Why did I have no idea?...

Why did it not occur to me that your "run-of-the-mill" tampons and pads where full of chemicals?!?  In my efforts of trying to make wiser choices I decided to start buying natural tampons, pads, and panty-liners.  Glancing over the words on the box of the natural sanitary products the words "Chlorine-free" immediately caught my attention.  I began to think to myself "you mean to tell me my other tampons and pads are filled with chlorine?  But why? and what else were these products emitting into my body?"  Here is an article I fould that will explain everything much better than I could. 

"Susie Hewson, founder of Natracare and who has been an environmentalist for more than 25 years, said, "Women who want to restrict their contact with synthetic materials and unnecessary chemicals and additives, and who also care about the environment choose Natracare products because they are chlorine free, made from organic cotton and natural materials and are biodegradable. Some of the tampons and pads sold today do not offer women a natural and chemical free choice in feminine hygiene care. Tampons are commonly made from a blend of chlorine-bleached conventional cotton and/or synthetic products, such as rayon, polypropylene and plastic, and Pads often contain a blend of chlorine bleached pulp, polypropylene, polyacrylates and plastic. Chlorine bleaching produces an unwanted byproduct called dioxin -- a substance linked to cancer, endometriosis, low sperm counts and immune system suppression."

http://www.natracare.com/news/news_articles_7.htm

Give it a Try!

Castor Oil Packs used to enhance circulation and promote healing

Time 45-60 mins

Supplies:  Castor Oil, Flannel Fabric, Plastic bag, old towel, heating pad

Place an old towel over whatever surface you want to lie and relax on.  Soak one side of the flannel fabric with the castor oil.  Place over abdomen, place plastic bag over flannel and place heating pad over plastic bag.  Rest and relax for at least 30 mins.

This feels great and really promotes relaxation which will reduce stress, which in return will hopefully reduce those extra estrogens!!!

Yoga

Time 20-90 mins

Supplies: DVD or Gym/Yoga membership

Gentle yoga for all you experiencing a lot of symptoms with your endo: check DVDs that say gentle, relaxation, stretch.

Hot Yoga may be ideal for those needing to detox and body can handle something a little more strenuous. 

Yoga helps you learn to listen to your body, which in return can help you make the best decisions for body regarding different therapy choices.

Massage

Time: 15-90 mins

This will reduce stress and aid in pain management.  There are specific abdominal massage techniques that are said to help break apart adhesions and stimulate ovaries.  

Look up Maya fertility massage, or self fertility massage see if it would be something that would interest you.  I have been adding this into my day for a week now and am loving it!

My Symptoms and [Possible] Solutions

• Chronic Pelvic Pain
• Intermittent pelvic pain, either locally sharp or generalized
• Lower pelvic pain from buttocks to groin
• Severe abdominal cramps
• Continual dull abdominal and backache

Trying Castor Oil Packs and Abdominal Massages-and when all else fails 3 advil every 4 hours, this was suggested by my Doc, but make sure you talk with yours about pain management solutions

• Premenstrual spotting
• Blood clots
• Backache
• Pain in the front of the thigh
• Headache

*Taking Progesterone from day 8-26, and DIM (herbal supplement that is said to help metabolize estrogen) to regulate my cycle and reduce excess estrogen-I could not handle taking what very little progesterone was prescribed (I felt horrible!) but adding the DIM made all the difference for me.  I just asked my Doctor if there was anything else I could take that might help my body accept the progesterone better.

• Pain in the shoulder
• Pain around the rib cage
• Pain under the rib cage

The miracle ball (a small ball that you lie on and puts pressure on places of tension) this thing is truly amazing!  That and a ChiropractorJ

• Pain during or after sexual intercourse
• Infertility
• Tender Breast
• PMS
• Insomnia*DIM really helped with this

*Hormone and supplemental treatments

• Painful defecation (my uterus and bowels are still attached)
• Bloating
• Rectal bleeding/ Blood in stools
• Sharp gas pains
• Nausea
• Sugar cravings
• Loss of appetite (mainly due to nausea)
• Lower abdominal pain on urination
• Kidney tenderness
• Breathlessness
• Apathy, Fatigue
• Poor Concentration and Memory

Stricter diet, more fiber…less caffeine

Books and Resources

Books on Endometriosis

*Weschler, Toni. Taking Charge of Your Fertility: the Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health. New York, NY: Collins, 2006. Print. This was my first book I purchased in starting my journey. I highly recommend this book. It really helped me understand my body. There are lots of charts and pictures that are very helpful to aid you in "taking charge of your fertility"  *Has ways of starting to identify fertility problems*

Ballweg, Mary Lou. "Anti-Estrogenic Nutritional Approaches." Endometriosis: the Complete Reference for Taking Charge of Your Health. Chicago: Contemporary, 2004. 113-14. Print.

Levett, Carolyn. Reclaim Your Life: Your Guide to Aid Healing of Endometriosis. [United States]: Endo Resolved, 2008. Print. This is one of my personal favorites. The author includes her journey through Endometriosis at the beginning of the book, which really helps one not feel so alone. She includes on the cover, "A motivational, informative and practical book to inspire confidence in your ability to heal from Endometriosis." This book will do just that!

Morris, Kerry-Ann. Living Well with Endometriosis: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You-- That You Need to Need to Know. New York: Collins, 2006. Print. The author definitely encourages you to think holistically, but includes all the treatment options in detail for endometriosis. The book has a monthly symptom chart, risk factor checklist, and symptom checklist. It also includes page after page resource list. With less than 500 pages it is stuffed full of great information that will lead you to becoming an impowered patient.

Worwood, Valerie Ann, and Julia Stonehouse. The Endometriosis Natural Treatment Program: a Complete Self-help Plan for Improving Health & Well-being. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2007. Print. The front of the book includes: Herbal remedies and self-massage techniques, Detoxification plan and essential oil formulas, Treatments to reduce pain, Sitz baths, Checklist and self assessment plans. These protocols can take some time to master, but it is important to take time out for yourself. Remember the better you are to yourself the better you are to others.

 Book on Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome

Hammerly, Milton, and Cheryl Kimball. What to Do When the Doctor Says It's PCOS. Gloucester, MA: Fair Winds, 2003. Print. PCOS was my first diagnosis. This book was very informative and easy to read. If this is something you struggle with alongside Endometriosis, it is a great tool to have in your belt.

Cookbooks:

Cousin, Pierre Jean., and Kirsten Hartvig. The Complete Guide to Nutritional Health: More than 600 Foods and Recipes for Overcoming Illness and Boosting Your Immuntiy. London: Duncan Baird, 2004. Print. I initially picked this book up because of two things: the phenomenal pictures, and the front included ...for overcoming illness and boosting your immunity. This book helped change my perspective on food. Looking at food as a tool to either help or hinder my health.

Reno, Tosca. The Eat-clean Diet Cookbook: Great-tasting Recipes That Keep You Lean! Mississauga, ON: R. Kennedy Pub., 2007. Print. First of all this cookbook has some excellent pictures, which is a must when I am picking out a Cookbook. These recipes are fairly quick and easy to prepare. At the bottom of each recipe it includes the nutritional value per serving, which can be very helpful. Some [very few] of the recipes need to be modified for us or exempt all together. All in all it is one of my staples!

Books on Infertility:

Saake, Jennifer. Hannah's Hope: Seeking God's Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage, and Adoption Loss. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005. Print. The author personally struggled with Endometriosis and PCOS. Her book follows her own story and that of Hannah's from the Bible. This is a Christian author and her beliefs are thickly woven through this beautiful book. I keep this book closely to me, and have read it many times. This book is hard to find in stock, you might have to order it.

Falker, Elizabeth Swire. The Infertility Survival Handbook: Everything You Never Thought You'd Need to Know. New York: Riverhead, 2004. Print. The front of the book includes: The truth about: the real success rate of fertility clinics, keeping your marriage intact, what kind of doctor you need, and not going broke. The author struggled with severe endometriosis. Humor is laced throughout the book keeping the focus from being so down in the dumps, so to speak. Because as most of us know it can get depressing real quick! The information in this book is absolutely a necessary to know if you are persuing pregnancy or at least thinking about it.

Websites:

http://www.endometriosis.org/

http://www.endometriosisassn.org/

http://www.endo-resolved.com/

Did you know...

Foods and conditions that deplete B Vitamins (We need B vitamins because this helps our liver convert excess estrogen to weaker less dangerous forms-that is one of the major needs, research B Vitamins to find the rest)

·        Refined sugar

·        Caffeine

·        Alcohol

·        Stress

·        Sugar

Foods that are rich in Vitamin B (that are safe for us to eat!)

·        Fish especially Salmon

·        Legumes: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, chickpeas, navy beans, lentils, nut butters

·        Whole grains

·        Brown Rice

Ballweg, Mary Lou. "Anti-Estrogenic Nutritional Approaches." Endometriosis: the Complete Reference for Taking Charge of Your Health. Chicago: Contemporary, 2004. 113-14. Print.

Excess Stress can lead to producing more estrogen in the body…not good.  

Take sometime to re visit your schedule, see what you could add in your routine that would help you relax.  Get up earlier to complete a work-out, quiet time, castor oil pack, self massage.  Incorporate a hot-shower or bath at the end of every night, or curl up with a good book.  

Remember the better you are to yourself, the better you can be for others.

Caffeine is believed to raise estrogen levels…say it isn’t so!

This information is cited below if anyone would like to do further research on the subject.  I have always just been told caffeine/coffee is bad for you limit your intake…to none.  But this explanation actually prompts me to quit ASAP, especially since we struggle with high estrogen levels to begin with.

"It was found in clinical studies that women who drank just one cup of coffee had higher estrogen levels then women who had no coffee. These studies also found that as the women drank more coffee their estrogen levels continued to rise to the point that women who drink four to five cups of coffee a day saw an estrogen increase of almost 70%. Those four to five cups equals around 500 mg of caffeine.

There are three different types of estrogen women produce; estrone, estriol, and estradiol. In further studies caffeine has been shown to increase the third one, estradiol, the highest. This is worrisome because it not only causes endometrial cell growth but high amounts of estradiol are known to cause some forms of cancer." (Bicknell)

Bicknell, Andrew. "Http://ezinearticles.com/?Endometriosis-and-Caffeine&id=438033." Endometriosis and Caffeine. Web. 3 Feb. 2011.

Very interesting yet depressing (if you LOVE your sodas, coffee, and energy drinks) information. He seems to have done some good research and the article is easy to read.