This EndoLife

Shannon Leparski is the plant-based women’s health expert who’s helping people to balance their hormones and manage conditions like endometriosis through good nutrition. Shannon’s new book, The Happy Hormone Guide, offers a full plant-based nutrition and lifestyle cycle syncing plan that supports every single phase of your cycle, to help readerss to have better periods and ease hormonal symptoms like PMS and brain fog.

I have found that using anti-inflammatory supplements have made a huge difference in reducing my endometriosis pain, specifically, ginger root powder, turmeric and magnesium. That’s why I was so excited when I heard about Semaine; a new supplement design specifically to reduce inflammation and pain for people with painful periods and endometriosis.

Two years ago I went self-employed to help manage my endometriosis. Employment just wasn’t working for me - I had been signed off from work, I was struggling to explain the impact endometriosis was having on my mental health to my boss and in short, I simply felt unable to work. Today I’m exploring going self-employed for endometriosis, and diving into what life can be like for a business owner, entrepreneur or freelancer and the unique challenges they can face when journeying down this road with endo.

Gretchen Decker is a Holistic Health Coach, contributor at Allbodies and co-founder of endometriosis support group, Everything Endo LA.In this episode, we talk about Gretchen’s incredible health transformation with endometriosis - from being in a dark place to living a life of joy and purpose, what running a support group has done for her and the people she supports and how you can start your own, get involved or attend a support group. I adore Gretchen, and I’m sure you will too!

Life with endometriosis isn’t always easy and it can have a huge impact on a person’s social life. In the past few years, I’ve really experienced this. But I believe that a life filled with joyful moments with the ones we love is possible with endometriosis. It just might look different from your ordinary ‘healthy’ person’s social life. So I’m currently exploring ways to expand and enrich my social life, from sending flowers to cosy nights in.

Lauren Kornegay is the founder of ENDO Black; a safe space and community for people of colour and African Americans affected by endometriosis. After being diagnosed with endometriosis and discovering that she couldn’t find any materials or information that represented her or didn’t centre around cis white women, she decided to go out and create it for herself and the communities that have been so underrepresented.

Interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome is a condition that many people with endometriosis also have. So in this episode, I’m talking about the symptoms of painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis, what causes it, what can trigger flare ups and how to reduce symptoms with the interstitial cystitis diet and other options like pelvic floor therapy. And most importantly, I chat about how we can learn to manage painful bladder syndrome alongside endometriosis.

Megan is a certified Integrative Nutrition Coach, is studying at CNM to become a Nutritional Therapist and is also a food writer and recipe developer. In this episode, we talk about her experience with PCOS, managing PCOS with blood sugar balancing, what blood sugar balance actually is and why it’s important for endometriosis and so much more, as you’ll come to hear!

First things first, I’m not a physio therapist or personal trainer, but I am someone who likes to keep healthy, so this episode is all about what I’m learning about exercise with endometriosis and how I’m working towards my fitness goals.

Jessica Drummond MPT, CCN, CHC is the founder of the Integrative Women’s Health Institute and the leader of the course I’m currently studying; Integrative Women’s Health Coaching! In this episode, Jessica and I discuss why it’s so important to have a support network when living with pelvic pain, how the foundational pillars of our life need to be in place if we want to heal endometriosis pain and her functional nutrition approach to the endometriosis diet.

In this episode I dive into the reasons why I went 90% gluten-free, and how I changed my diet. I talk about the changes I made, things I struggled with, what I found surprisingly easy and share my tips for reducing your gluten intake if you so wish. I also dive into what the research and what the experts are saying about the link between endometriosis, inflammation and gluten, so you can decide for yourself what sounds like the right choice for you.

TRIGGER WARNING: This conversation includes repeated discussions about suicidal suicidal ideations. PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder is an incredibly severe version of PMS, which can affect anyone with a period and can impact on their day-to-day lives. In this episode, I chat to Laura about her lengthy diagnosis of PMDD, what the condition actually is and the cause behind it, PMDD symptoms and treatment options for anyone living with the disease.

My personal endometriosis diet is plant-based, so no eggs or dairy. In this episode, I dive into why I made that decision, the research I found along the way, how I feel health wise for cutting the two out and what my diet looks like now. I also explore what Henrietta Norton, Alisa Vitti and Maisie Hill have to say about dairy for hormone health and endometriosis.

So today, I’m interviewing my boyfriend, Chris, all about what it’s like living with me and endometriosis. We talk about how I told him about my endometriosis and he’s initial reaction, how it affects our relationship, ways that we cope which are helpful and ways that aren’t so much, and our tips and reflections on life with endometriosis as a couple.

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you what I eat on an average day on my version of the endometriosis diet. But what about when the weekend hits? Well, I thought it was only fair to share how I indulge! I don’t deprive myself, instead, I’ve found ways to enjoy these and still look after my body. From choosing healthier treats, to knowing the signs of when I’ve maybe overdone it a little on the sugar, I explore how I eat for endometriosis even at the weekend - and still enjoy my food.