IS IT FOR YOU?Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women do we really understand it?

Shouldn’t we “First do no Harm”? are there non harmful treatments?

BEING EMPOWERED ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND ABOUT ENDOMETRIOSIS, MEANS UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT THE CONDITION AND THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF TREATING IT. HONOUR YOUR BODY AND FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FEEL BETTER.

Natural Medicine

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Giving hope the benefits of Natural Medicine.

My approach for endometriosis a deeper understanding to help guide

In an Italian study, 75% of women with

Endometriosis experienced a significant change in painful symptoms by eliminating

gluten from their diet.

Understanding Endometriosis The easiest way to understand Endometriosis is to review the most common symptoms of the condition and correlate them together.

Typical symptoms include:

• Inflammatory responses such as pain and bloating in the abdominal region. This includes pain with our period, pain during sex and painful bowel movements.

• Hormonal irregularities such as PMS, heavy menstrual cycles, breast tenderness and feeling emotionally sensitive.

• Unbalanced immune function as illustrated with allergies, frequent bladder infections, candida/thrush infections and recurrence of colds. Many women also experience other immune conditions alongside Endometriosis.

Interestingly there have been a number of studies indicating that Endometriosis creates inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandin E2 and F2a (Bulun 2009; Ziegler 2010; Reis 2013).

Another study indicates the involvement of the immune system in the development of Endometriosis and how this correlation could help find better diagnostic tools for

ENDOMETRIOSIS:

Hormone Imbalances Inflammation Auto-immune response

Women typically experience these symptoms:

First do no harm… When approaching endometriosis, women are often recommended surgery, hormone treatments and pain-killers as treatment options in an attempt to suppress and control the condition.

The approach we apply within the Endo Empowered community is to first attempt all other possibilities and to try to rectify the imbalances within the body. If these methods have been tried extensively without success, then the more extreme approaches may be considered.

Supporting the body and managing endometriosis through non harmful and less risky methods like diet, exercise, emotional healing, cleansing and proper support can have dramatic effects. Many women now live completely pain and symptom free, without needing hormone treatments, pain-killers or surgery.

This might not be the case for your personal experience with Endometriosis but we believe it is worth exploring the option and to really research your choices when it comes to endometriosis.

We believe that empowerment begins with knowledge and understanding as that will lead us closer to the cure.

THE DANGERS EXPOSEDLupron is one of the hormone treatments used to try to control endometriosis. It suppresses the production of oestrogen, which is said to thereby lowers the progression of endometriosis cysts. Oestrogen is needed for various functions within the body and Lupron has been shown to cause irreversible side-effects with 12,000 reports, a court appeal against them, along with 1,100 deaths. (Turner, 2010)

Many women have been left debilitated due to the effects on their bone health, extreme fatigue, cardiac arrythmias, memory loss and seizures. Even Erin Brockovich has gotten involved!

The Contraceptive Pill is one of the most common forms of treatment for endometriosis. The side-effects experienced by many women include weight gain, hair loss, mood changes and a change in libido. There are however more adverse reactions like strokes, disturbances in liver function, decreased immune response, increased inflammatory conditions like digestive, respiratory and urogenital conditions (Interstitial cystitis). One key side-effect of the pill is how it alters the digestive tract and interferes with nutrient absorption. Low levels of zinc and folate are common. Vital nutrients for pregnancy and detoxification. (Bennett 2015)

The typical types of surgery offered by most Gynaecologists is ablation (burning). Recurrence of pain requiring additional therapy occurs within 12 months for up to 60% of women (Giudice 2010; Laufer 2003).

Surgery is never without risk. In a study done in Finland, 256 complications were reported for laparoscopic procedures out of 70,607. Vascular injuries accounts for 15% of mortality rates from laparoscopies and a 0.16% risk of bowel injury. (S Krishnak 2009)

With every surgery the body will attempt to repair the cuts and burning which leads to adhesions within the abdominal cavity. These cause additional pain and tightness in the abdominal cavity and no amount of surgery can get rid of them.

“When I started to listen to my body and really take care of it with what I was eating and thinking, I really noticed how much my

pain levels dropped with every monthly. There is more to this than what we think!” -

Amy Desren

There is hope…. In recent years, there have been more studies which indicate the substantial benefit women with Endometriosis can have, by using natural medicine to manage their endometriosis. A recent study stated: “As to the outcome of control pain in the patients treated with dietary supplementation, compared with postoperative medical therapy with continuous monophasic oral contraceptive or GnRH (Lupron), both therapies were similarly effective in reducing painful symptoms, especially dysmenorrhoea.” (painful periods) (Sesti, 2007)

Having supported 1000’s of women with Endometriosis, since 2010 through the principles of Natural Medicine, I can personally vouch for it’s effectiveness at not only managing pain & symptoms associated with endometriosis, but improving our overall quality of life.

“I can’t believe the transformation within myself and my health. I no longer

experience pain and I no longer feel the need to go for surgery every year and a half! Thank you Melissa, you truly are a blessing for sharing this information!” -

Susan Peters.

“There were times when I doubted what Melissa was saying but over time, I could

see the transformations within my own body. It is possible to manage

endometriosis! I have done it!” - Antoinette Bilward

My Personal Story My journey with Endometriosis began at the tender age of 19. I was told that I had stage 4 endometriosis and that this was the first of many operations I would endure. I went through countless hormone treatments, numerous different contraceptive pills and I kept having to get stronger pain-killers as they simply lost their strength.

I remember my handbag being a cornucopia of drugs to counter the side-effects I was experiencing all the time. To be honest, I felt mostly drugged up and tired and far from the vibrant happy and free Melissa, everyone knew me as. I spent the next 15years of my life in that state and my life felt severely restricted by endometriosis.

It was only after my 7th operation that I finally decided that I had to find a better way because I didn’t feel like I was living!

I began my blog in 2010 and went on a mission to help us all by managing endometriosis better. I shared the highs, the lows and of course the big realisations and discoveries along the way. Throughout it all, I started to notice significant changes within my health and slowly, the real me started to come back.

I now live a life without Endometriosis. I don’t experience endometriosis pain or symptoms anymore and I know that it can be possible for you too!

Melissa Founder of the REACH Technique© and

Endo Empowered.

WANT TO JOIN US?There are 1000’s of women who are approaching their endometriosis with natural methods and are keen to help you get started.

You can join us by exploring the Endo Empowered Community and discover how you can do it too! There is no harm in trying doing things differently and providing for your body.

Free to join!

The Kickstarter Course A six part course to get started with using a natural method for managing your endometriosis.

The Informed Consent Guide 30+ page document reviewing the current treatments recommended for endometriosis and their potential risks.

“THE FIRST STEP TO CHANGE ANY SITUATION IS TO MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION” - MELISSA TURNER

The Endo Empowered Manifesto Manifesto to follow the Endo Empowered way. *Print this one & stick it on the fridge

The Endo Sisters Support Group Join over 1000 women in a private, closed support group and meet other women who are doing things the Endo Empowered way!

What’s inside?

Steps to join:1.Visit www.endoempowered.com2.Click on the Join Us button.3.Enter in your name and email address. 4.You will instantly be sent your own username and

password to enter the Community Space.

Research References:

Bennett, J., & Pope, A. (2008). The Pill. Allen & Unwin.

Organochlorine Pesticides and Risk of Endometriosis: Findings from a Popula...: EBSCOhost. (n.d.). Organochlorine Pesticides and Risk of Endometriosis: Findings from a Popula...: EBSCOhost. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7f75082f-ad8d-4048-bdb4-497d41eedb1c%40sessionmgr4004&vid=5&hid=4112

Parazzini, F., Viganò, P., Candiani, M., & Fedele, L. (2013). Diet and endometriosis risk: A literature review. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 26(4), 323–336. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.12.011

Wieser, F., Cohen, M., Gaeddert, A., Yu, J., Burks-Wicks, C., Berga, S. L., & Taylor, R. N. (2007). Evolution of medical treatment for endometriosis: back to the roots? Human Reproduction Update, 13(5), 487–499. http://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmm015