Unlike many of your friends, your periods are a disaster. A level of panic possibly ensues every month on day one or two of your period because you hope that you get up to the alarm you set in the middle of the night so you don’t soil the sheets. Not to mention the pain is so excruciating that you feel like someone is putting your uterus in a meat grinder. You may even be like many endo sufferers that feel pain throughout the month with pain radiating down your leg and even bouts of nausea. You’ve tried everything, right but why isn’t anything working? Well new research is emerging, which is why I decided to do a video on:
Natural treatments for endometriosis as an autoimmune disease
(PS – Don’t forget to download my free endometriosis guide now)
Wait…an autoimmune disease?
Yes, you heard me right. This isn’t to say that it’s not an estrogen-dominant condition, because it is, but given that we’re seeing research in autoimmunity emerging, it provides us with the opportunity to see this condition from a different perspective.
The reality is that various blood markers of inflammatory cytokines and tissue-specific antibodies have been identified (like antibody IgG which is elevated when we consume a food promoting a delayed reaction). The reality is that all autoimmune conditions (take Hashimoto’s for example) are all rooted from a leaky gut. When we see a condition like a leaky gut, we see all of these inflammatory markers and antibodies emerge. We also see an increased prevalence of allergies. In fact a study had shown that endometriosis sufferers had a high rate of allergies further supporting the autoimmune/leaky gut connection.
While further research needs to be conducted on endometriosis and autoimmunity, it’s definitely worth exploring. In my experience as a practitioner, I’ve always worked with women in Sexy Lady Balls (my hormone membership program) on their gut because you can never dismiss the role of digestion when trying to balance out hormones. The reality is you can take all the hormone-balancing supplements you want but if your digestion is struggling in any capacity, then trying to gain balance will be a challenge.
So what can be done?
- Remove inflammatory foods: The main ones to remove are gluten, dairy, sugar, corn and soy. If you’re continually consuming these foods, you’re aggravating the condition. You have full control over what you put into your mouth and I always suggest that women remove these to give the system a rest so we can begin the healing process. Now before you go running to get every gluten-free product under the sun, remember that most of those products are high in sugar and other inflammatory ingredients. It’s essentially substituting one evil for the other.
- Greatly reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake: #PartyPooper right? Listen, I get that having a drink sometimes is a great, but most women I see in practice are having over servings a week and possibly binge drinking on the weekends. Alcohol depletes key nutrients in the system and will further promote the inflammatory process as does coffee (and yes this includes decaf too). Coffee especially depletes our magnesium which is otherwise needed for liver detoxification, bowel regulation and muscle-relaxing (which you may require if you hold your shoulders up as earrings). This doesn’t mean forever, simply remove both for a month and add them back in at a couple of cups/glasses on the weekend in moderation. But how do you stay away without coffee? Try matcha green tea or various black teas instead.
- Add in a high quality probiotic: The reality is that bacterial balance is crucial given we’re made up of 90% bacteria and only 10% human cells. Yup, we’re more bacteria than we are human! In any case of autoimmunity issues/leaky gut, probiotics are an absolute non-negotiable.
- Add in 40g of L-Glutamine: This will help to heal the intestinal walls and reduce inflammation. Take 40g of L-Glutamine powder mixed with your water in divided doses away from food. This means you can do 20g earlier in the day and 20g in the later part of the day. But just like any supplement, increase slowly to avoid any digestive upset.
- Getting into a parasympathetic state: In other words we want to get out of the sympathetic, fight-or-flight response and into the parasympathetic, rest-or-digest state. And the main way to accomplish this is through stress management – which is the number one area that women overlook because they struggle saying, “no” and incorporating healthy boundaries. In fact this the number one area I hammer home with women and where I see the biggest impact. It’s also interesting to point out that one of the ways to get into the parasympathetic mode is by stimulating the vagus nerve. This can be done through meditation, yoga and believe it or not, gargling!
- Add in histamine-reducing, anti-inflammatory foods: One of my favourites is watercress that has been shown to reduce histamine levels by 60%. You also want to incorporate an organic olive oil rich in polyphenols and even healing foods like onions, garlic, pea sprouts and herbs like moringa that inhibits 72% of histamine released!
Alright, so now let’s incorporate a delicious healing autoimmune soup:
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp of Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt (alternatively you can use 3 Himalayan rock chunks)
- 1 mason jar filled with water
Instructions
- Add salt to mason jar.
- Fill with water.
- Let sit in your fridge for a day or two until salt has been fully dissolved (this may take longer if you're using chunks) and then add one teaspoon to your mason jar filled with water twice daily.
- Feel fee to work up to one tablespoon once or twice a day.
Okay so now’s your chance if you haven’t done so already to get even more tools in my free endometriosis guide now.
Sending you much love and healing vibes in the meantime,
xo
Melissa