Most women assume that endometriosis, like any other menstrual condition, is a hormonal disease. One of excess oestrogen production.

The conventional treatment is to try to shut down oestrogen production in your body – with the pill or medication that creates a menopause-like state.

There definitely is a connection between Endometriosis and oestrogen, but an excess oestrogen does not explain how endometrial tissue ends up outside your uterus. And why you have symptoms that are more like digestive problems, such as bloating, constipation and/or diarrhoea, flatulence, vomiting.

So although hormones are involved, Endometriosis is NOT an hormonal disease. Did you know that it is most similar to Inflammatory Bowel Disease – not any other oestrogen related disease.

We know that endometriosis has a connection with your immune system. Women with endometriosis:

• have less natural killer cells – the cells that get activated when there are foreign ‘invaders’ detected
• release too many cytokines (small proteins that are important in cell communication) in the presence of certain bacteria
• produce more antibodies
• produce more lymphocytes (white blood cells involved in immune response) in the pelvis, but they are less active

All this means is that you have an overly sensitive immune system that kicks into gear too quickly  but is less effective than is should be.

Women with endometriosis also have more bacteria like eColi in their pelvic and urinary system. What most women don’t realise is that conventional medication for endometriosis increases the activity of these bacteria and other bad bacteria in your gut, making your endometriosis worse.

So, what does that mean to you if you have endometriosis?

Your gut microbiome (trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material that live in your digestive system), regulates your immune system.

By improving your microbiome, you can help you immune system function better. And an improved immune system means a less extreme reaction, which means less endometriosis symptoms.

The good news? Nutrition is the number 1 method to improving your gut microbiome.