A natural approach to: Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an area of women’s health that is quite simply under researched. It is certainly known very well by any women who have ended up in their gynecologist’s office suffering from pelvic pain so intense they cannot get out of bed on their period, extreme bloating, spotting, pain with sex, and more. This blog is to bridge the gap between your lived experience and your doctor’s office. Endometriosis in and of itself is often misunderstood at its’ core as a hormone disorder when in fact it more closely resembles an autoimmune disease!
As most aspects of women’s health do, symptoms worsen with imbalanced hormones, but it Is not the root cause. Let’s dive deeper into this piece by piece so that you can put validation to your pain and move towards healing.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition when tissue similar to that of the uterine lining (endometrial tissue) grows outside of the uterus where it should not be. Most commonly, it is found in ovaries, fallopian tubes, and intestines.
The body recognizes this tissue as foreign and sends off the alarm that it should not be here. Unlike when this tissue is in the uterus where it should be, this implant tissue will develop the cysts and fibroids that are commonly the first warning sign during a pelvic exam. This tissue is triggered by the same hormones as endometrial tissue! Therefore, it will actually bleed when you are menstruating. This sends off a cascade of pain, inflammation, and over time can even lead to scar tissue and adhesions in vital organs.
When this tissue is found in the peritoneum of the abdomen, the bleeding caused immense discomfort, cramping, and bloating due to the nerves present here. Commonly, this leads to a false diagnosis of IBS and the possibility of endometriosis is bypassed, given how much your stomach pain trumps all else.
How is endometriosis diagnosed & treated in the conventional medicine?
First and foremost, gaining a diagnosis is not clear cut or simple. Often times, doctors will go based off of your presenting symptoms and experience. The only true way to diagnose is through a laparoscopy. This is a quite invasive procedure that can identify the tissue in your abdomen. A major plus though is that during the procedure you can actually biopsy or excise the tissue. This will relieve symptoms for about 2 years before the tissue grows back again, given the root cause was not addressed. Laparoscopy can actually cause more scar tissue in the long term, exacerbating the symptoms even more.
Since this is quite the risky procedure for small reward, let’s look at how it is commonly treated:
Given that the lesions will return within years after excision, hormonal birth control is often a first line of defense. Suppressing estrogen and ovulation can limit pain and symptoms while also slowing the tissue growth
The Mirena IUD is also commonly given. This can be a better option as it works by suppressing the uterine lining and therefore lessening lesions, all without shutting down ovulation or reducing estrogen significantly. The Mirena works by thickening your cervical fluid enough to stop sperm from fertilizing an egg
NSAIDS are very often advised in high doses to keep the pain levels down. Consequently, this may also worsen symptoms in the long run as it damages your intestinal barrier
What are root causes of endometriosis?
Before discussing alternative treatments aside from pain relievers and hormonal suppression, it is important to explore possible root causes and understand this disease at its’ core as best we can.
High estrogen. Although endometriosis is not caused by estrogen, symptoms are worsened by high estrogen levels: it is estrogen dependent. Furthermore, the tissue lesions developed actually produce their own estrogen as well, worsening the problem at hand.
Among the many possible causes of high estrogen is environmental toxins such as xenoestrogens found in plastic food and water bottles.
Endometriosis is believed to be an epigenetic condition. This means that if your grandmother was exposed to a high level of toxins growing up, she could pass this all the way down to you and it will manifest as endometriosis
Tissue specific antibodies and cytokines found in the lesions have lead researchers to believe this is an autoimmune condition at heart
Sampson’s theory of retrograde menstruation is a possible and widely accepted cause. Viable endometrial tissue enters the peritoneal cavity via the fallopian tubes, then implanting onto peritoneal tissue or organs. This tissue then invades, modifies, and establishes lesions
Leaky gut! The root of almost every health condition is gut issues, as we all know and love (or hate?) A highly permeable gut is caused by chronic stress, underlying infections, food sensitivities, NSAID use, and birth control
Bacterial Contamination Theory:
One specific root cause theory on endometriosis is especially intriguing. As mentioned previously, having a damaged gut is huge trigger endometriosis. Bacterial Contamination Theory builds upon this by stating the presence of a very specific toxin, LPS (lipopolysaccharide), getting into the pelvis is initiating an autoimmune attack.
It is stated that this toxin could be making its way into the pelvis by way of an unbalanced vaginal microbiome OR by leaky gut. Regardless, there is a very strong correlation between SIBO and Endometriosis which leads many to believe the latter.
Once LPS is in the pelvis, it specifically targets the macrophages there and leads to a catastrophic order of events and immune disruption.
With the help of your doctor, probiotics and specifically targeted antimicrobials can help eliminate this toxin and relieve symptoms.
How can you naturally approach endometriosis?
Now that we have covered how both perspectives of medicine view the cause and diagnosis of endometriosis let’s get into the juice of what matters….how can we feel better?
Although fixing the disease at its’ root is the only way to truly healing, there are still numerous methods aside from hormonal suppression, Tylenol, or surgery that can provide immense relief and also prevention!
Anti Inflammatory diet including good quality protein, leafy greens, fresh fruits, and cruciferous vegetables.
Avoiding triggers such as the A1 casein in milk, gluten, and sugar that stimulate cytokine release and trigger inflammation.
Consuming enough fiber to have regular bowel movements is imperative to get rid of excess estrogen and toxins
Drinking green tea instead of coffee. Less stress on the body and you are also reaping the benefits of the catechins which have the ability to reduce cysts and fibroids while enhancing ovulation!
Supplements such as: turmeric, bromelain, fish oil , cramp bark, and ginger root powder for inflammation
NAC is an extremely promising antioxidant as a result of its’ ability to increase glutathione! One study with 92 women in Italy showed that those 24 of those who took 600 mg of NAC three times a day, three consecutive days each week for three months cancelled their scheduled laparoscopy due to such a decrease in symptoms. 14 of the women had decreased ovarian cysts, while 8 had a complete disappearance; 21 had pain reduction and 1 became pregnant.
Pine bark (pycnogenol) has shown to decrease endometrial pain in women at a 33% reduction rate
10 mg melatonin has been shown in studies to reduce endometrial pain. 80% reduction in the need for pain medication
B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin C, and DIM (use with caution!!) all support estrogen elimination
Stress relief: chronic stress causes immense stress and inflammation on the body. Acupuncture is an incredible modality to release trauma that is stored in the body, regulate your nervous system, and reduce inflammation. Other mechanisms can include yoga, breath work, talk therapy, journaling - whatever works best for you!
Our exposure to environmental toxins is increasing by the second. Everything from what we eat to the clothes we wear to the air we breathe is making us more prone to conditions like this, bound in inflammation and immune dysfunction. The even scarier part is how easily it can be passed down generations, with a woman’s risk being 6x higher if she has a first degree relative with a diagnosis.
Toxins such as BPA’s, commonly found in plastic water bottles, are so damaging to the body that they can even cause structural changes in the ovaries. This is not meant to scare you, but to make you more aware of this disease as a whole.
Endometriosis currently affects as many as 1 in 10 women with a uterus, with many not even having symptoms. Despite not having pain, this matters because 30-40% of women with a diagnosis struggle with infertility and the prognosis often begins as a teenager.
If you suspect you may be confronting an endometriosis diagnosis, working with a naturopathic doctor can bring you immeasurable relief. There is a less invasive method of finding ease in your day to day and getting your life back!
You can click here to a schedule a discovery call today!
