Endometriosis is believed to be one of the leading causes of infertility in women. However doctors often say the cause of endometriosis is unknown, but they have clearly never heard about a promising study carried out by the Endometriosis Association. Where the EA has demonstrated a clear link between the chemical dioxin (TCDD – a chemical by product of certain pesticide manufacturing), and the development of endometriosis.
How Was A Cause of Endometriosis Found?
The Endometriosis Association, in the early 1990’s, discovered that 79% of a group monkeys, after being exposed to the chemical dioxin, went onto develop endometriosis having never previously having it. With the severity of the endometriosis increasing in the monkeys, the more the dioxin levels were increased.
Even monkeys that were fed small amounts of dioxin, as small as five parts per trillion, went onto develop endometriosis. Its also interesting that the dioxin-exposed monkeys showed similar immune abnormalities as those seen in women living with endometriosis.
The Many Places Dioxin Can Be Found
As well as dioxin being given off during some chemical pesticide manufacturing, it is also given off by other industrial and consumer processes such as; bleached pulp and paper product manufacturing, medical and municipal waste incineration, processes that involve chlorine or incineration of chlorine-containing substances (such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as “vinyl” plastics), PVC disposable medical devices (such as IV bags and tubing) when incinerated.
The Main Source of Dioxin Exposure For Humans
These dioxins, when formed during incineration, are then released into the air and contaminate fields and crops by travelling through air currents. These fields and crops are then eaten by cattle and other livestock, which is how dioxin enters their tissue. We humans then absorb more dioxins by eating animal products that are contaminated with dioxin.
What Exactly Is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis can be a very painful condition, where small pieces of the womb lining are found in places they shouldn’t be, outside the womb. These abnormal places could be the bowel, bladder, ligaments that support the uterus, ovaries, vagina, rectum, joints, fallopian tubes and even the lungs.
When a women who has endometriosis then goes onto have her monthly menstruation, wherever the small pieces of womb lining are found in the body will go through exactly the same process of thickening and shedding like an unfertilised egg does. But unlike the fertilised egg – the pieces of womb lining in abnormal areas have no a way of leaving the body. Which is what leads to pain, swelling and sometimes damage to the fallopian tubes or ovaries hence how endometriosis can cause fertility problems.
This migrating tissue is called the endometrium. So the name endometriosis simply breaks down to ‘endometri’ = tissue from the womb and ‘osis’ = abnormal or diseased conditions, giving you in plain English a state where a persons endometrium is acting abnormally.
Symptoms of Endometriosis
- Heavy periods
- Irregular periods
- Painful periods
- Bowel problems
- Painful sex
- Infertility
Having endometriosis does not always equal infertility. But the sooner you diagnose it the more you increase your chances of treating it and being problem free when it comes to wanting to conceive. So if you suspect you have endometriosis you need to book an appointment with your doctor or gynae as soon as possible.
Once you have been diagnosed with endometriosis there are many ways to treat endometriosis naturally, and drug and synthetic hormone free. Book a consultation with me, Amy Morris, to discuss a diet and lifestyle plan that could help improve or resolve your endometriosis.
