Pain Management Techniques

Video Transcript

00:00:00 So moving on to the pain management techniques. Um, we're going to talk through is how to monitor and improve your vagal tone. So they're carrying on where we're talking about lifestyle factors nutrition, essential oils and then supporting treatments that you can have and medicinal options as well. So there are various ways you can monitor your vagus nerve. One of the sort of more up their new techniques. One of the sort of more up their new techniques.

00:00:31 It's not that new really, but in recent years is monitoring your heart rate variability. So if you have like a Garmin watch or an Apple Watch or quite a few of them, I mean, the Ava bracelet, quite a few of these watches are measuring your heart rate because not just your heart rate. Your heart rate is different from your heart rate variability. Your variability is what happens between each heartbeat. So you can see in this little graph here you see the heartbeat is that spike up.

00:00:59 And then the time between each heartbeat is what is actually And then the time between each heartbeat is what is actually really important. I have done a podcast recording with Doctor Jessica Drummond, who is, um, just an amazing endometriosis expert. Um, and we talk all about heart rate monitoring, heart rate variability, and how to use, um, the likes of a Garmin watch to actually understand how your vagus nerve is operating, whether you are have a dysfunctional nervous system, how to monitor improvements.

00:01:28 dysfunctional nervous system, how to monitor improvements. So that's quite nice when you're putting into place changes, lifestyle, nutritional, breathing work, all these things like this that you can then see improvements and then if something comes along and triggers you, you might see a setback and then you start improving again. So they are a really good way of monitoring your health. So low heart rate variability. Um, this is so you'll see in the graph here.

00:01:55 This is where you haven't got much variability between it. So it shows that you've got a dysregulated nervous system. So it shows that you've got a dysregulated nervous system. So you easily go into this fight or flight. Whereas if you've got high high heart rate variability um, so there's lots of difference between. So as you can see here with a low it's like one second, one second, one second, it's the same between each. Whereas if you've got differences

00:02:20 between the high heart differences between the heartbeat spaces, then it shows that actually you recover very easily. So your nervous system is able to deal with something and then So your nervous system is able to deal with something and then move back again. So it's able to respond and then it's able to be calm again. Now there's other ways you can monitor your vagus nerve. I've got a whole load of information related to mast cell activation syndrome, which is kind of related.

00:02:46 Well, it's related to the nervous system. Um, and some of the things that you look at that can activate mast cells going, um, haywire is actually some of the physical obstructions to your vagus nerve. So one of the ways that you can obstructions to your vagus nerve. So one of the ways that you can check is to look at your uvula. So your uvula is the dangly little thing um, in your the back of your throat. So if you go ah, you can then see this dangly little

00:03:18 thing at the back of the throat. And it's best to get a torch and shine it in your mouth and literally do that. Go, ah, push your tongue forward and see. And you want to make sure that your uvula is literally dangling And you want to make sure that your uvula is literally dangling and vibrating directly down. If it's going off at an angle to the right, forward or backwards in any way at all, that is an indication that you've actually got an obstruction to your vagus nerve.

00:03:44 And that's likely it could be due to whiplash if you've had a head injury. So mine mine was very much like this. Um, I've had a number of sort of whiplash injuries, car crash, wakeboarding, snowboarding, various things like this. And so it was very interesting to various things like this. And so it was very interesting to see that my uvula definitely was it was hanging off to the right. Um, and that's where I found osteopathy, cranial osteopathy to not just since this. I have always known that osteopathy

00:04:14 for me, I've always had to because my, my neck bones have always had to click into place. Um, because they've always been out and and when they've then aligned them and I've had a treatment my uvula has then actually dangled fine. So it's very interesting. And then I'm much, much calmer as well. And then I'm much, much calmer as well. So that's quite interesting how you can have an impinged vagus nerve as well. So how do you improve your vagal

00:04:37 tone. Well there's lots of things and you can go into huge detail with this. But some of the key things here and there are different levels. There are kind of like higher levels and then much deeper depending on how sensitive your nervous system is, depending on how much pain you're in, depending on how long you've been in that pain, whether you've suffered trauma. Um, some of the basic, more basic things are, um, and easy things are deep breathing exercises. So doing 1 to 1 breathing or 1

00:05:08 to 2 breathing, um, alternate breathing exercises. So this is where you do alternate nostril breathing. Um, and this is at the end of this I'll actually do some demonstrations with the camera because I haven't quite worked out how to have my face on the camera and this presentation, but the alternate alternate breathing exercises, um, or alternate nostril when you actually close exercises, um, or alternate nostril when you actually close off your right nostril and breathe up through your left nostril.

00:05:36 This stimulates your parasympathetic. So this helps tone your vagal nerve so you breathe in your left and then out your right, and then up your right and then out your left. And you do this alternate breathing. And it is so calming. It's absolutely incredible how like 2 or 3 minutes of doing the alternate nostril breathing exercise is fantastic. Um, within the resources to this, I will put some links. Um, I'm sure I have shared some of I will put some links. Um, I'm sure I have shared some of

00:06:01 these links with with those that have been working long enough with me. Go back to them. Remember that they they are extremely beneficial. If that's all you can do is do some breathing exercises. And I often say to people, you know, even if if you're at work and you feel that you're getting triggered by something, go and sit on the toilet and go and do something like for seven, eight breaths. So you breathe in for four and you breathe out for seven, and then you hold for eight. Okay.

00:06:28 you breathe out for seven, and then you hold for eight. Okay. So it's much so when you're trying to calm your body, it's the breathing out. It's important. It is ridding your body of as much oxygen, allowing a carbon dioxide build up to then breathe in again. That's really important. So having a longer outbreath and a shorter in-breath is is really important. Meditation is really good. It's just really calming. Yoga, Tai chi, qigong, any slow movement type of um, exercise is just really calming

00:06:58 any slow movement type of um, exercise is just really calming on the nervous system. And of course, if you're doing yoga where it's, you know, what I call real yoga rather than exercise yoga. So anything. So your vagus nerve comes through the back of your throat. So anything singing, chanting, humming, anything like that is really, really good for improving your vagal tone. Gargling. Um, and as I say, cranial osteopathy is fantastic for balancing your vagus nerve.

00:07:26 cranial osteopathy is fantastic for balancing your vagus nerve. Um, I've had personal, very good experience, and I've actually found that my blood sugar issues that I've been struggling with recently have all been related to the fact that my vagal tone has been poor. I've just found that. And and different practitioners said the same thing that I have a tendency, tendency to sit within the sympathetic nervous system. So there's fight, fight or flight constantly. And this has just meant that I just

00:07:57 fight or flight constantly. And this has just meant that I just need to occasionally go and see them. They kind of knock them back into this parasympathetic, um, which is really helpful. Advanced techniques, um, such as neuro. And you might have heard of neural beats and neural retraining programs such as the Gupta program. And um, so for those that have particularly mast cell activation syndrome, which is a real sign of of your nervous system being completely out of whack,

00:08:28 and perhaps do a masterclass on that, or maybe just introduce it a little and perhaps do a masterclass on that, or maybe just introduce it a little bit in one of the coaching sessions. A number of women do have mast cell activation syndrome with estrogen or with oestrogen with endometriosis. And so doing some of these more advanced techniques for those whose nervous systems are just completely shocked. Neural beats, and these neural retraining programs are often what's actually needed. Take it a lot more slowly.

00:08:56 So lifestyle factors, um, going back to that rest and relaxation. So lifestyle factors, um, going back to that rest and relaxation. You're not being lazy by resting. It's really, really important to take the time to relax and to nourish your body emotionally and physically. Reducing exposure to toxins. Um, this is just really important because this stress, you know, it's a stressor on the body. We don't see it like that, but it is a stressor because it then taxes your detoxification system. So going back to some of those basics

00:09:25 like not microwaving plastics, no drinking from plastic bottles, etc., um, we've already talked about vagal tone working on that. etc., um, we've already talked about vagal tone working on that. Um, and then visualizations. Visualizations are a really good technique for managing pain, and I've actually recorded an audio for you. Um, it seems counterintuitive, but I would listen to it before you're actually in pain. before the time when you know you're in pain so that you can listen to it and actually find it very helpful.

00:09:55 Um, sometimes it can be really useful if you have painful bowel movements. Um, to use this when you go to the loo and actually you'll just find Um, to use this when you go to the loo and actually you'll just find you're really relaxed and that really helps those bowel movements. Nutritional supplements. Um. Ah, there's lots of them. And do you know I do. I'm not going to go through every single one now. But the handout, the guide that I've given you does go through each of these things.

00:10:22 Um, Crampbark is an amazing herb that's used by herbalists. I found. It's fantastic. You can use it as a tincture, um, or as a tea. And I find that really works on on um, or as a tea. And I find that really works on on period pain, but not if it's extreme. So it takes the edge off it. But, you know, if you've got extreme pain, it's not going to be enough. And if you want a really strong tincture, then it's always a good idea to work with with a qualified herbalist, because then they can

00:10:50 give you a complex that's, you know, a complex of different herbs that will really work. Magnesium is up there. It's absolutely huge. Um, women with magnesium, um, It's absolutely huge. Um, women with magnesium, um, with endometriosis are really magnesium deficient. Deficient. Because when you're stressed, you literally dump it. Don't I literally don't understand the mechanism behind that. But you can take up to 800mg a day. Um, so a lot more than you

00:11:17 generally think. And that's particularly good to take the week before your period and during your period as well, or any other point where you're feeling pain, whether it's around ovulation. Zinc's the same ginger. They're all good, really, really good ovulation. Zinc's the same ginger. They're all good, really, really good to take during that week before. And it's because the good thing here is you want to build up your, you know, pro-inflammatory not your anti-inflammatory prostaglandins the week before your period because this

00:11:45 is what helps to reduce the pain, reduce the inflammation, not just try and tap into all this pain relief during your period, because often it's too late because all those pro-inflammatory prostaglandins have increased the week before. So do refer to that handout, um, have increased the week before. So do refer to that handout, um, and read through it and kind of like try, try different ones. Quercetin curcumin which you've heard of turmeric. Um, but maybe lesser ones like quercetin which is very good if

00:12:14 you have histamine reactions. Bromelain this is found in pineapples, um, particularly in the core of the pineapple. So maybe you could use it. Um, if you've got blood sugar issues, then take it with, you know, take it with some nuts and seeds or something else so that you're reducing that blood sugar. or something else so that you're reducing that blood sugar. Um, hit then we have essential oils, um, again in the guide. Um, there are a couple of talk talk about peppermint, clary sage,

00:12:42 black pepper is another one. Um, but essential oils are absolutely amazing. They can be really, really, really good. And I find them fascinating. And I find them brilliant through, you know, before getting pregnant and particularly during pregnancy. So it's something that if you are interested in them, So it's something that if you are interested in them, you know, when you get pregnant, they're one of the pain management techniques that you can take safely. It is quite good to, um, get a

00:13:10 number that just the basic ones. But Clary sage is really good for balancing hormones, but also relieving menstrual cramping and other symptoms. And you can mix up, um, what I've done is you can buy and I'll put the links, um, links here as well is you can buy like a carrier oil, like almond oil or coconut oil. And then you apply like a one drop to a tablespoon of carrier oil. And then you apply like a one drop to a tablespoon of carrier oil. So one drop of essential oil to one tablespoon of carrier oil.

00:13:38 And then you can just rub it into your pelvis rub it into your back. So if you've got back pain and this is also a really good one. Essential oils are really good and there's so many of them. I mean, chamomile is very calming as well. Um, and you can have a mix. So I often make a mix and I'll buy these lovely sort of ten mil rollerballs, um, off Amazon, you can buy like a pack of ten, um, rollerballs, um, off Amazon, you can buy like a pack of ten, um, write a little label and you can, you know, fill that ten mil rollerball

00:14:06 and then use about 6 to 8 drops. Um, this is about a 3% dilution and then it's just quick. It's to hand. It's fantastic. Um, I make so many people these, you know, my sister who suffers period pain, but just, I would say normal. Not normal, but not endometriosis, period pain. But she now swears by it. And she was always like, you know, very didn't believe in any of these kind of things. you know, very didn't believe in any of these kind of things.

00:14:31 Um, but Jodie Cohen, I was going to try and get that book and I'll put the link as well. Jodie Cohen has written this amazing book in the last year on essential oils and healing, particularly on the blood brain barrier on pain relief. Um, how to prevent inflammation? And there is a I've put in a couple of recipes into that guide that you can follow to help reduce this inflammation, to help regulate, um, the production of, you know, production of inflammatory cytokines through the use of essential oils. And just going back to the

00:14:59 through the use of essential oils. And just going back to the essential oils, if you don't want to mix up your own Bu patches, um, they are fantastic patches, pain relief patches that are brilliant for women with endometriosis that you can just apply during your period to your back, to your tummy. Um, and they've got a number of different essential oils in there that just then slowly get absorbed into your, um, into your skin. And then the other one. into your, um, into your skin. And then the other one.

00:15:31 I actually haven't said here that you can do the week before your period is castor oil. And if you're making up your own castor oil rollerball, um, you can put essential oils into insert rollerball over your abdomen, and that can help reduce the inflammation and really help with pain. You know you can apply that to your back as well. At night time. And go to sleep with a flannel wrapped around your back. So sporting therapies. Um, as I mentioned before, acupuncture, castor oil packs,

00:15:58 I often talk about if you're going to do hot water bottles, try and I often talk about if you're going to do hot water bottles, try and mix it up with cold ice packs. So you're sort of doing an intermittent cold and hot therapy. Um, then manual therapy. Um, so massage basically, or visceral manipulation and there's lots of different. I've put lots of different links in here. But I mean, I've I'll be giving you, you know, I'll put a link in there for obviously for the self massage.

00:16:22 But there's then much sort of you can seek out professional help with this as well. Um, pelvic floor physical therapy. help with this as well. Um, pelvic floor physical therapy. So I've not gone into the detail here. But often if you've got over tight, which is very common with endometriosis over tight, um, pelvic floor. And that might be because you've got scar tissue with various tendons and muscles. It could be because of pain and

00:16:47 you contract your muscles. So looking at your pelvic floor and having physical therapy to essentially is internal massage to release off those over tight muscles or exercise to tighten up where the muscles are loose is really key. If you've, um, experienced trauma. muscles are loose is really key. If you've, um, experienced trauma. Really important to kind of look into the trauma side of things and have trauma therapy, because that is a stressor on your body that you carry deep within your tissues, particularly your fascia.

00:17:16 Um, and we hold our trauma in our pelvic area. So that's a really key thing. Um, painful. There's so many painful sex remedies. So if, if you're experiencing experiencing that I'll put lots of links up. I'm going to put like a little, um, guide together that you can look up I'm going to put like a little, um, guide together that you can look up certain things and there's links for these supporting therapies. And then there's a number of constipation remedies that you

00:17:39 can do. Like I said, if you do, you know the visualization, you know, sitting your knees up doing some relaxing breathing. This can really help with constipation as well, which is very common with endometriosis. And then last but not least, medicinal support. Um, so medicinal support there is always a place for um NSAIDs. So anti-inflammatory drugs, they're really good for pain So anti-inflammatory drugs, they're really good for pain

00:18:03 fever and inflammation relief. But I think what is not understood about them is how you take them. And actually, you know, if other methods are just not working and you are needing to resort to these and there is no shame in doing that, we need to do that, because actually being in a place of pain, you need to break that cycle and calm your body down using the anti-inflammatory drugs whilst you need them. down using the anti-inflammatory drugs whilst you need them. It is best to start taking them the week before your period

00:18:33 because like I said, that is going to reduce those pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Okay. Um, so we need to take the week before and then during your period, not just when the pain comes and you'll find them a whole lot more effective. Um, with regards to that, I think you all know. Always take them on, um, when you've eaten, not on an empty stomach, because they can play havoc with your, you know, empty stomach, because they can play havoc with your, you know,

00:19:00 stomach with your intestinal lining. So then on to tips. Take baby steps. As I mentioned in the coaching call, um, make a plan and just don't stress yourself out about it. So if you have PTSD or unresolved trauma, realize that it's going to take a while to calm down your nerves. And I think this is just really key, just to be kind to yourself. Um, and, you know, just go with the journey. It's really, really hard. There will be times where you just feel like you're not making any progress, but you are.

00:19:27 just feel like you're not making any progress, but you are.

Full Transcript

[00:00:00] So moving on to the pain management techniques. Um, we're going to talk through is how to monitor and improve your vagal tone. So they're carrying on where we're talking about lifestyle factors nutrition, essential oils and then supporting treatments that you can have and medicinal options as well. So there are various ways you can monitor your vagus nerve. One of the sort of more up their new techniques. One of the sort of more up their new techniques. [00:00:31] It's not that new really, but in recent years is monitoring your heart rate variability. So if you have like a Garmin watch or an Apple Watch or quite a few of them, I mean, the Ava bracelet, quite a few of these watches are measuring your heart rate because not just your heart rate. Your heart rate is different from your heart rate variability. Your variability is what happens between each heartbeat. So you can see in this little graph here you see the heartbeat is that spike up. [00:00:59] And then the time between each heartbeat is what is actually And then the time between each heartbeat is what is actually really important. I have done a podcast recording with Doctor Jessica Drummond, who is, um, just an amazing endometriosis expert. Um, and we talk all about heart rate monitoring, heart rate variability, and how to use, um, the likes of a Garmin watch to actually understand how your vagus nerve is operating, whether you are have a dysfunctional nervous system, how to monitor improvements. [00:01:28] dysfunctional nervous system, how to monitor improvements. So that's quite nice when you're putting into place changes, lifestyle, nutritional, breathing work, all these things like this that you can then see improvements and then if something comes along and triggers you, you might see a setback and then you start improving again. So they are a really good way of monitoring your health. So low heart rate variability. Um, this is so you'll see in the graph here. [00:01:55] This is where you haven't got much variability between it. So it shows that you've got a dysregulated nervous system. So it shows that you've got a dysregulated nervous system. So you easily go into this fight or flight. Whereas if you've got high high heart rate variability um, so there's lots of difference between. So as you can see here with a low it's like one second, one second, one second, it's the same between each. Whereas if you've got differences [00:02:20] between the high heart differences between the heartbeat spaces, then it shows that actually you recover very easily. So your nervous system is able to deal with something and then So your nervous system is able to deal with something and then move back again. So it's able to respond and then it's able to be calm again. Now there's other ways you can monitor your vagus nerve. I've got a whole load of information related to mast cell activation syndrome, which is kind of related. [00:02:46] Well, it's related to the nervous system. Um, and some of the things that you look at that can activate mast cells going, um, haywire is actually some of the physical obstructions to your vagus nerve. So one of the ways that you can obstructions to your vagus nerve. So one of the ways that you can check is to look at your uvula. So your uvula is the dangly little thing um, in your the back of your throat. So if you go ah, you can then see this dangly little [00:03:18] thing at the back of the throat. And it's best to get a torch and shine it in your mouth and literally do that. Go, ah, push your tongue forward and see. And you want to make sure that your uvula is literally dangling And you want to make sure that your uvula is literally dangling and vibrating directly down. If it's going off at an angle to the right, forward or backwards in any way at all, that is an indication that you've actually got an obstruction to your vagus nerve. [00:03:44] And that's likely it could be due to whiplash if you've had a head injury. So mine mine was very much like this. Um, I've had a number of sort of whiplash injuries, car crash, wakeboarding, snowboarding, various things like this. And so it was very interesting to various things like this. And so it was very interesting to see that my uvula definitely was it was hanging off to the right. Um, and that's where I found osteopathy, cranial osteopathy to not just since this. I have always known that osteopathy [00:04:14] for me, I've always had to because my, my neck bones have always had to click into place. Um, because they've always been out and and when they've then aligned them and I've had a treatment my uvula has then actually dangled fine. So it's very interesting. And then I'm much, much calmer as well. And then I'm much, much calmer as well. So that's quite interesting how you can have an impinged vagus nerve as well. So how do you improve your vagal [00:04:37] tone. Well there's lots of things and you can go into huge detail with this. But some of the key things here and there are different levels. There are kind of like higher levels and then much deeper depending on how sensitive your nervous system is, depending on how much pain you're in, depending on how long you've been in that pain, whether you've suffered trauma. Um, some of the basic, more basic things are, um, and easy things are deep breathing exercises. So doing 1 to 1 breathing or 1 [00:05:08] to 2 breathing, um, alternate breathing exercises. So this is where you do alternate nostril breathing. Um, and this is at the end of this I'll actually do some demonstrations with the camera because I haven't quite worked out how to have my face on the camera and this presentation, but the alternate alternate breathing exercises, um, or alternate nostril when you actually close exercises, um, or alternate nostril when you actually close off your right nostril and breathe up through your left nostril. [00:05:36] This stimulates your parasympathetic. So this helps tone your vagal nerve so you breathe in your left and then out your right, and then up your right and then out your left. And you do this alternate breathing. And it is so calming. It's absolutely incredible how like 2 or 3 minutes of doing the alternate nostril breathing exercise is fantastic. Um, within the resources to this, I will put some links. Um, I'm sure I have shared some of I will put some links. Um, I'm sure I have shared some of [00:06:01] these links with with those that have been working long enough with me. Go back to them. Remember that they they are extremely beneficial. If that's all you can do is do some breathing exercises. And I often say to people, you know, even if if you're at work and you feel that you're getting triggered by something, go and sit on the toilet and go and do something like for seven, eight breaths. So you breathe in for four and you breathe out for seven, and then you hold for eight. Okay. [00:06:28] you breathe out for seven, and then you hold for eight. Okay. So it's much so when you're trying to calm your body, it's the breathing out. It's important. It is ridding your body of as much oxygen, allowing a carbon dioxide build up to then breathe in again. That's really important. So having a longer outbreath and a shorter in-breath is is really important. Meditation is really good. It's just really calming. Yoga, Tai chi, qigong, any slow movement type of um, exercise is just really calming [00:06:58] any slow movement type of um, exercise is just really calming on the nervous system. And of course, if you're doing yoga where it's, you know, what I call real yoga rather than exercise yoga. So anything. So your vagus nerve comes through the back of your throat. So anything singing, chanting, humming, anything like that is really, really good for improving your vagal tone. Gargling. Um, and as I say, cranial osteopathy is fantastic for balancing your vagus nerve. [00:07:26] cranial osteopathy is fantastic for balancing your vagus nerve. Um, I've had personal, very good experience, and I've actually found that my blood sugar issues that I've been struggling with recently have all been related to the fact that my vagal tone has been poor. I've just found that. And and different practitioners said the same thing that I have a tendency, tendency to sit within the sympathetic nervous system. So there's fight, fight or flight constantly. And this has just meant that I just [00:07:57] fight or flight constantly. And this has just meant that I just need to occasionally go and see them. They kind of knock them back into this parasympathetic, um, which is really helpful. Advanced techniques, um, such as neuro. And you might have heard of neural beats and neural retraining programs such as the Gupta program. And um, so for those that have particularly mast cell activation syndrome, which is a real sign of of your nervous system being completely out of whack, [00:08:28] and perhaps do a masterclass on that, or maybe just introduce it a little and perhaps do a masterclass on that, or maybe just introduce it a little bit in one of the coaching sessions. A number of women do have mast cell activation syndrome with estrogen or with oestrogen with endometriosis. And so doing some of these more advanced techniques for those whose nervous systems are just completely shocked. Neural beats, and these neural retraining programs are often what's actually needed. Take it a lot more slowly. [00:08:56] So lifestyle factors, um, going back to that rest and relaxation. So lifestyle factors, um, going back to that rest and relaxation. You're not being lazy by resting. It's really, really important to take the time to relax and to nourish your body emotionally and physically. Reducing exposure to toxins. Um, this is just really important because this stress, you know, it's a stressor on the body. We don't see it like that, but it is a stressor because it then taxes your detoxification system. So going back to some of those basics [00:09:25] like not microwaving plastics, no drinking from plastic bottles, etc., um, we've already talked about vagal tone working on that. etc., um, we've already talked about vagal tone working on that. Um, and then visualizations. Visualizations are a really good technique for managing pain, and I've actually recorded an audio for you. Um, it seems counterintuitive, but I would listen to it before you're actually in pain. before the time when you know you're in pain so that you can listen to it and actually find it very helpful. [00:09:55] Um, sometimes it can be really useful if you have painful bowel movements. Um, to use this when you go to the loo and actually you'll just find Um, to use this when you go to the loo and actually you'll just find you're really relaxed and that really helps those bowel movements. Nutritional supplements. Um. Ah, there's lots of them. And do you know I do. I'm not going to go through every single one now. But the handout, the guide that I've given you does go through each of these things. [00:10:22] Um, Crampbark is an amazing herb that's used by herbalists. I found. It's fantastic. You can use it as a tincture, um, or as a tea. And I find that really works on on um, or as a tea. And I find that really works on on period pain, but not if it's extreme. So it takes the edge off it. But, you know, if you've got extreme pain, it's not going to be enough. And if you want a really strong tincture, then it's always a good idea to work with with a qualified herbalist, because then they can [00:10:50] give you a complex that's, you know, a complex of different herbs that will really work. Magnesium is up there. It's absolutely huge. Um, women with magnesium, um, It's absolutely huge. Um, women with magnesium, um, with endometriosis are really magnesium deficient. Deficient. Because when you're stressed, you literally dump it. Don't I literally don't understand the mechanism behind that. But you can take up to 800mg a day. Um, so a lot more than you [00:11:17] generally think. And that's particularly good to take the week before your period and during your period as well, or any other point where you're feeling pain, whether it's around ovulation. Zinc's the same ginger. They're all good, really, really good ovulation. Zinc's the same ginger. They're all good, really, really good to take during that week before. And it's because the good thing here is you want to build up your, you know, pro-inflammatory not your anti-inflammatory prostaglandins the week before your period because this [00:11:45] is what helps to reduce the pain, reduce the inflammation, not just try and tap into all this pain relief during your period, because often it's too late because all those pro-inflammatory prostaglandins have increased the week before. So do refer to that handout, um, have increased the week before. So do refer to that handout, um, and read through it and kind of like try, try different ones. Quercetin curcumin which you've heard of turmeric. Um, but maybe lesser ones like quercetin which is very good if [00:12:14] you have histamine reactions. Bromelain this is found in pineapples, um, particularly in the core of the pineapple. So maybe you could use it. Um, if you've got blood sugar issues, then take it with, you know, take it with some nuts and seeds or something else so that you're reducing that blood sugar. or something else so that you're reducing that blood sugar. Um, hit then we have essential oils, um, again in the guide. Um, there are a couple of talk talk about peppermint, clary sage, [00:12:42] black pepper is another one. Um, but essential oils are absolutely amazing. They can be really, really, really good. And I find them fascinating. And I find them brilliant through, you know, before getting pregnant and particularly during pregnancy. So it's something that if you are interested in them, So it's something that if you are interested in them, you know, when you get pregnant, they're one of the pain management techniques that you can take safely. It is quite good to, um, get a [00:13:10] number that just the basic ones. But Clary sage is really good for balancing hormones, but also relieving menstrual cramping and other symptoms. And you can mix up, um, what I've done is you can buy and I'll put the links, um, links here as well is you can buy like a carrier oil, like almond oil or coconut oil. And then you apply like a one drop to a tablespoon of carrier oil. And then you apply like a one drop to a tablespoon of carrier oil. So one drop of essential oil to one tablespoon of carrier oil. [00:13:38] And then you can just rub it into your pelvis rub it into your back. So if you've got back pain and this is also a really good one. Essential oils are really good and there's so many of them. I mean, chamomile is very calming as well. Um, and you can have a mix. So I often make a mix and I'll buy these lovely sort of ten mil rollerballs, um, off Amazon, you can buy like a pack of ten, um, rollerballs, um, off Amazon, you can buy like a pack of ten, um, write a little label and you can, you know, fill that ten mil rollerball [00:14:06] and then use about 6 to 8 drops. Um, this is about a 3% dilution and then it's just quick. It's to hand. It's fantastic. Um, I make so many people these, you know, my sister who suffers period pain, but just, I would say normal. Not normal, but not endometriosis, period pain. But she now swears by it. And she was always like, you know, very didn't believe in any of these kind of things. you know, very didn't believe in any of these kind of things. [00:14:31] Um, but Jodie Cohen, I was going to try and get that book and I'll put the link as well. Jodie Cohen has written this amazing book in the last year on essential oils and healing, particularly on the blood brain barrier on pain relief. Um, how to prevent inflammation? And there is a I've put in a couple of recipes into that guide that you can follow to help reduce this inflammation, to help regulate, um, the production of, you know, production of inflammatory cytokines through the use of essential oils. And just going back to the [00:14:59] through the use of essential oils. And just going back to the essential oils, if you don't want to mix up your own Bu patches, um, they are fantastic patches, pain relief patches that are brilliant for women with endometriosis that you can just apply during your period to your back, to your tummy. Um, and they've got a number of different essential oils in there that just then slowly get absorbed into your, um, into your skin. And then the other one. into your, um, into your skin. And then the other one. [00:15:31] I actually haven't said here that you can do the week before your period is castor oil. And if you're making up your own castor oil rollerball, um, you can put essential oils into insert rollerball over your abdomen, and that can help reduce the inflammation and really help with pain. You know you can apply that to your back as well. At night time. And go to sleep with a flannel wrapped around your back. So sporting therapies. Um, as I mentioned before, acupuncture, castor oil packs, [00:15:58] I often talk about if you're going to do hot water bottles, try and I often talk about if you're going to do hot water bottles, try and mix it up with cold ice packs. So you're sort of doing an intermittent cold and hot therapy. Um, then manual therapy. Um, so massage basically, or visceral manipulation and there's lots of different. I've put lots of different links in here. But I mean, I've I'll be giving you, you know, I'll put a link in there for obviously for the self massage. [00:16:22] But there's then much sort of you can seek out professional help with this as well. Um, pelvic floor physical therapy. help with this as well. Um, pelvic floor physical therapy. So I've not gone into the detail here. But often if you've got over tight, which is very common with endometriosis over tight, um, pelvic floor. And that might be because you've got scar tissue with various tendons and muscles. It could be because of pain and [00:16:47] you contract your muscles. So looking at your pelvic floor and having physical therapy to essentially is internal massage to release off those over tight muscles or exercise to tighten up where the muscles are loose is really key. If you've, um, experienced trauma. muscles are loose is really key. If you've, um, experienced trauma. Really important to kind of look into the trauma side of things and have trauma therapy, because that is a stressor on your body that you carry deep within your tissues, particularly your fascia. [00:17:16] Um, and we hold our trauma in our pelvic area. So that's a really key thing. Um, painful. There's so many painful sex remedies. So if, if you're experiencing experiencing that I'll put lots of links up. I'm going to put like a little, um, guide together that you can look up I'm going to put like a little, um, guide together that you can look up certain things and there's links for these supporting therapies. And then there's a number of constipation remedies that you [00:17:39] can do. Like I said, if you do, you know the visualization, you know, sitting your knees up doing some relaxing breathing. This can really help with constipation as well, which is very common with endometriosis. And then last but not least, medicinal support. Um, so medicinal support there is always a place for um NSAIDs. So anti-inflammatory drugs, they're really good for pain So anti-inflammatory drugs, they're really good for pain [00:18:03] fever and inflammation relief. But I think what is not understood about them is how you take them. And actually, you know, if other methods are just not working and you are needing to resort to these and there is no shame in doing that, we need to do that, because actually being in a place of pain, you need to break that cycle and calm your body down using the anti-inflammatory drugs whilst you need them. down using the anti-inflammatory drugs whilst you need them. It is best to start taking them the week before your period [00:18:33] because like I said, that is going to reduce those pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Okay. Um, so we need to take the week before and then during your period, not just when the pain comes and you'll find them a whole lot more effective. Um, with regards to that, I think you all know. Always take them on, um, when you've eaten, not on an empty stomach, because they can play havoc with your, you know, empty stomach, because they can play havoc with your, you know, [00:19:00] stomach with your intestinal lining. So then on to tips. Take baby steps. As I mentioned in the coaching call, um, make a plan and just don't stress yourself out about it. So if you have PTSD or unresolved trauma, realize that it's going to take a while to calm down your nerves. And I think this is just really key, just to be kind to yourself. Um, and, you know, just go with the journey. It's really, really hard. There will be times where you just feel like you're not making any progress, but you are. [00:19:27] just feel like you're not making any progress, but you are.