In last week’s post I explained how your immune system is different from women without endometriosis. (If you missed it, you can read it here).

But you might be asking ‘So what?’

Well, your immune system affects endometriosis by creating inflammation.

Although hormones play a part in your endometriosis, it is first and foremost an inflammatory disease. The systemic inflammation in your body provides a perfect environment for endometrial tissue outside your uterus to find places to adhere and grow.

Inflammation is a key response by the immune system to a real, or perceived threat.  You may have noticed when you have a cut on your hand that it can become red and warm to the touch around the cut. This is inflammation , and is an essential process to kill of any bacteria or other dangerous pathogens.

The systemic inflammation that underpins your endometriosis is, unfortunately, not such a useful response, because it is a response to non-existent danger.

One way that your immune response is triggered is through leaky gut, or gut hyper permeability.

What this means is that your gut wall allows undigested food particles through into the blood stream. Your immune system recognises these particles as invaders and springs into action! Bloating, constipation and diarrhoea, brain fog are all indicators of leaky gut.

A healthy gut is one of the key elements for a healthy immune system and if you are looking to improve your endometriosis symptoms, this should be your first focus.

If you are interested in exploring how you can improve your gut health and experience the effects of a healthier gut, I’d love to invite you into a FREE 5-day Gut Health Challenge. You can find more information about the challenge here (and you can sign up straightaway):

5-day Gut Health Challenge

In next week’s post we will look at specific nutrients that are key supports of the immune system, and the foods that contain these nutrients.