This Endolife

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

Recently I shared an episode on pycnogenol and the research behind its use for chronic UTIs and interstitial cystitis - and the evidence is pretty impressive.I mentioned in the show that pycnogenol is one of my favourite supplements for us endo peeps, and I thought I should elaborate on some of the key benefits, for those of you who are curious.Read more.I am now taking applications for my final one to one coaching cohort of 2024Apply here: https://www.theendobellycoach.com/coachingShow Notes Endo researchhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17879831/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4512562/https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/bitstream/handle/11336/130924/CONICET_Digital_Nro.f5b315e1-bd81-4dcb-83f0-4e4a751927ce_A.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=yhttps://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/3/978Mentstrual painhttps://www.pycnogenol.com/fileadmin/pdf/Application_brochures/pycno_menstrual_discomfort_16012016_WEB.pdfhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6790261Histamine intolerancehttps://www.pycnogenol.com/fileadmin/pdf/Application_broch

Now of course, this is a huge topic and there are so many different probiotics out there, which can often just get confusing and overwhelming, so with this podcast my intention is for it to be succinct and easy to digest, with a smaller array of probiotics to start exploring on your initial steps to gut healing. Read more.Show Notes SIBOThe SIBO, Endometriosis and Interstitial Cystitis Connection wth Dr. Allison SiebeckerHow To Treat SIBO with Dr Allison SiebeckerUnderstanding The Endometriosis Belly, Part 3: SIBO SymptomsHow Do You Know When to Test for SIBO?How to Test for SIBO at HomeHistamine intoleranceHistamine Intolerance 101 Dr. Becky Campbell https://www.thisendolife.com/this-endolife-podcast-episodes/strategies-for-lowering-histamine-reducing-allergies-endometriosishttps://www.thisendolife.com/this-endolife-podcast-episodes/association-between-endometriosis-allergiesEndometriosis, SIBO, Interstitial Cystitis and Allergies: The Histamine Connection L.Plantarum 299v researchhttps://meridian.allenpress

Recently I’ve talked a lot about the gut microbiome and endo, but today, I want to do a very short episode on the bladder microbiome, but specifically, a supplement or plant extract that could help us. For those of you who deal with bladder pain or recurrent UTIs, I’m hoping this episode is helpful.Interstitial cystitis has been dubbed as the ‘evil twin’ of endometriosis by researchers, and is characterised by bladder pain, increased frequency, pressure, and trouble emptying the bladder to name a few of the key symptoms.Interstitial cystitis doesn’t have just one cause; often there are multiple layers ranging from pelvic floor dysfunction, histamine issues, nerve hypersensitivity, chronic embedded UTIs, inflammation and more.Read more.Show notesI am now taking applications for my final one to one coaching cohort of 2024Apply here: https://www.theendobellycoach.com/coachingIC endo research and podcastshttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3043443/https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-ic-sibohttps:/

Sourdough bread has been popular in the mainstream for a good number of years now, but I feel like there’s a big focus on it and its benefits in the wellness industry at present.And I think for people with endo, when new health trends come round, it can be confusing, because foods we thought might bother us with endo, are being promoted to the masses as good for our health, so the question is - where does sourdough fit in with endo?So, let’s first look at what sourdough is. Sourdough is a type of dough typically used for bread and pizza, which is fermented using yeasts and bacteria that occur naturally in the air and surroundings. It also has a longer fermentation time than your average yeasted dough. And to be clear, when I talk about fermentation, this is the process of bacteria and yeasts eating a food, in this case, starches in the flour, and chemically changing the dough due to the lactic acid, alcohol and carbon dioxide they produce in the fermentation process, which creates the sour flavour in sourdoug

If you want to learn more about SCFAs, I’ve linked to some episodes in the show notes. But now let’s look at probiotic foods and how they can raise SCFA.Probiotic foods are cultured and fermented foods which have live beneficial bacteria in them. When we eat these foods, we ingest this bacteria, which then become part of our gut microbiome and improve our levels of beneficial bacteria.Many of these beneficial bacterial strains directly increase SCFA levels, but some of them indirectly support SCFA production by creating an environment that helps other SCFA producing bacteria to thrive, or by feeding specific bacteria that in turn, produce SCFAs. This is known as cross-feeding.So, which probiotic foods might be helpful for us in particular?Read more.Show notesSCFA resourceshttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endometriosis-short-chain-fatty-acidshttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endometriosis-butyratehttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endometriosis-propionate-acetatehttps://www.theendobelly

Today I want to talk about another short chain fatty acid booster, which also supports long term gut healing and symptom relief, and that’s partially hydrolysed guar gum.PHGG is a soluble fibre derived from the guar bean plant, it is not exactly the same as the food ingredient guar gum. PHGG is broken down by enzymes from guar gum, and dissolves in water. In contrast, guar gum is a thickening agent and too much guar gum in certain foods can cause gut problems, whereas PHGG is recognised as being a supportive, prebiotic fibre and supplement for gut health.Read more.Show notesPHGG and butyratehttps://www.mdpi.com/2673-8007/4/2/49https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814623016242Bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, IBS and dosinghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25843197/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900702010328https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/fibre-supplements-ibs/https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/conference_contribution/Does_Partially_Hydrolysed_Guar_Gum_HAVE

Last week we talked about certain fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils that can boost the short chain fatty acids called propionate and acetate. Alongside butyrate, which you can increase with resistant starch rich foods such as cold oats, green bananas and cooked and cooled potatoes and rice, these guys help to lower inflammation, heal gut issues and may even protect against endo progression. To learn more about the benefits of short chain fatty acids for endo, listen to episodes 312, 311 and 310.Today, I wanted to give you another option if you feel like a lot of the foods I listed last week just aren’t doable for you because of your bloating and IBS symptoms, or if you eat a lot of these foods already, but still suffer with gut problems and endo problems, and would like to take some extra steps to further boost these beneficial short chain fatty acids.Today, we’re talking about psyllium husk, and the benefits of this bad boy are many.Read more.Show notesBlood sugarhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26561625/

Last week we talked about the most beneficial short chain fatty acid for endo - butyrate.Short chain fatty acids are types of healthy fats that are produced by good gut bacteria when we eat fibre. They eat the fibre, and the process of this, known as fermentation, produces short chain fatty acids.To get the low down on endo and short chain fatty acids overall, head to episode ep.310 and to learn about butyrate specifically, go to last week’s episode 311.Today, we’re talking about the two other main short chain fatty acids; propionate and acetate.Read more.Show notesSCFAsReferences:https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/short-chain-fatty-acids-101#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11208329/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8500332/https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1373004/fullhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9962481/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8198999/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p

Last week I talked about short chain fatty acids and their benefits for endo, and why people with endo need to focus on these to help manage the disease.Today, I want to talk about how to boost one of these types of short chain fatty acids, called butyrate.Read more.Show notesSCFAs/Butyrate https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10233627/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30114-4#:~:text=Probiotic treatment also significantly enhanced,SCFAs in the gut48.https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/short-chain-fatty-acids-101#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9https://biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12964-023-01219-9https://zoe.com/learn/what-are-short-chain-fatty-acidshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9577580/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10305054/https://www.healthline.com/health/butyric-acid#bottom-lineEndo and inflammatory markershttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7956504https://w

Short chain fatty acids are types of gut friendly fats that are produced when good bacteria in our large intestine eats fibre. So, when healthy bacteria eat let’s say, beans, it will ferment our food, and create gas. Along with that gas, it creates short chain fatty acids. Short chain fatty acids are one of the key reasons gut health is so important to our overall wellbeing.Number one is that they are the primary source of food/fuel for the cells in our large intestine. They therefore help to keep our gut barrier intact and strong. When this barrier weakens and holes start to form between our cells, food particles, bacteria and toxins from gram-negative bacteria known as lipopolyscharrides (otherwise known as LPS) can leak through the gut into our blood stream and the surrounding pelvic area. Read more.Show noteshttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10233627/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30114-4#:~:tex

Chronic fatigue is one of the biggest complaints of clients and students when they come to see me. But endo isn’t solely responsible for fatigue, there are usually a number of culprits, that can be associated with endo or are worsened by endo. If you’d like to learn more about the causes of fatigue in the endo community, I’ve linked to a podcast episode on this subject, but today, I want to talk about foods to eat to help you battle this symptom. Now, for most people, there will be other areas of their lives and health that need to be addressed to significantly reduce or fully resolve this problem, but increasing your intake of the following foods, or ensuring you’re getting enough, can make a noticeable difference. Read more.Show noteshttps://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/root-causes-brain-fog-fatigue-endometriosis?rq=fatigue https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019700/ Magnesiumhttps://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Magnesium is a cofactor in,, oxidative phospho

Today I want to continue on with the theme of foods for surgery recovery. And today, we’re talking about protein.In my training on endometriosis surgery recovery, the importance of protein intake, and good quality protein intake, was really emphasised - and with good reason. Protein is essential for tissue repair, and whilst we need lots of nutrients to recovery after surgery, protein is the key component to rebuilding tissue and in short, knitting us back together!Read more.Show noteshttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdfhttps://www.aana.com/practice/clinical-practice/clinical-practice-resources/enhanced-recovery-after-surgeryhttps://www.espen.org/files/ESPEN-Guidelines/ESPEN_practical_guideline_Clinical_nutrition_in_surgery.pdfhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7997257/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522025175https://

I’ve had a couple of clients work with me recently ahead of their very first surgeries. We’ve been doing a lot of prep to ensure that they heal well, have an easy recovery, and to minimise the chances of recurrence or severe recurrence, as much as we possibly can (though of course, there is no guarantee with endo).As a result, I wanted to do an episode to help you to prep if you have a surgery coming up. Now, there are quite a few strategies I use with clients for this, and I do have a masterclass on surgery which you can purchase if you’re ready to, but I’ve also linked to any free resources I have in the show notes.Today however, I wanted to focus on three antioxidants to ensure you’re getting ample amounts of pre and post-surgery.Read more.Show notesAntioxidants generalhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5625949/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8397081/Zinchttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10184220/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35226276/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2586

To follow on with our episode on flax seeds and chia seeds for constipation, I wanted to add another one into the mix. For those of you who haven’t listen to that previous episode, I’ve linked it in the show notes. Additionally, if you’re wondering why constipation is a problem for many in our community, there can be numerous reasons, ranging from adhesions, pelvic floor dysfunction, small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gut dysbiosis and more. I’ve linked to an episode I did on this topic in the show notes. But now let’s get to it. Two kiwis a day is an evidenced based tool for constipation! Read more.Show Noteshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12074185/https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/19/4/451.pdfhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21147704/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9572406/https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/two-kiwi-fruit-day-keep-constipation-bay/https://www.siboinfo.com/diet.html https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/healing-constipation-with-endometriosis?rq=constipation ht

Many people with endometriosis, including about 60% of my clients, suffer with constipation.Is this because of endometriosis directly? Not exactly. There are several reasons someone with endo can have constipation, whilst this episode isn’t about that, here’s a quick low down on some of the key causes: Endo – Of course, whilst this isn’t the case for everyone, endo can be located on the bowel, which can cause structural changes to the bowel, making bowel movements harder.Adhesions – Adhesions from either endo itself or from surgery can attach to the intestines and cause kinks and loops which make it harder for stools to pass through the bowels. P.S. Adhesions from abdominal surgery occur in between 50-100% of patients, and if the abdominal surgery is more significant, the risk is much higher.SIBO – Small intestine bacterial overgrowth, where bacteria overgrow in the small intestine, is a key culprit of constipation, especially in people who have methanogen overgrowth. There are three types of SIBO; hydrogen,