Six Tips for Reducing Endometriosis Pain in The Week Before Your Period

Most of us with endometriosis have experienced debilitating periods that stop us in our tracks and derail our day or week completely. Perhaps we get through with a mix of pain killers or maybe nothing helps at all - whatever is going on for you, today I want to offer you six simple pain relieving strategies that can help alleviate your endometriosis pain when your period arrives. These methods are best begun seven days before your period so the effects build up and compound and I do totally recommend continuing them into your period too, for extra benefits!

As always, these are just options - you don’t have to do them all nor do you have to do them exactly as suggested, tweak and tailor to your lifestyle and preferences. Consult your GP before adding in supplements.

Here are my six tips for reducing your endometriosis pain for when your period starts:

1. Magnesium rich baths, 2 - 3 times the week before your period, with 500g - 600g Epsom salt baths, soaking for at least 10 minutes each times.

2. Two portions of low mercury, fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies salmon, herring) in addition to 1000mg - 3000mg good quality omega 3 fatty acid supplementation.

3. Turmeric lattes with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (1g) and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ginger root powder (350mg-700mg) in addition to ginger tea (made with ginger root powder), raspberry leaf tea and dandelion tea. Always add some fat into your latte to aid absorption of the turmeric - coconut oil, coconut butter, cacao butter or nut butter all would work well.

4. Daily yoga or stretches for endometriosis and pelvic pain.

5. Reduce or eliminate sugar, utilising stevia, inulin root syrup, berries and 100% dark chocolate as alternatives.

6. Eat the rainbow! Get in 5 to 10 servings of fruit and veg a day, focusing more on vegetables (think 80% vs 20%).

I hope this episode helps you prepare for your period! Please do let me know if it changes your experience of your next period - I would love to hear from you! Scroll down to the show notes for links to studies, brand recommendations, recipes, etc.

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If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at hello@thisendolife.com or visit my website.

I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

This episode is also sponsored by my free Endometriosis Diet Grocery List. This pdf list includes all the foods I buy on a monthly basis, categorised into easy sections. I share my personal endometriosis diet plan, free recipe resources, recommendations to help you get started with the endometriosis diet and nutrition tips. Download here.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk

Show Notes

Magnesium

Study

Magnesium baths for pain article

Magnesium--a new therapeutic alternative in primary dysmenorrhea

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

NHS fish guidance

Dietary fish oil supplementation inhibits formation of endometriosis-associated adhesions in a chimeric mouse model

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on intensity of primary dysmenorrhea

Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Omega 3 Fatty Acid In Fish Oil Linked To Lowering Of Prostaglandin

Outsmart Endometriosis by Dr Jessica Drummond

Lion Heart

Aqua Biome Fish Oil

Lattes and teas

Super Turmeric Latte recipe

 Curcumin inhibits endometriosis endometrial cells by reducing estradiol production

Nicole Jardim Fix Your Period book

Dr. Aviva Romm ginger recommendations

The effect of ginger for relieving of primary dysmenorrhoea

Comparison of Effects of Ginger, Mefenamic Acid, and Ibuprofen on Pain in Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea

Yoga and stretches for pelvic pain

Yoga for endometriosis

Stretches for endometriosis

Pelvic floor and fascia release exercises by Dr. Nicole Cozean

Sugar

Inflammatory cytokine concentrations are acutely increased by hyperglycemia in humans: role of oxidative stress

Proinflammatory effects of glucose and anti-inflammatory effect of insulin: relevance to cardiovascular disease

100% black sugar free peanut butter mini eggs

Hazelnut truffles

Absolute Black (can find the bar in Sainsburys)

Hotel Chocolat buttons (these are AMAZING, but I don’t love their other 100% chocolate products)

So Free sweet dark chocolate

Raw cacao (you can find this in Sainsburys, but generally you can get raw cacao everywhere and online)

Stevia drops 

Troo syrup

Stevia powder

Perfect World ice cream

My brownie recipe

Sweet Laurel’s Bakery blog

Endometriosis and dairy episode

Endometriosis and caffeine episode

Endometriosis and sugar episode

Endometriosis and gluten episode

Molly Roberson interview

Eat the rainbow

Oxidative Stress and Endometriosis: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Women with endometriosis improved their peripheral antioxidant markers after the application of a high antioxidant diet