Is Spotting Before Your Period Normal or a Sign of Endo?

Today we’re continuing with our discussion on low nutrient levels and their association with period pain. Menstruation is often (though not always) one of the most painful parts of the menstrual cycle, for people with endometriosis - and a connection we see between both dysmenorrhea (which is the medical term for period pain) and endometriosis, is low omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are the precursors to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins; which basically means omega 3 makes our anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. In contrast, omega 6 makes our inflammatory prostaglandins, namely prostaglandin E2. And for those of who don’t know, prostaglandins, in the simplest of terms, are immune chemicals. Read more. Show notes Omega 3 and inflammation https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09513590.2011.588753 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7068519/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6790261/ Dietary modulation of prostaglandin E2 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0334211100 https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/2/3/355figureth?id=figure1 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2017/5987082 https://www.clinsurggroup.us/articles/JGRO-10-226.pdf Omega 3 fatty acids and endometriosis pain reduction/treatment https://www.clinsurggroup.us/articles/JGRO-10-226.pdf https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/19/14601 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0227695 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcp.26401 https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/3/654 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8677647/ https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(07)00202-6/fulltext Endometriosis risk and omega 3 fatty acids https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20332166/ https://www.ejog.org/article/S0301-2115(13)00173-5/abstract https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9983692/ https://theiopn.com/reel-in-the-relief-can-omega-3s-reduce-menstrual-pain/ Omega 3 fatty acids and dysmenorrhea https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1747-0080.12835 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22261128/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8701537/ https://www.ejog.org/article/S0301-2115(13)00173-5/abstract Omega 3 fat sources https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/fish-and-shellfish-nutrition/ https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/2815 Brands Bare Biology Rosita Foods Wiley’s Finest Catch Free (vegan) Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

This week I want to highlight three key minerals that when you’re low in, can cause you more period pain. These have all been associated with endo in the research too, and of course, as a classic symptom of endo is horrific period pain, replenishing these minerals could help you improve your experience of your period with endometriosis, Read more. Show notes Magnesium https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2675496/ https://www.ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_624.pdf https://ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_195.pdf https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3626048 https://www.jle.com/fr/revues/mrh/e-docs/magnesium_in_the_gynecological_practice_a_literature_review_309489/article.phtml Calcium https://ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_195.pdf https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7834752 https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)11191-7 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3626048 https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(34)90970-4/abstract https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1924661/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10763903/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2000.10718920 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6221107 https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/food-sources-calcium https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23607686/ https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(199909)79:123.0.CO;2-A https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/calcium/ https://www.peteandgerrys.com/blogs/field-notes/diy-eggshell-calcium-powder Zinc https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10184220/ 3?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17289285/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35226276/ Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

Okay so last week we looked at foods to eat more of to support progesterone production. Today, we’re going to discuss the supplement forms of these nutrients and the doses to take. Before we get into it, I have given a lot of warnings for each supplement. This is because I want you to have all the information, including possible side effects, so you can make an informed decision and so you understand what’s happening if you do experience side effects. But to be clear, most of the side effects occur with high doses, over prolonged periods of times, with the exceptions occurring rarely in individuals who are particularly sensitive or have other issues going on that have affected how they respond or tolerate these supplements. Read more. Show notes Vit E Thorne Ultimate-E® (500 IU) Pure Encapsulations Vitamin E (400 IU) https://ovarianresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1757-2215-2-1 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/ Omega 3 Bare Biology Rosita Foods Wiley’s Finest Catch Free (vegan) https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(07)00202-6/fulltext https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.11.019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11687013/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16531187/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17434511/ Selenium Pure Encapsulations Selenium Thorne Research Selenium https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24206213/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/ Vit C Pure Encapsulations Buffered Ascorbic Acid Capsules Vital Nutrients Buffered Vitamin C https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(03)00657-5/fulltext Zinc Thorne Research Zinc Picolinate Pure Encapsulations Zinc Picolinate Semaine The Daily Nutri Advanced Women’s Multi https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12011-022-03175-w https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10184220/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987706009066 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11643716/ http://renaissance.com.cy/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Polysitol-Zinc-Article.pdf http://eprints.mui.ac.ir/10491/1/10491.pdf https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/zinc https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/ https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/copper https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/copper-deficiency-symptoms Magnesium Bare Biology Magnesium Now Foods Magnesium Gylcinate https://www.ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_624.pdf https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2675496/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28392498/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2067759/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30880352/ B6 Semaine The Daily Nutri Advanced Women’s Multi Thorne Research Basic B Complex https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3208934/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31928364/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4161081/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/#:~:text=The amount of vitamin B6,mg a day for women https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10343656/ Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

The past two episodes we’ve been talking about low progesterone levels and some of the signs to watch for. Today, I want to talk about how to raise your levels with specific nutrients. Read more. Show notes Zinc https://ovarianresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13048-024-01442-z https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36920672/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3275394/ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional Magnesium https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11013220/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3198864/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6747732/ B6 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6684167/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1923170/ Vit C https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4700980/ https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(03)00657-5/fulltext https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4700980/ http://www.usa-journals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Al-Katib_Vol18.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0739724009000356 Selenium https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24206213/ https://www.newswise.com/articles/women-s-fertility-linked-to-detox-element-in-diet https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/selenium Healthy fats https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(11)01162-9/fulltext https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10347784/ https://www.justintimemedicine.com/curriculum/7003 Vit E https://ovarianresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1757-2215-2-1 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-09082-3 Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

In our last episode, we discussed spotting before your period and what’s normal and what could be a sign of low progesterone or even endo. Today I want to discuss spotting around ovulation and again, this is going to be a nice and easy to digest bite sized episode. So, ovulation occurs roughly midway in your cycle, though that’s just the average. Statistically, the average ovulation day is around Day 14 but it can be a few days before or after, and maybe we can do an episode on what’s a healthy time frame for ovulation and what’s a sign of a problem, but until then, I actually have an episode on what’s a healthy cycle, so I’ll link to that in the show notes. Read more. Show notes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/ https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/8/4499 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030372071730504X https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/uterine-fibroids https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6838950/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12369286 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9916952/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028211006807 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3136067 Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

Today is one of my shorter episodes, a bite size episode! Recently I started working with two new clients and they were both really concerned that they were spotting one to two days before their periods. First up, what do I mean by spotting? Spotting is typically spots of blood appearing in your underwear - it’s light and is typically not very consistent. Often it’s dark red or brown, and we’ll get to why it’s that colour in a minute. So, if you’re spotting one to two days before your period, is this a problem and is it anything to do with endo? Some of you may be surprised to learn that spotting one to two days before your period is okay and normal. Read more. Show notes Low progesterone signs and testing options Arvigo massage Visceral manipulation Mercier therapy Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

At the end of last year I released a series on dairy and its possible effects on endo pain, endo belly and hormones, as well as its benefits - as I know so many of you are confused about the topic. Today, I want to provide you with a summary of these episodes, so you can get the top lines in one place, and then of course you can deep dive into the individual episodes if you need to. So, a big, BIG disclaimer here in case you haven’t listened to the previous episodes. If you’re vegan, please feel free to skip this episode. This episode is not about being for or against dairy, it’s about providing you with information so you can make an informed decision about whether dairy is right for you. The research is very varied and our reactions to dairy really depend on our own individual genetics, so the key takeaway here is that it’s worth investigating if dairy agrees with you personally before coming to any conclusions. Of course this series also does not address ethics or environmental considerations with dairy, I am simply focusing on the health side. It goes without saying that choosing ethical and environmentally friendly brands and farms is always preferable where possible, if it is accessible to you, whilst being mindful of our consumption of products that can affect the environment. So, let’s get into it. Read more. Show notes References for dairy and pain (see show notes) https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/dairy-endo-pain References for dairy and hormones (see show notes) https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/does-dairy-affect-endo References for dairy and endo belly (see show notes) https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-belly-dairy Endo and inflammatory markers https://journals.mk/aph/article/view/6060 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5859972/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7956504/#:~:text=The analysis of the values,with severe endometriosis (median values: Endo and metabolic risk https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/glycemic-index-load-endo Endo and gut bacteria and short chain fatty acids https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endometriosis-butyrate https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endometriosis-short-chain-fatty-acids https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endometriosis-propionate-acetate https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10805679 https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-fermented-foods Lactose testing https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lactose-intolerance/ Elimination diet guidance https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-intolerance/ Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

Today’s episode is continuing with the theme of why some of your conditions may be worse in January, and today, we’re focusing on endometriosis. Before we get into it, this is a short episode where I am giving you an overview of some of the ways these things can affect people with endo, but it’s not an exhaustive list. In fact, each of these topic areas could have their own episode with a deep dive into how the science works in regards to hormones, inflammation, liver function and so on, but rather than overwhelm you with a bunch of science, I am keeping in what you need to know and have linked to some further resources if you want to learn more. Additionally, the strategies I’m suggesting are very much top line suggestions, but if you go to last week’s episode and listen from 14 minutes in, I give a much more detailed breakdown of how to make these changes there. Show Notes Sleep https://endometriosisnews.com/2020/09/17/5-ways-sleep-deprivaton-affects-endometriosis/ https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/how-the-brain-increases-endo-pain-and-how-pelvic-pain-becomes-chronic-with-christie-uipi-of-curable https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/night-waking-endo?rq=waking Blood sugar resources https://endometriosis.net/living/diet-sugar https://endometriosis.net/living/how-to-balance-your-blood-sugar-levels-to-reduce-endo-symptoms Alcohol https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8926958/ https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/what-is-the-endo-belly-endometriosis-ibs?rq=endo%20belly https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-belly-treatment-endometriosis-ibs?rq=endo%20belly https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-belly-endometriosis-sibo-ibs?rq=endo%20belly https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4519769/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5902457/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28988571 https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article/35/5/417/206575 Adhesions https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/strategies-loosen-adhesions-frozen-pelvis?rq=adhesions Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

It’s a New Year and perhaps you’re feeling the pressure to get up and go, but you can’t get yourself out of bed. Maybe you’re in more pain than usual, perhaps you’re more depressed than usual or maybe you’re experiencing extreme fatigue and energy crashes? If this is you, please know you’re not alone. As I return to work, I’ve received many emails from endometriosis clients telling me their symptoms are worse and they’re panicked, but I’ve also had friends and endo clients who struggle with Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) experiencing heightened symptoms. And even for me, my anxiety, bladder pain and adhesion pain are worse. This is not uncommon. In fact, in my line of work, it’s expected that many people will have worsening periods or hormonal problems in January. Show Notes Other episodes on PMDD https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/what-is-pmdd?rq=PMDD https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/natural-treatment-options-pmdd-endometriosis-rebecca-sairs?rq=PMDD https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-pmdd-healing?rq=PMDD Blood sugar resources https://endometriosis.net/living/diet-sugar https://endometriosis.net/living/how-to-balance-your-blood-sugar-levels-to-reduce-endo-symptoms Alcohol alternatives Seedlip Kin Euphorics Biscuit alternatives Keto8 Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson

With a new year beginning, I am resharing a very old meditation episode. This episode is a visualisation meditation to help you envision how you want to feel in 2024. I use this visualisation exercise with every one of my clients, to help them see the big picture they want for their health and then to take that big picture and break it down into small, attainable goals. I also use this meditation with course students and with anyone who comes to my free workshops, so you may very well know it! The key question you will be asking yourself in this meditation is - what if you thrived with endometriosis in 2024? What would your body feel like? What would your life look like? You’ll be invited to envision what your life would be like if you did thrive and if you didn’t - and what one accessible step could you take towards this vision of the future. Make sure you have a journal to hand, a pen and an hour to really sit with this episode and go deep with this powerful meditation. If now isn’t a good time to do this meditation, it can be truly used at any time of year! Most people have very strong yet peaceful reactions to this meditation, and find it very enlightening - so I hope it helps you as well. P.S. This exercise is based on the visualisation we are provided with in our training with the Integrative Women’s Health Institute. Show notes: Dr Jessica Drummond Need more help or want to learn how to work with me? Free resources: This podcast!  Endometriosis Net Column Endometriosis News Column Newsletter Instagram Ways to work with me: This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course One to one coaching info and application This episode is sponsored by BeYou Cramp Relief Patches. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk/pages/how-it-works Produced by Chris Robson