This Endolife

A little while ago I asked you guys what your questions were about SIBO and endo belly - and my gosh, did you come through with the questions! So I decided to record my answers in a few Instagram lives and then share them as a podcast episode so more people can have access to this information. Here are the questions I am answering in today’s episode: What came first? Endo or SIBO? Are there certain people with endo more likely to develop SIBO? What is the connection between SIBO and IBS and how to differentiate between them? What are the stats on IBS, endo and SIBO? Are there any foods that make SIBO worse? Will I have to do a low FODMAP diet long term? Does diet help SIBO? Can SIBO cause B12, zinc, iron and magnesium deficiencies? I hope this podcast episode is helpful to you. If you’re wondering whether it’s SIBO or endo or something else causing your bloating, or you’d like to learn how to test for SIBO or just understand a bit more before you investigate further, have a look at my show notes belo

This episode is a special episode sharing a recording from a Q&A with participants from my recent Endo Belly Challenge. Over 150 people took part in the 4 week free challenge, and each week, they received an email from me with some education on the endo belly and what causes it and how to treat it, and then a related action step to help them minimise symptoms and begin treating the root causes. At the end of the challenge, to celebrate and wrap up, I held a private Q&A for anyone who wanted to ask questions about their experience with the challenge, their own endo belly issues or just about endometriosis itself. Today I am sharing some of these questions and my answers!  DISCLAIMER: Please remember that everyone’s experience of endometriosis is unique, and the decision to have or not have surgery should be made in partnership with your surgeon and medical team. The information I am sharing in this episode is just for informational purposes. I hope you find this episode useful! Free workshop: To support those

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: The SIBO queen,

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: Is this the hig

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: It’s finally he

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: The endometrios

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: The endometrios

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: The endometrios

The episode you’re hearing today is a replay of a past episode. As it’s IBS Awareness Month, and because so many of us with endo have IBS, I wanted to share with you my most foundational, actionable and informative episodes on endo belly, IBS and SIBO. Now because these episodes are old, I may not refer to some of the resources I provide on the endo belly, so I wanted to remind you of the services I provide. So, to start with, I have plenty of other episodes on the endo belly, I have a course called The Endo Belly Course which is specifically for anyone with endo who really struggles with IBS, endo belly or SIBO (here’s the waitlist; I work with 1 to 1 clients; especially those with endo belly or SIBO, and I have lots and lots of articles on Endometriosis News and Endometriosis Net about these topics. And of course, I also   have my Instagram account, which is chock full of SIBO and endo belly info, for those of you wanting to learn more. Okay, so without further ado, let’s get to the episode: Last week I pol

Today we’re continuing with our endo and IBS theme as part of my IBS Awareness Month series. Most of the clients who come to me have endo and IBS, now of course, I tend to see more of these clients because I am specialised in endometriosis, endo belly and SIBO, so naturally I attract these types of endo clients – but, generally, the majority of people with endo tend to have IBS problems in some form. In fact, more research is being done into this area, but The Center for Endometriosis Care found 25% of patients had painful bowel movements, 35% had constipation and 60% had diarrhoea.  Read more Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. Sign up to The Endo Belly Course wait list 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, em

It’s IBS Awareness Month and because IBS is so common within the endo community, I’m going to continue with this theme of IBS and endo belly, which I’ve been focusing on over the past few weeks. Now, one of the key causes behind IBS is SIBO. In fact, current research estimates that the majority of IBS cases are really SIBO cases, and as you’ve probably heard about 100 times by now, research estimates that up to 80% of endo patients may have SIBO. This is based on a small amount of research and so that number may change in the future, but I would say that this number is accurate, at least based on the clients I see. Read more Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. Sign up to The Endo Belly Course wait list here.  On March 28th I am running my second Endo Belly Challenge! In this 4-week challenge, you will learn the first steps to identifying the root causes of your endo belly and the initial tools to heal your swelling, gut issues and abdominal discomfort. Every Monday, you'

Every time I meet a potential new client, I go through their symptom history with them. About 90% of the time, they tell me they have cyclical diarrhoea, and some of them experience pain with that diarrhoea. Naturally, many of them are really worried by these symptoms and are concerned it’s endo related, and that it mean there’s endo in or around the rectum, but the truth is, that it might not be directly caused by endo itself. In fact, diarrhoea or loose stools during your period is very common, for people both with and without endometriosis. Now, this doesn’t mean it’s normal and that we should put up with it. There are some very real reasons this issue can occur and some very tangible ways to reduce it, so let’s get into it.  Read more Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. Sign up to The Endo Belly Course wait list here.  On March 28th I am running my second Endo Belly Challenge! In this 4-week challenge, you will learn the first steps to identifying the root causes of

Okay so today we’re talking about the all-important migrating motor complex. Let’s start with what the MMC, which is just what’s it usually abbreviated to for ease, actually is. The migrating motor complex is a wave like emotion that occurs in the small intestine, not large, between meals and overnight. This wave motion clears out any old food debris and bacteria once food has already passed through into the large intestine, so basically, see the MMC as the washing up, once all the leftover food has been cleared off the dinner plates.  Now, the MMC is crucial for good gut health and when it slows down, we get a build-up of bacteria and old food, this means that not only is there a constant supply of food debris in the small intestine for bacteria to munch on, but every time food enters the small intestine, that food will be munched too.  Read more 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,

Today we’re talking about the endo belly, but more specifically, constipation. Firstly, let’s quickly look at what the endo belly is. The ‘endo belly’ is not actually a medical term, but instead is a name the community has coined in reference to the severe bloating we often experience. So, there isn’t technically a set definition, but it is generally thought to be severe bloating/swelling that tends to be attributed to endometriosis and is sometimes accompanied by pain. Some experts, articles and endo patients also include gut problems within this term too, but not always. My definition, from my training and from seeing so many clients with these symptoms is that the endo belly is exaggerated/severe bloating, often accompanied by gut symptoms, pain or discomfort - but it is not always caused by endometriosis directly (there are normally contributing factors behind the endo belly). Read more Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. My new Nutrition for Endo Masterclasses are o

Okay, so today is my last instalment on my series about endo and our hormones and today we’re talking about testosterone.  Now, you might think that testosterone doesn’t matter to people with ovaries and a uterus, but it really, really does. Whilst testosterone is much higher in people with testes, it actually plays a significant role in ovulation. So, let’s take a closer look. So, remember how we previously talked about the importance of oestrogen? Well, without enough testosterone, you won’t have enough oestrogen. Why? Because most of the testosterone that we make is converted into oestrogen, by an enzyme called aromatase.   Read more Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. My new Nutrition for Endo Masterclasses are out now and are on special offer. Get one masterclass for £29.99 (full price £40) or both for £50. Find out more here. My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving wi

Okay, so today I am bringing you a special bonus episode. I woke up this morning to this incredible video from one of my previous Live and Thrive with Endo course students sharing her story. Her transformation moved me so much and made me so happy that I wanted to put it out as a podcast episode for you today, especially as you all seem to really enjoy these real life stories. I remember how Sarah was when she came to the course. She was very, very fatigued and really desperate for help. She had a lot going on with her symptoms and was really struggling to cope. Some of the severe symptoms she was suffering with were: Chronic fatigue PMDD Chronic full body pain Depression Anxiety Excruciating period pain Heavy menstrual bleeding Within a matter of days, Sarah started to experience alleviation in these symptoms. Really! She is now in a place where she can live a full life, enjoying her time with loved ones and also taking care of the responsibilities she has in her life. Every single symptom has improv

Okay, this week’s episode is a nice, quick boost of positivity, hope and inspiration. Today’s episode is Sam’s story. Sam is one of my previous Live and Thrive with Endo course students and is a current membership member. In this episode, I ask Sam how her symptoms have changed from doing the course, which changes she put in place and which ones she felt have been the most effective and her advice for people just starting out on their own endo journey. Sam is in Australia and we really struggled to find a time for us both, so instead of an interview, I asked Sam some questions and she recorded herself, so you’re just going to hear Sam talking today rather than myself. To give you a brief intro on what to expect, Sam came to the course with really severe inflammation issues, symptoms from ovulation onwards, level 10 pain and huge endo belly problems. Sam has now gotten to the root of her endo belly and her period pain is a level 1/2 on the pain scale - and these are just some of the incredible changes, but

Today I want to share a story to inspire and lift you up. I know sometimes it can feel hopeless, and that’s why I love to share these client stories: because they offer hope, they show us what’s possible, they give us faith. In this conversation, Aamina, who is one of my past Live and Thrive with Endo course students and a current membership member, shares with us her story of transformation, from despair and desperation to empowerment and hope. Aamina came to my course with nausea and vomiting around her period, severe pain during menstruation and ovulation, and nerve and leg pain pretty much all month long. She now no longer suffers with nausea or vomiting, and has dramatically reduced her pain all the way down from an 8 to a 2 on the pain scale. This conversation was originally recorded as part of a testimonial for my course, rather than a podcast interview, so you’ll hear Aamina referencing to the course and testifying to it throughout, but within all of this, she peppers in her story, her wins, her pr

Okay so we’ve been taking about hormones and how to improve our periods for a few weeks now, so I thought it would be helpful to give you a quick run down on what the menstrual cycle actually is and what is happening with your hormones throughout all four stages, plus, what a healthy menstrual cycle looks like. Now of course, having endometriosis, you period probably doesn’t look healthy to you. Maybe you have really heavy bleeding, prolonged periods or a lot of pain. And wahilst we have to take into account that yes, our cycles and periods in particular will probably look different from others, we shouldn’t dismiss these differences as just because of endo and that there’s nothing we can do about it. In truth, there’s probably a lot you can do! Read more Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. Sign up to my free workshop Creating a Roadmap to Endo Healing in 2022: The Foundations Workshop here. Sign up to the wait list for my course, Live and Thrive with Endo here. My new N

So last week we talked about oestrogen, and so today, clearly I’m going to move onto the other predominant hormone in the menstrual cycle, progesterone  So, let’s get started. Progesterone is famous for ‘fluffing’ up the uterine lining in the second half of your menstrual cycle, which occurs after ovulation, and this phase is called the luteal phase.  When we say fluffing up, progesterone is essentially further preparing the uterine lining to allow for implantation of a fertilised egg, whilst halting oestrogen’s effects of  cell-proliferation which thickens the uterine lining.  If the egg is fertilised, it will begin stimulating a steady blood supply to the lining to nourish the egg, via the formation of new blood vessels and additionally will trigger the release of nutrients from glands hidden in the endometrial lining (which is just another fancy word for uterine lining). It will also prevent uterine cramping so the egg can stay nice and secure and plays an absolutely essential role in maintaining the endom