Before I started working professionally with clients to address inflammation, I had no idea what it was. I kind of just thought it was something you “got” when you were “unhealthy”. Embarrassing.

If you’re in the same boat, don’t be embarrassed! It turns out very few people understand what inflammation really is. And when we talk about a disease of chronic, systemic inflammation (like endo) it’s especially confusing. Like, is our uterus really, um, hot? We think red, swelling…. and then we think popping an Advil.

So, what is inflammation?

Inflammation is not something you get. It’s something your immune system does, and without it you would die. Really? Yes. Inflammation is akin to your immune system’s “attack dogs”, protecting your body by inflaming any area that is damaged or contaminated by pathogens. Inflammation is a mean bugger, and it can d-e-s-t-r-o-y intruders. Cut finger while cutting chicken? Attack dogs arrive to destroy any e.coli that may have been introduced. Got a bad case of Covid? Attack dogs heat up the body with fever to destroy as many viral pieces as possible. Inflammation is like our ancestral antibiotic, you want that inflammation or, well, a shady food-stand quesadilla may be your demise.

Inflammation is also used to clear up normal bodily issues. You know when you work out and your muscles are sore? It’s because they’re inflamed, thanks to your immune system cleaning up shop. Basically, working your muscles hard slightly damages the tissues, so your immune system comes in to clean up the scene (damaged cells prompt inflammation to arrive), then the immune system helps repair the muscles so they’re stronger. Yah, your immune system does a lot more than most of us realize!

In this way know that you probably have a little bit of inflammation working throughout your body at all times. Totally normal, and your should be thankful for it (you know, so you live into old age without dying from that thorn in your finger). But inflammation is only meant to be short lived. Attack dogs beat up e.coli, then settle back in their kennel for a nap. Attack dog induce fever to kill off pathogens, then go home for a break. Muscles are sore for a day, then they’re stronger. Your immune system is wise and skilled, correctly managing its function and knowing when to attack, when to rest, and when to heal.

Des endometriosis cause inflammation?

In short, yes. Endometriosis lesions both create inflammatory immune factors as well as damage nearby tissue that, then, demands more inflammation come help. It’s cyclical.

But endo lesions aren’t the only culprit associated with endometriosis inflammation. Your immune system will inflame anything when damage is triggered. Seriously, anything that causes tissue, cell, or organ damage will bring on inflammation. Anything. Because anytime there’s damage, your immune system rushes in with its good ‘ol two-step clean up process. Inflame, then bandage.

The problem we see so often today is that our inflammatory (damaging) triggers never end. They compound in our body after day, and even at a low level began to significantly add up because there are. just. so many. And when this chronic inflammation forces the bucket to tip over, you began to see a host of modern diseases such as autoimmune, diabetes, and cancer.

So what are the chronic, unceasing, every day factors that lead your immune system to chronically CLEANING and never bandaging? Here are some fun examples that you will be able to relate to:

Having an ulcer, gastritis, or gut infection: this is a core tenet of chronic inflammation and endometriosis, as so many of us have gut issues, and why I always recommend to start with the gut. Gut infections or damage require constant, high level immune activity and inflammation. If you’re taking a Tums everyday instead of healing your tummy, the inflammation continues.
Lack of sleep: when you sleep your body repairs tissue. If you don’t get adequate sleep, it’s like you never get a full cleaning, and this leads to a little bit of chronic low-grade inflammation as your immune system is always trying to keep up with maintenance.
Drinking alcohol: every time you drink alcohol, the processes of removing it generates some free radicals in your liver. Free radicals damage cells nearby at a ridiculously fast rate, and all that cellular damage requires the ‘ol 2 step process.
Eating vegetable oils: vegetable oils are oxidized by the way they’re processed (under high heats), and oxidized fats turn into lipid radicals - aka free radicals. When you consume vegetable oils, you are consuming free radicals. They damage tissue. Your immune system must hit the scene. Hey there again inflammation.
Weak hips: Really? Yup, because if you have weak hips you will have a wonky gate when you walk, leading to your body grinding down your joints and why you may have that nagging ankle, hip, or knee pain. That pain is inflammation as your immune system keeps trying to clean up shop. But it can never get to repair mode because you’re re-damaging the joint everyday because you haven’t yet strengthened them hips.
Blood Sugar Dysregulation: when you have too much glucose floating in the system it damages the cells of your tissue through a process called glycation, which in turn provokes free-radicals. So if you have blood sugar dysregulation every day, you have a huge chronic inflammation contributor everyday. Why I frantically write my sugar-blood ebooks and blogs to help all women with endo to GET OFF THE BLOOD SUGAR ROLLERCOASTER. Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to yell ;)

Then let’s start to add up more :

Overexercising or being sedentary, getting badly sunburned or being vitamin D deficient, anxiety, stress, teeth grinding, inability to breathe correctly, chemical exposure (beauty, food, industrial, urban living, etc), food or pet or outdoor allergies, poor body mechanics, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, not enough fiber in your diet, microbial imbalances, chronic sinus issues, not brushing your teeth enough (not kidding), omg the list could be a mile long. Seriously, anything that causes cellular damage. (I could explain a succinct reason how every single one of these causes inflammation, but no one has time for that)

Oh, right, and endometriosis.

I leave endo last to bring home a chronic inflammation point: your body has 99 inflammatory problems and endometriosis is just 1. And yes it’s a huge problem, a definite contributor to the chronic inflammation puzzle. But my goal here is to help you paint a more cohesive picture of what’s happening inside your body past all that “there is no cure” mumbo jumbo. Instead I want you to really internalize that inflammation bucket and start to ask yourself “what inflammation provokers can I get rid of in my daily life that will allow my body to better handle the endometriosis?”

Because, yes, your body will be able to better handle your endometriosis if you can bring the body-wide inflammation down from code red, to lovely pasture green. If your immune system is so wrapped up in trying to heal the “unhealable” inputs that barrage it everyday, that saps it of nutrients and energy (chronic fatigue anyone?), what extra effort does it have to exert working on the pelvis? In fact, it’s necessary in order to help re-regulate the dysfunctional immune system associated with endometriosis. Your immune system simply cannot start functioning normally again until all that unceasing, inflammatory chaos is gone.

So chronic inflammation is really just my immune system trying to address a ton of little triggers that never end?

Yes. Well said you awesome student you! Chronic inflammation is rarely just one thing, rather a sum of all the parts. And when we have it for too long, it begins to contribute to immune dysfunction.

Let’s start emptying the bucket

There are basic foundations of health that those of us with chronic disease seem to look over when we have something as complex as endometriosis. Truly, endometriosis may be one of the most complex-to-understand diseases of our day! It’s inflammation based, rooted in immune dysfunction, behaves a bit like cancer, has a serious bacterial component, is so hard to diagnose, and for some reason we’re sent to the gynecologist to treat it. That being said, we can all be more diligent in addressing our own personal inflammation triggers that will help the body start to re-wire - stop attacking every cell in our body with inflammation so the poor thing can devote time to step 2: the bandage.

Reducing overall inflammation will depend on who you are and what your symptoms are. In fact, if 10 of you are reading this, each of your triggers may be 100% different, and is the exact reason why some endo-lifestyles work well for some sufferers and not others. It’s the reason all of us seeking for an easy way, silver bullet, or magic pill won’t find one - we have some deeper work to do.

This is why I ask my clients to spend up to a week jotting down every single thing they can think of that triggers them in some way. Mental drains like a work commute stress, being mad at a husband, screen addiction, or having an untrained dog are all inflammatory sinks (no joke), while other little things like having poor fitting heels that leave pain at the end of each day, a bit of a toothache, or a 10-hour-day desk job can all contribute physically to the inflammation bucket. Seriously, jot it all down.

To address, I like clients to focus on 3 at a time, with the easiest first. Like, hey, throw out those old heels and buy comfy stylist flats - voila, no more feet pain! Go to the dentist - no more toothache. Make the work commute fun with a book on tape. Train the gosh darned dog already (she’s not going to train herself). Solving your marital problems may be down the line, but you can still do that by finally going to counseling, a communication specialist, or maybe agreeing to some date nights to re-connect. How about that desk job? Set a timer for 50 min and each time it goes off get up and walk for 5 min. Or, find a new job ;)

Truly, in my practice many chronic triggers are just so easily addressed with a little willingness. It just takes time in sorting out all 99 problems, putting endo on one side, and focusing on the 98 others, but it can be done! Even if you just addressed 20 of the 98, that’s a heck of a big relief to your system.

If you need more simple ideas, here are some super basic ideas for starting

Seriously, it' doesn’t matter. Just start anywhere :)

Get 8 hours uninterrupted sleep per night. Really, you could spend $1k a month on fancy healing remedies and still get no where if you’re sleep deprived.
No screens 2 hours before bed. I bet all of you will ignore this one. High five to the single person out there that follows this GREAT advice! ;)
Stay hydrated. 10 cups purified water, only between meals rather than at meals (to help you digestion). Seriously, a dehydrated body can’t get rid of the immune trash.
Eat a bajillion antioxidants each day to combat the bajillion free radicals in your body. 7-9 cups of lower-starch veggies per day (My cookbook will guide you)
Balance your sugar-blood once and for all (I have a workbook to guide you here)l. Never feel ‘hangry” again, and reduce your systemic inflammation too
Ditch anxiety and chronic stress. Easy, right? Hah ;) For some of us, this will require a strategic partner like a counselor or therapist. For others of us, we need to be diligent about not letting the monkey mind take us over. If you can do this, you will be surprised how much better your body feels.
Spend the rest of your year focusing on body mechanics and alignment instead of HIIT or squat challenges, so you can move better all the time. I believe this is actually a non-negotionable with endometriosis, and something too few people are talking about. You need to strengthen your hips, glutes, and core to get blood to your pelvis to reduce the inflammatory load. I recommend hypopressive breathing if you can find a practitioner near you (@corerecovery in insta is fab), or P.Volve is a great online program too!
Get rid of personal use chemicals - everything from cleaning to beauty and personal care. It’s not expensive to do this over time, and is seriously such an easy way to remove damaging triggers
Toss any vegetable oils and vegetable containing food products (read da labels). These just pour gas on the fire.
Not free but important if you can swing it: Get a GI-Map stool test done (or a SIBO test) and work with a professional to get rid of that endo-belly issue once and for all.
And, um, like everything else on my site :) Happy Healing!