Endometriosis: Supporting Your Immune System to Thrive

By: Dr. Despina Michailidis

If you’ve been reading about endometriosis (or any chronic disease), then you’ve heard about “inflammation”. Maybe you even know what it means: it describes an important phase of the body’s response to injury or infection. Inflammation is a tool our immune system uses to get us back on track, but our body can get stuck in chronic loops of inflammation that cause more harm than good. If we want to ease endometriosis pain, reduce progression of scarring in the pelvis, boost energy and mood, then we need to look at these inflammatory loops.

There are various inflammatory pathways made up of a slew of little messenger molecules that are active in endometriosis. What triggers these messenger molecules in the first place? Often, it’s our immune cells. When our immune cells are unable to clean up and get rid of endometriosis patches, they start releasing inflammatory messengers chronically, like a wound that won’t heal. Hundreds of papers have been published on immune dysfunction in endometriosis, all looking at different little pieces of the puzzle and different nuanced takes. There’s a complex interconnected relationship between various immune pathways, inflammatory pathways and hormonal pathways. What does this mean for treating endometriosis?

As a health professional, I’m seeing some specialists starting to incorporate immune-based and anti-inflammatory treatments for endometriosis. Unfortunately, we’re still lacking clinical research on this important topic. However, immune health is a place where integrative and naturopathic care shine. Here’s what you can expect when working with a naturopathic doctor to address endometriosis:

1. Professional advice on maintaining sustainable anti-inflammatory and immune supportive eating and lifestyle habits.

2.  Truly personalized supplement recommendations: We go beyond the generic advice you get at the health food store. Instead of wasting time and money trying various supplements on your own, we help make the process smoother and more effective for you!

3. Stress and nervous system management: This is a pillar in endometriosis care and often part of the first phase of healing. When our nervous system is in a better place, our body can step out of fight-or-flight mode and start healing again.

4.  Access to a knowledgeable guide: Treating endometriosis can get a bit complicated. It often requires addressing more than one root cause of disease. Trying one-off supplements is not enough to get to your destination. The order and combination of treatments also matter. Having the right guide for you means that the process feels simpler, so you don’t need to navigate uncharted territory on your own.

Here at Hygeia, we’re ready to support you, no matter where you are in your endometriosis journey.

Book a discovery call with Dr. Despina Michailidis ND to see if we’re the right fit for you!

Dr. Despina Michailidis

Dr. Despina Michailidis ND is a licensed naturopathic doctor in good standing with the College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CoNO) and a member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) and Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors (OAND). She holds a Doctor of Naturopathy degree from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Minor in Nutrition from the University of Guelph, where she was awarded the Bruce Sells Award of Academic Excellence in Biological Sciences.