This Endolife

A few of you have been asking how my SIBO treatment has been going and to celebrate Endometriosis Awareness Month, I’ve been doing a series of lives discussing endo and SIBO. As part of this, I decided to jump onto Instagram Live to give a full update and to answer your SIBO questions. I also wanted to share it here in case you guys missed it. In this podcast episode I’m sharing… My SIBO levels for methane and hydrogen, and why I decided to treat for hydrogen sulfide as well. My experience with antimicrobials, especially high dose oregano, allicin, atrantil, silver hydrosol, uva ursi and bismuth formulas. The updates around hydrogen sulfide treatment and bacteria. My experience with natural prokinetics and the challenges I faced having interstitial cystitis whilst taking them (some prokinetic ingredients can worsen IC). My experience with die off and ways to manage and reduce. When I’m retesting and my next treatment option and how to time retesting. What I’m doing to prevent relap

Today’s episode is a another special mini-episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group. The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. In this episode I’m answering the question ‘How quickly can food trigger an endo flare (if that food is inflammatory to you)?’ In this episode I discuss: The inflammatory response of prostaglandin E2 and their connection to endo. How a food can trigger a local inflammatory response in and around the gut, which then leads to an full-body inflammatory response. How quickly these immune responses occur. The difference between acute inflammatory responses and long-term chronic inflammatory responses. Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. This episode is sponsored by my free guide ‘A Natural Pain Relief Tool Kit for Endometriosis’. This four page

Today’s episode is a another special mini-episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group. The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. In this episode I’m talking about whether stress or trauma can actually trigger the onset of endometriosis. In this episode I discuss: The research around trauma and onset of endometriosis symptoms. The link between endometriosis, autoimmune conditions and childhood trauma. The effects of stress on inflammation and the immune system. How stress impacts the way the brain responds to physical injury and how you experience pain. Lastly, I want to emphasise that this is a direct answer to a direct question from a student. This is not blanket advice for everyone. I just wanted to share this in case you're having a similar experience, but please know that everyones journey with healing

Today’s episode is a another special mini-episode from my live Q&A calls with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group. The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. In this episode I’m talking about whether heavy bleeding and clots are really all because of endometriosis, or whether something else is going on. In this episode I discuss: What causes excruciating cramping and contractions on your period - with or without endo. Why I don’t believe heavy menstrual bleeding and big clots are caused by endometriosis. Why vomiting on your period may be linked to your histamine levels. Lastly, I want to emphasise that this is a direct answer to a direct question from a student. This is not blanket advice for everyone. I just wanted to share this in case you're having a similar experience, but please know that everyones journey with healing endo will be

Today’s episode is a special mini-episode from my live Q&A call with my Live and Thrive with Endo Course coaching group. The questions they’ve been asking have been amazing and I know will resonate with many of you, so I decided to share some of my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. In this episode I’m talking about what to do if you’re struggling to make anti-inflammatory diet changes that stick - my answer might surprise you! In this episode I discuss: Whether you have to be on a 100% strict anti-inflammatory diet to lower inflammation Whether you can have ‘treats’ and what’s often commonly referred to as ‘cheat days’ (though I really don’t like that term!) How to make sustainable and lasting change that feels doable and realistic Tips for keeping in your favourite foods. Lastly, I want to emphasise that this is a direct answer to a direct question from a student who's eating an anti-inflammatory diet and struggling with it. This is not blanket advice for every

Today I’m bringing on one of my past clients Jo to share her healing story. I wanted to chat with Jo as she’s one of my clients who did have a symptom free period in the first month and that continued, but also because she’s still working through her journey. Jo came to me with pain most of the time, and she’s now in a place where her periods are symptom free (unless something’s happened to trigger them) and she has less intense pain and less frequent pain on a daily basis. During our time together we discovered she has SIBO and so when she’s ready, the next part of her journey may look like treating that, which will further reduce her inflammation and pain. As a dancer, we also identified a real need for pelvic floor physio too, which will take her symptom improvement even further. So I really wanted to talk to Jo to demonstrate that this is a journey and that you don’t have to have complete resolution over night to feel better or in control. I also wanted to share Jo’a journey because I think Jo’s approa

In today’s episode I’m answering some of your recent questions! I hopped onto Instagram Live to answer you presubmitted questions but in case you missed it, I also wanted to release this chat as an episode too. In this episode I’m answering: How to deal with nausea and vomiting during ovulation and menstruation? Is milk bad for endo? Tips for managing ‘kissing’ ovaries? Can gut motility/digestion ever return to normal with endo? How to inhibit further spread of endo when certain lesions cannot be removed? How to and where to start with the endo diet? If I didn’t get to answer your question, I’ll be doing another live on Thursday evening, so check back with Instagram for that! Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. Also a quick reminder that if you’d like further support with your endo, my 8 week course Live and Thrive with Endo is now open! Doors close on Thursday at 10pm GMT and you can sign up for £50 off (so that’s £100 upfront payment or £

In the past few months I’ve been speaking to hundreds of you about your worst endometriosis symptoms and fatigue and brain fog have often come out on top. But why does endometriosis cause these symptoms and is endometriosis alone the sole culprit? I may now sound like a broken record, but it’s very unlikely that endometriosis can take the glory for being the one and only true cause of brain fog and fatigue. In fact, especially for those of us with endo, there’s usually a couple of other things at play. So today, I’m continuing with my series on root causes with 10 root causes of fatigue and brain fog with endometriosis. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it is an overview into some of the most common causes I see with clients, in the research and reported by the endo community. 1.    Dysregulated blood sugar - Your blood sugar levels have a direct impact on your energy and cognitive function. Glucose is the body’s primary source of fuel and comes from carbohydrates.  Complex carbohydrates like vegetables, b

I wanted to do an episode on the back of my 9 Root Causes of Painful Sex with Endometriosis episode, as I talk about bloating, bladder pain, brain fog and fatigue a lot, but I haven’t covered painful sex much lately.  This episode contains a range of strategies, some long-term, some more short-term and this list certainly isn’t exhaustive. Many of the changes you make to improve your endometriosis in general, such as healing the gut, are not covered here but will certainly make a difference to the pain you feel during sex. You don’t have to try all of these and you certainly don’t have to try them all at the same time, but see which ones resonate for you. TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast contains brief references to sexual trauma.  Reduce chronic inflammation - Nutrition is one of the most effective ways to reduce inflammation. Foods that cause inflammation include sugar, alcohol, trans fats, processed conventional meats, processed foods and for some; gluten, dairy and caffeine, as well as other foods grou

Today’s episode is another in the root causes series and I’m talking about the root causes of painful sex with endometriosis. 92% of you voted for this episode, so I’m assuming that if you voted, you likely struggle with this symptom. But having painful sex isn’t just part and parcel of having endometriosis - there are things that can be done, and it begins with identifying why you’re experiencing pain in the first place. Endo is complex and the stress it puts on the body can lead to other conditions and complications developing, so we’re going to explore some of these here. If you can begin identifying even just one root cause, the road ahead to healing pain will become clearer.  Again, this is about shining a light on the root causes so you’re no longer in the dark about your health. You don’t have to deal with them all and it’s unlikely you’ll have them all, just begin with one area and take baby steps there.  As I’ve mentioned with all these episodes, this list isn’t exhaustive, but it does include so

1.    Endometriosis on the bladder - If you have endo lesions on the bladder or infiltrating the bladder, these will be causing scar tissue, inflammation and irritation to the surrounding area, especially during menstruation when this tissue begins to shed. This inflammation causes pain as the body attempts to alert us of a threat (endo), but as our immune system is unable to ‘clean up’ the endo, the body continues to inflame the area and continues to send pain signals. 2.    Chronic inflammation - Inflammation can spread from one area in the pelvis to another over time, especially if the immune system is unable to clean up whatever is causing the threat. If endo is causing inflammation elsewhere in the pelvis and has done for some time, the inflammation and pain can spread as the nerves and surrounding tissue begin to get involved in the ‘alarm’ process. Inflammation can also come from an inflammatory diet such as a diet rich in trans fats, sugar, processed foods and meat, and alcohol. It can also come fro

Last week I polled 600 of you on my Instagram and 96% of you said you suffer with bloating or what is dubbed in our community as the endobelly. Additionally, only 48% of you had heard of small intestine bacterial overgrowth, which is in fact a leading cause of IBS issue such as constipation, diarrhoea and bloating within the endo population. Bloating is one of the biggest symptoms for those of us with endomertriosis, but it’s not impossible to treat. It’s not about masking the symptoms though - restricting foods to feel relief can result in more foods sensitive and nutrient deficiencies, whilst leaving the root cause to worsen over time. So ideally, want to get to the heart of the problem. There may be a few, but once you address one of the root causes, often the others begin to improve and can become easier to treat or manage. Another thing to note is rather than letting this episode overwhelm you, see it as a light shining on your gut health and revealing the clues that have been hidden to you for so lon

If you experience bladder pain alongside endometriosis, you may have experienced first hand how hard it is to know what to eat. Over the years, I’ve spoken to countless people with endometriosis who also have bladder pain syndrome or interstitial cystitis, and are totally confused over what which foods may be triggering them. The general anti-inflammatory diet that can help lower endometriosis pain, partially conflicts with the general interstitial cystitis diet, which recommends cutting out foods like tomatoes, whilst potentially inflammatory foods are given the green light. So what’s going on here? Why are certain “healthy'“ foods given the boot with a typical diet for bladder pain and does this diet work for everyone? In this episode, I’m speaking with Integrative and Functional Nutritionist and Registered Dietician Brianne Thornton about nutrition for bladder pain and how to navigate this often confusing world when you have multiple conditions. We discuss: The role of nutrition in interstitial cyst

For the past two weeks I’ve been diving into the undeniable link between endometriosis, allergies and histamine. To give you guys a recap: 61% of people with endo have been found to have allergies. 88% of people with endo and fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome also have allergies. Mast cells (which produce histamines) have been found in higher levels within endometriosis lesions and have been shown to be involved within the inflammatory process of endo Endometriosis is an oestrogen driven disease and the endo lesions also increase oestrogen in the pelvic area. Oestrogen triggers mast cells to release histamines, whilst histamines can trigger further oestrogen production Histamines can also rise as oestrogen rises with the menstrual cycle. Today I want to explore some of the strategies I’ve been using for clearing my allergies and histamine issues, and some suggestions for methods to try yourself. This isn’t an exhaustive list and it’s also not in a particular order, as it r

Happy Thanksgiving to our lovely community!   I’ve been working on something in the past few months, and as a thank you for being such an amazing bunch, I wanted to finally share it with you today.    Ever since I started This EndoLife, I wanted to make it accessible. Having worked with vulnerable groups in my past life in charity, I’ve seen first-hand the need for accessible health care. Not just in the form of conventional medicine, but in the form of empowering, alternative options that people can implement every day.   In fact, this was so much at the forefront of my mind, that when I embarked on training as a women’s health coach three years ago, my sole purpose wasn’t to do a one-to-one programme at all, but to in fact do an online course that was affordable and reached more people.    However, in order to do that, I quickly learnt that I needed the experience of one-to-one coaching and I’m so glad I did! Not only did I get to see how effective and life-changing it is, but it has been an absolute privi

Endometriosis, small intestine bacterial overgrowth and allergies. What do they have in common? Histamines. Whilst these conditions are multifaceted and often don’t have one root cause, there is a clear common thread connecting them all. Here’s some key takeaways: 61% of people with endo have allergies Research has shown up to 80% of those with endo also have SIBO (some doctors argue it’s even higher at 100%) SIBO can impair the body’s ability to break down and remove histamines from the body Mast cells (the cells that make histamine) and histamines are found in high lever levels in patients with interstitial cystitis Mast cells have been found in higher levels within endometriosis lesions and have been shown to be involved within the inflammatory process of endo Endometriosis is an oestrogen driven disease and the endo lesions also increase oestrogen in the pelvic area. Oestrogen triggers mast cells to release histamines, whilst histamines can trigger further oestrogen production

Do you have suffer with food allergies or airborne allergies? Perhaps you get fits of sneezing or watery eyes in the summer, or maybe you suffer with a chronically stuffy or runny nose? Perhaps you flare up with dairy or break out in a rash after shellfish. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Research has found a significant prevalence of allergies within the endometriosis community, showing that people with endo are at an increased risk of experiencing allergies. But without this knowledge to connect the dots, we’re often left to think that different parts of us are just falling to pieces. Whilst understanding the link can’t take the allergies away, it can certainly make us feel less crazy and give us a greater understanding of what’s happening in our bodies. In today’s episode I’m sharing some of the most important research findings regarding allergies and endometriosis. Here are some of the key takeaways: 61% of people with endo have been found to have allergies. 88% of people with endo and fibrom

Rebecca Sairs is the PMDD health coach helping people with PMDD take back control of their wellbeing with natural methods, self-care and empowering coaching. After experiencing PMDD herself, and struggling with the options of treatment available, Rebecca started down a holistic healing journey which eventually led her to specialise in PMDD as a health coach. She now helps people all over the world with the condition, and as many of us endo warriors also live with PMDD, I thought it was an essential to have her on the show! In this episode, we talk about: Rebecca’s PMDD story and what helped her to feel well again. What PMDD is and the symptoms and causes of PMDD. Her approach to managing and how that compares to the conventional approach, and whether it’s possible for those two to work in conjunction with each other. Where to start with managing PMDD. PMDD-hacks that could help people who are stuck with in-the-moment symptoms and need relief as soon as possible. Where can people find

Brain fog and fatigue. These are two of the biggest symptoms you guys tell me you suffer with and they’re two symptoms that I found hardest to shake, whilst my symptoms have dramatically improved, they are the two that I sometimes need some extra help with. Now, before we dive in - I want to state that the root cause should be investigated, rather than just slapping superfood biohacks over the problem. Chronic inflammation, dysregulated blood sugar and hormonal imbalances are just some of the issues that can be behind your brain fog and fatigue, not just the endometriosis alone. But I know you guys are keen for some solutions you can add to your daily routines to make your lives easier, so whilst we’ve been exploring inflammation, hormonal balance, etc. on the show and will continue to do so, I also wanted to give you some easy strategies that might give you a boost and ease these symptoms… Rosemary Rosemary has been shown to increase memory speed, recall and accuracy in multiple small studies on both huma

In episode 107 I took you through what oestrogen dominance is, the causes and the symptoms, alongside seven foods to help alleviate the hormonal imbalance. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, go ahead and check it out, then come back to this one! But why is oestrogen dominance even a problem? Oestrogen has been shown in multiple studies to play a pivotal role in the development and growth of endometriosis, it’s why many doctors use progestin only hormonal birth control methods to possibly help lower symptoms (though not everyone responds well to this option). If we have too much oestrogen in our body, we may be further fuelling our endo and additionally, the symptoms of oestrogen dominance look a lot like endometriosis and we for sure don't want to be worsening those! So today, I’m taking you through five natural lifestyle and nutrition tips to reduce oestrogen dominance and balance hormones with endometriosis. Stress management - The body responds to stress by releasing cortisol and adrenaline.