleeding, fibroids, endometriosis, Hashimoto's, fertility, and other hormonal health concerns. Not only is she a walking wealth of knowledge on hormones, she’s also hilarious and breaks down complex and confusing topics with ease on her Instagram. I actually first came across her watching one of her reels on period pain and it was so on point and so easy to understand that I immediately became a fan! In today’s episode, Dr. Saru Bala and I are talking all about PMS - why people have it, why it’s been normalised in society and some really easy steps to begin minimising you

Dr. Tara Morrison is Birth Trauma Specialist and Holistic Pelvic Floor  Physical Therapist who specialises in whole-person care for pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. We actually met several years ago when we were both training at the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, so it was a real pleasure to have her on the show! Tara uses trauma-informed Somatic Pelvic Care to aid not just pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, but nervous system healing through mind-body based physical therapy tools, stress management, somatic emotional release, energy medicine, and mindful living.  In today’s episode, Tara and I talk about how she uses somatic therapy for chronic pelvic pain. In this episode we discuss: The development of the nervous system and how childhood experiences can cause chronic nervous system dysregulation and pelvic pain Emotional experiences and patterns and their impact on symptoms. Poly-vagal theory and the chronic freeze state in endometriosis and other pelvic pain conditions. What somatic therapy

Dr. Sarah Dueffert is a doctor of physical therapy, a board-certified neurologic clinical specialist and health coach specialising in fatigue and POTS recovery. Not only does Sarah help others get their life back, but she got her life back too - after years of mysterious symptoms like brain fog and crippling fatigue. Now she supports people to improve their energy and enjoy life again, after serious chronic illness like endometriosis and POTS have left them exhausted and barely able to get through the day. In today’s episode, Sarah and I are talking about how to recover from chronic fatigue with endo and dysautonomia/POTS. In this episode we discuss: What dysautonomia means and what specifically what POTS is and how it affects the body. How to get diagnosed with POTS or dysautonomia and the challenges women and people with endo face when asking for help with symptoms like a racing heart, chest pain, exhaustion and dizziness. The personality traits associated with POTS and chronic pelvic pain, in both the

Elisa Imperatori is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher and menstrual cycle and perimenopause educator. Combining yoga, body literacy and the phases of the menstrual cycle, she helps people turn their menstrual cycle into an ally so that they can go from menstrual pain, mood swings and not understanding their cycle to body harmony, reduced symptoms and a happier, healthier cycle. In today’s episode, Elisa and I are talking about how to use yoga to experience a better cycle and manage chronic endo pain. In this episode we discuss: What cycle synced yoga is and how it differs from the ‘typical’ yoga we practice in Western society. The evidence-based benefits behind yoga for endometriosis and chronic pain. How to practice cycle-synced yoga for endometriosis symptom management and hormone health. How to practice yoga safely with endometriosis and how to tailor poses appropriately to prevent flare ups. The specific poses Elisa loves for pain relief. If you want to be able to move your body in a way that support

Today is a special episode, because my mentor, the woman who coached me through my coaching training, Susan Clinton, is joining us! Susan Clinton is a board certified women’s health physical therapist, a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy, and a board certified health and wellness coach - to name just a few of her hats! She is also a Master Coach for the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, hence why she ended up being my coach and mentor! In today’s episode, Susan and I are discussing endometriosis and menopause - and how to experience a better one! In this episode we discuss: The difference between natural menopause and surgically or medically induced menopause. Myth-busting the lie that endo doesn’t affect those in menopause and the research on early menopause and endo. How menopause can affect endometriosis symptoms, plus the general symptoms that can occur with menopause. How to improve your experience of menopause and reduce your symptoms. This isn’t a topic we’ve ever cov

Today’s episode is with my tutor and world renowned endometriosis expert Dr Jessica Drummond. Dr Jessica Drummond is the founder and CEO of the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, where she trains thousands of practitioners and works with patients with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain conditions. She is also the author of the incredible book Outsmart Endometriosis. Jessica is hosting a free endo workshop Outsmart Endometriosis Workshop, “6 Strategies to Reclaim Your Life from Endometriosis” on Oct 25th 2pm at 2pm EST. Sign up here. You can attend live or watch the replay, but you must be signed up to receive the recording. In today’s interview, Jessica and I continue a conversation we’ve been having together for much of the year - and this is the connection between endometriosis, MCAS, dysautonomia and hypermobility. Something I love about this conversation is that we talk less about the diagnosis of these conditions, and more about how to think about these new conditions and how to approach healing w

This week’s episode is a replay as my guest for this week has had to postpone (but they’ll be on very soon)! I thought I’d continue on the theme of improving your period pain with endo, and wanted to share some of the best foods for lowering inflammation and supporting a healthy cycle. Of course, please avoid the foods that you know you react to and don’t tolerate. Every body is different and so just because a food is shown to be anti-inflammatory, that doesn’t mean it’s right for you. 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 o

This week’s episode is a replay as I am busy welcoming my new course students! I’ve had some amazing client wins in the past week - three clients had a dramatic reduction in pain and an increase in cycle regularity, with two actually going out on Day 1 of their periods to parties and social dinners! So it inspired me to share with you all ways to improve your period, and one of the go-to techniques I use with clients is pulling together a little pre-period toolkit which helps them to reduce inflammation in the lead up to menstruation. So I thought I’d reshape this old episode where I share six tips for reducing endo pain in the lead up to your period… 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 re

For the first and only time, I’m doing a 5-day flash sale on all of my courses. You get a year’s access to all three of my courses, plus two extra bonus masterclasses on surgery and pain relief, for just £99. If you’ve ever wanted to dip your toe into healing endo, but money was a barrier for you, now is the time to invest (affordably) in your endo recovery journey! You get all of this: Live and Thrive with Endo – usual price: £350 The Endo Belly Protocol – usual price: £215 Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations – usual price: £160 Creating Your Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endo – usual price: £29.99 Holistic Pre and Post-Surgery Recovery Protocol – usual price: £29.99 So, that’s £784.98 worth of content, for an entire year, for £99. Want to learn more or sign up? Click here. So, what do you get? Live and Thrive with Endo This course is a step-by-step outline of my exact one-to-one coaching programme; a road map for reducing pain, bloating, fatigue, and brain fog (and all the other symptoms th