March is Endometriosis Awareness Month! So, if you or someone you love is battling endo, grab yourself a cozy mug of hot cacao (I’ve even attached my favorite recipe!), cue up some Irish tunes (hello, St. Patrick’s Day!), and settle in for a read—and don’t forget to share it when you’re done.

Ladies, let me start by saying, I feel your frustration when it comes to getting answers about endometriosis. And let’s not even get started on the pain—we’ll talk about that too, don’t worry.

On average, it takes about 10 years for women to be diagnosed with endometriosis after their symptoms start. Yep, you heard me right—10 years. For some, it takes even longer.

It’s 2025, millions of women are dealing with this, so why in the world is it still taking so long to get diagnosed and get answers?

Let’s talk about it!

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a chronic neuroinflammatory disorder—fancy word alert!

What does that mean for you? It means that endometriosis is NOT just a hormone issue—it involves your nerves, your immune system, and, yes, inflammation (the root of so many health issues).

Endometriosis happens when tissue that looks like the lining of your uterus (called the endometrium) starts showing up where it doesn’t belong. It can make itself comfy in places like your ovaries, bladder, and even your intestines—causing all kinds of chaos.

Endometriosis comes in three main types, depending on where it decides to camp out:

• Superficial peritoneal: Found in the pelvis (the “least invasive” type but still painful).
• Ovarian endometriomas: Also known as cysts (because endometriosis just loves to cause more problems).
• Deep infiltrating: The overachiever of the bunch—this one can invade tissues like the bladder and intestines.

Why does the tissue grow outside of the uterus? That is what research is still trying to figure out. And in my opinion, there is not just one root cause. There’s multiple reasons that create what I like to call “the endometriosis-storm”.

And every. single. woman…is different. We all eat differently, experience different amounts of stress, have different digestive health, and we all have different inflammatory triggers.

So, when it comes to endometriosis— each of you ladies may even have different symptoms.

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What Does Endometriosis Feel Like?

Endometriosis is the master of disguise when it comes to symptoms, which makes it even harder to diagnose. Some women experience no symptoms at all, while others might feel like they’re in a constant battle with their own body.

The most common symptoms include:

• Chronic pain: This could be pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, or even pain with bowel movements or urination. And not the ‘I overdid it at the gym’ kind of pain—this can be a deep, radiating, never-ending pain that interferes with your daily life.
• Fatigue: Feeling tired all the time even after a good night’s sleep? That’s a classic sign of inflammation running the show.
• Urinary and digestive issues: Endometriosis can cause urinary urgency or painful urination, along with bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and other gut-related issues. It can sometimes mimic conditions like IBS.
• Anxiety and depression: As if physical pain wasn’t enough, endometriosis also messes with your mental health. Many women report feelings of anxiety, depression, and even migraines or headaches.
• Irregular cycles: Your cycles may even be painful (dysmenorrhea) or heavy (menorrhagia). You may even experience painful ovulation. Painful, heavy periods are common, but they are not normal.
• Endo belly: bloating, weight gain around the belly—especially the lower belly, with other digestive symptoms cramping, diarrhea, or constipation

I am going to be honest here. I get so emotional and frustrated for you ladies when I hear your endometriosis stories—that you suffered with these symptoms for years and your doctors’ answer was birth control, pain meds, maybe surgery to “clean some tissue out.”

And I get it, because they do help with the pain and other symptoms, but your doctors are not finding out— why did this happen in the first place?

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How can I reverse endometriosis naturally?

When it comes to addressing endometriosis naturally, the goal isn’t just to manage symptoms—it’s about identifying the root causes and giving your body the tools it needs to heal itself.

I will say it again—there is not one root cause when it comes to endometriosis. There are root causes. Your body works like Swiss Watch, where every gear is impacted.

When I sit down and talk with women who suffer from endometriosis, I talk to them about everything from diet, to lifestyle, to stress, to pooping, to childhood illnesses.

That’s where The Wellness Way approach comes in. By focusing on the 3Ts—Thoughts, Traumas, and Toxins—you can create a powerful healing environment for your body, and we’re going to break down how to do just that.

1) Toxins:

When I discuss toxins, it is more than you think. Here is a short list.

• Gut Issues and Dysbiosis:
  • I weirdly talk about stool with my patients all day long. Your gut health is important to every aspect of YOU! Hormonally, an imbalanced gut microbiome can lead to chronic inflammation, which exacerbates endometriosis symptoms. Studies have shown alterations in gut bacteria in women with endometriosis.
• Food Allergies and Sensitivities:
  • Food allergies or intolerances can trigger immune responses and cause inflammation in the body, worsening endometriosis. Remember, endometriosis not only a hormone issue, but a neuroinflammatory issues, so I recommend you eliminate inflammatory foods you could have an immune response to! How do you know if you have food allergies? Let’s test for them!
• Parabens and Phthalates:
  • Found in cosmetics, personal care products, and plastics, parabens and phthalates act as endocrine disruptors. They mimic estrogen in the body, increasing estrogen dominance, which is linked to the progression of endometriosis.
• Mold and Mycotoxins:
  • Exposure to mold and mycotoxins can lead to chronic inflammation and immune system dysfunction. Mycotoxins can disrupt hormone balance and worsen the inflammatory processes associated with endometriosis.

2) Thoughts:

Your thoughts—especially stress (cortisol)—have a direct impact on your endometriosis symptoms. When your body is constantly in a state of stress, it triggers a hormonal chain reaction that worsens inflammation, pain, and hormone imbalances.

1. Cortisol-your stress hormone. When you’re under constant stress (physically or mentally), your body produces cortisol. When your body is under stress for too long, your body steals resources from progesterone to make more cortisol, causing progesterone levels to drop even further.
2. Progesterone– low progesterone levels, especially when compared to higher estrogen levels, can lead to what we call “estrogen dominance.” This imbalance can then worsen endometriosis, making the condition even harder to manage.
3. Estrogen- high levels of estrogen, particularly estradiol, can feed the growth of endometrial lesions, causing pain and worsening symptoms.

So, what do we do about hormonal imbalances? Well, first, we need to test. We need to see your individual levels and hormone pathways. It’s frustrating that 1) we are not taught more about our hormones and 2) our doctors do not test our hormones completely— even though we think they do.

If you have not had your hormones tested completely, you are missing a vital component to understanding your endometriosis.

One of my favorite tests is called a DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) test. This comprehensive hormone test provides a detailed view of hormone metabolites and is crucial for understanding how your body is processing estrogen and other hormones like progesterone.

3) Trauma:

Trauma isn’t always what we think—sometimes it’s not a sudden injury but subtle stress on the body over time. As a chiropractor, my focus is on the connection between the spine and the body’s overall health, and that includes trauma. Things like sitting at a desk for too long, carrying kids on your hip, or even working out in a way that misaligns your posture can all create tension in your nervous system. This can lead to neuroinflammation (inflammation of your nerves). Even if you don’t feel pain or think there’s an issue, it’s important to remember that your body is always communicating. Small, unnoticed nerve inflammation can build up and start to affect areas like your immune system and hormones, which can aggravate conditions like endometriosis.

Your body is like a Swiss Watch! Addressing 1 T won’t reverse endometriosis. You have to work on your body as a whole. Don’t just focus on the symptoms of endometriosis; focus on the why behind them. I work with you to dive deep into your unique health picture, uncovering your individual root causes so you can start healing.

Next Steps

If you’re struggling with endometriosis—or suspect you might be—stop guessing and let’s get to the root of the problem together. Your symptoms are telling you something, and we’re here to help you find out what:

1. Book a Consultation—Let’s sit down and talk through your symptoms, your health history, and how The Wellness Way approach can help you start feeling like yourself again. You don’t have to continue battling this alone.
2. Get Tested—Start by getting comprehensive testing done, including hormone testing (like the DUTCH test) and food allergy testing, to find out what’s really going on in your body.
3. Start a Personalized Plan—Once we identify your triggers, we can create a plan that addresses your unique needs, focusing on healing your gut, balancing your hormones, and reducing inflammation.

At The Wellness Way-Lake Forest, we don’t guess, we start with a consultation, we test, we rebuild, we detox, we repair.

Endometriosis is complicated, but your path to healing doesn’t have to be. Let’s start your healing journey today.

Want to learn more about The Wellness Way Approach to endometriosis? It all starts with a conversation! Let’s chat 👉 Schedule Your Complimentary Call