People may wrongly think that endo is simply about painful heavy periods. But the truth is, it’s actually a full-body inflammatory disease - and deeply connected to chronic inflammation. But what is inflammation, how is it connected to endometriosis and what can we do to reduce it? 

Key Takeaways 

• Inflammation is the body’s natural response to fight infection or injury 
• With conditions like endo, the inflammatory response is out of control and this can lead to various symptoms and health complications
• There is no cure for endometriosis but reducing inflammation can be an effective way to manage symptoms 
• Some of the best ways to manage inflammation are to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, stay active and take a supplement full of anti-inflammatory ingredients, like our MyEndo supplement

What is inflammation?

Inflammation often gets a bad reputation when we talk about menstrual health. But the truth is, it’s a function that plays an important role in keeping our bodies healthy. 

Inflammation is your body’s natural reaction to illness, injury or infection aka it’s an important player in our immune system. When inflammation happens, chemicals from your body's white blood cells enter your blood or tissues to protect your body from invaders - like bacteria. This raises the blood flow to the area of injury or infection - and can cause swelling, redness or fever.

Swelling when you hurt your ankle, redness when you burn your hand, fever when you have an infection - sound familiar? These are all signs of inflammation and usually a sign that your body is doing its job properly.   

However, certain health conditions come with chronic inflammation. This is when the body’s auto-immune system is compromised and inflammation can rage out of control. Some conditions that are associated with chronic inflammation include diabetes, arthritis and certain cancers. And - of course - endometriosis.   

 

What is endometriosis?

 

Endometriosis is a condition that impacts around 1 in 10 women.  It's often completely miscategorised as simply ’painful, heavy periods’. However, it’s actually a full-body inflammatory disease, which causes chronic inflammation. This can lead to issues with digestion, the immune system and fertility - as well as contributing to other symptoms like pain and fatigue. 

Aside from chronic inflammation, one of the key characteristics of the condition is having tissue like the womb lining (known as endometrial tissue) growing outside of the womb. 

Wherever this tissue grows, it acts similarly to the lining of the womb. This means that it becomes inflamed and attempts to ‘shed’. In a healthy menstrual cycle, our womb lining sheds roughly every 4 weeks aka we have a period. But, for tissue growing outside of the womb, this shedding cannot escape. Instead, it forms scar tissue - or adhesions - which is extremely painful.

 

(Learn More About Endometriosis Here )

 

 

How are endometriosis and inflammation connected?

Endometriosis and inflammation are connected in a few ways. Inflammatory chemicals play a role in the growth and development of endometrial tissue, so with chronic inflammation at play, it’s an environment that encourages this growth. But then on the flip side, the growth of the endometrial tissue triggers an inflammatory response from the immune system. 

As the body attempts to inflame and heal the area, the immune system triggers more and more inflammation, which then exacerbates the growth. It’s a vicious and very painful cycle, which over time, results in more scar tissue, which causes further damage by sticking to organs and inflaming areas of the pelvis.

 

 

How can I reduce inflammation naturally?

 

The good news is there are many things you can do to help reduce inflammation in the body. Whilst there is no cure for endometriosis, getting inflammation under control can go a long way in helping you manage symptoms and live a healthier, happier life.  

 

Diet

 

Diet is huge when it comes to inflammation. There are plenty of foods that can trigger inflammation and ones that can calm it down. Thinking carefully about what you’re putting on your plate each day - and particularly at points of your cycle where you know you’re more prone to pain and swelling - can be a game changer. As a starting point, remember that alcohol, sugar and fatty foods can all fan the flames of inflammation, whilst foods like dark leafy greens, fatty fish and legumes are bursting with anti-inflammatory properties! 

(Read more about Nutrition Tips for A Less Painful Period Here.)

 

 

Exercise

We know that when you’re in pain working out might be the last thing you feel like doing. However, research suggests that moderate exercise can lower the body's inflammatory response. This doesn’t mean you need to hit a HIIT class or run a marathon - it’s just about getting your heart rate up. A long, brisk walk or a quick at-home workout is enough to help - whilst having the added benefit of releasing endorphins, the body's natural pain relievers and mood boosters!  

 

Reduce Stress

Research has shown that stress can exacerbate inflammation. Whilst the occasional moment of stress isn’t going to cause much harm, chronic stress, where we are constantly in fight or flight mode is not great for our bodies. Try to create a morning and evening routine that lets your body calm down - and find moments of self-care throughout the day. Try to reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone, increase the amount of time you spend outside and maybe investigate some breathwork techniques that can help soothe your nervous system. 

MyEndo

Our MyEndo supplement has been specifically created to tackle inflammation and other symptoms associated with Endometriosis - like pain and low energy. The blend of natural anti-inflammatories like Milk Thistle, Omega-3, Curcumin and Lipoic Acid