An endometriosis diagnosis can bring both frustration and, for some, a bittersweet sense of relief at finally being able to put a name to the excruciating symptoms they’ve been dealing with for years. That’s because it takes an average of 4 to 11 years from the start of symptoms for a woman to be diagnosed with endometriosis. 

While endometriosis affects nearly 10% of the world’s women and girls, it is commonly misdiagnosed because symptoms may overlap with other common health conditions. Plus, the gold standard for diagnosis is a surgical procedure that many women may not want to have. 

Regardless of how you came to your diagnosis, endometriosis does not have to be the end of your story.

In this article we’ll explore what endometriosis is; natural, science-backed ways to support your health; and how the science of epigenetics may offer hope for prevention and reversal.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is an estrogen-driven inflammatory disease involving hormonal imbalances. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, in places such as the abdominal cavity, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.  

Like the uterine lining, this tissue responds to hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, becoming thicker and, in many cases, bleeding each month. Because this blood and tissue have no easy way to leave the body, it can trigger inflammation, irritate surrounding tissues and nerves, and contribute to scar tissue (adhesions), all of which can cause pain.  

This complex disease process has been linked to genetics, immune system dysregulation, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).

What are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?

Endometriosis symptoms can vary widely from person to person. While some women experience severe pelvic pain, others may have digestive issues, fatigue, or other subtle symptoms that can overlap with other conditions—making it harder to get the right diagnosis.

Some of the most common symptoms of endometriosis include:

• Painful or heavy periods

• Pain with bowel movements or urination

• Painful intercourse

• Abdominal bloating

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Nausea 

• Fatigue

• Infertility

These symptoms can negatively impact your quality of life and, in turn, increase your risk for depression and anxiety.  

How is Endometriosis Diagnosed?

Diagnosing endometriosis isn't always straightforward. While a healthcare provider may suspect endometriosis based on your symptoms—or findings from a pelvic exam or imaging—the only definitive way to confirm endometriosis is through a surgical procedure called a laparoscopy.

A laparoscopy is an outpatient procedure in which a surgeon inserts a thin camera through an incision in the abdomen to check the pelvic organs for endometriosis lesions.  

If endometriosis is confirmed during a laparoscopy, it’s classified into four stages: Stage I (minimal), Stage II (mild), Stage III (moderate), and Stage IV (severe). These stages are based on the location and extent of the lesions, the presence of scar tissue (adhesions), and whether ovarian cysts (endometriomas) are present. 

Although it’s considered minimally invasive, a laparoscopy is still a surgery that comes with risks, recovery time, and cost. Because of this, some people choose to address their symptoms without having a concrete diagnosis. 

Potential Complications of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is the leading cause of female infertility, but it can also cause other complications. As endometriosis progresses over time, the chronic inflammation can lead to scar tissue “adhesions” that may cause the intestines or bladder to become fixed in place. This can contribute to painful urination, bowel movements, or sex.

The potential complications of endometriosis make it even more important to empower yourself with cutting edge information, actions, and tools to eliminate symptoms and regain your health.

4 Natural Ways to Support Your Body with Endometriosis

Endometriosis can cause significant physical pain and emotional distress. The body is never wrong;  these symptoms are a red flag signaling hormonal dysfunction. 

Thankfully, the simple power of removal—eliminating certain toxins from your environment—has been shown to significantly impact conditions like endometriosis. 

Read on to learn more about the power of removal, plus other natural ways to support your body with endometriosis and regain your health. 

1. Get rid of endocrine-disrupting chemicals from your home

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that can interfere with the body's natural hormone signaling by mimicking, blocking, or altering hormones. Research has linked exposure to certain endocrine disruptors to endometriosis and other reproductive health concerns.

Unfortunately, these chemicals are common in everyday products, including cleaning products, personal care products, laundry detergents, pesticides, plastics, and cookware coatings. And many of these chemicals are also released into the air as volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs), creating ongoing exposure inside the home.

Here are some of the most common sources:

Fragrance

Unfortunately, the term “fragrance” on a label can mask hundreds of dangerous chemicals. That’s because companies aren’t legally required to disclose what’s in their fragrance formula. For this reason, products with fragrance are commonly full of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, causing hormone disruption as well as other health issues. 

Because of how ubiquitous they are, it can feel overwhelming to remove fragrance from your home. Here are three steps to get started:

• Don’t buy products with “fragrance” or even “natural fragrance” on the ingredient label

• Remove all synthetic fragrances from your home (plug-ins, candles, scented garbage bags, etc).

• Also, remove all essential oils until all symptoms of hormone disruption are resolved.  It has been discovered that essential oils, if processed through plastic tubing, become contaminated with lipophilic (fat-loving) plasticizing chemicals, which are known endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, asthmagens, obesogens, and carcinogens.  Once symptoms are resolved, only consider using organic or wildcrafted essential oils processed without solvents and plastic tubing.

• When you go to restock, invest in fragrance-free products 

Plastics

Plastics contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BPA and phthalates, making them another important source of exposure to consider. Plastic is often hidden in things you wouldn’t even expect—from personal care products to workout clothes.

Simple ways to reduce plastic exposure include:

• Avoid drinking water from plastic bottles.

• Store food in glass or stainless steel containers.

• Replace plastic cooking utensils with wood or stainless steel.

• Choose wooden cutting boards instead of plastic.

• Never microwave food in plastic containers.

• Opt for natural-fiber clothing when possible.

• Look for personal care and household products free from plastics and microplastics.

Note: Avoiding water and food contact with plastic is one of the fastest ways to reduce exposure to plastics. 

PFAS (“forever chemicals”)

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—also known as “forever chemicals” are chemicals that don’t degrade and instead accumulate in our environments and bodies over time. They are not easily excreted and are incorporated into body fat. And unfortunately, they’re found in many places such as:

• Non-stick cookware

• Water-resistant goods

• Stain-resistant fabrics

• Personal care products

• Makeup 

• Building materials, especially finishes 

• Municipal drinking water

These known endocrine disruptors can build up in our organs and tissues over time, leading to reproductive and hormonal issues.

Pesticides and herbicides

Many chemicals used to eliminate pests contain EDCs and can cause hormone disruption, with research showing a strong link between these chemicals and endometriosis. 

Some of the most common sources include:

• Pesticides

• Herbicides

• Conventional fertilizers

• Fungicides

• Mildewcides

• Flea/Tick Collars

• Rodent poisons

Fortunately, there are natural ways to eliminate pests from your home and garden instead. 

A note on epigenetics + the power of removal

The science of epigenetics, also called the science of hope, offers insights into why the power of removal is a game-changer, especially for hormonal conditions like endometriosis. Epigenetics links genetics and our environment, revealing how lifestyle choices influence gene activity and health. 

It demonstrates that exposure to very small amounts of a single chemical can have a significant impact, turning genes on and off and thereby altering gene expression without impacting the DNA sequence itself. The reason this is potentially transformational is that there is reversibility—the genes are turned on and off. 

Water-soluble endocrine-disrupting chemicals illustrate how rapidly the body responds to reduced chemical exposure. They are considered transient chemicals that are rapidly metabolized in the urine and do not accumulate in tissues. This means that once you remove products containing them, the body can clear them out quickly—within three to five days! 

Marilee Nelson, co-founder of Branch Basics, has seen this firsthand, witnessing her clients' symptoms of hormone dysregulation reduced or eliminated just 4 days after removal. See the Hermosa Study, which documents a 25-45% reduction in four hormone-disrupting chemicals in teenage girls after personal care products containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals were removed, in just 4 days.

This information enables us to take proactive care of our health—things you can take into your own hands to treat chronic inflammation, balance your hormones, and support your health.

2. Incorporate anti-inflammatory foods

Endometriosis is associated with chronic inflammation, making nutrition an important part of symptom management for many people. Removal of inflammatory foods in your diet is a powerful tool.

Start by eliminating processed foods, red meat, and alcohol, which have been associated with worsening endometriosis symptoms, and then begin incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet, such as:

• Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel

• Colorful fruits and vegetables

• Leafy greens

• Berries

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Nuts and seeds

• Beans and lentils

• Herbs and spices like ginger and turmeric

3. Consider supplementing to fight inflammation and pain

While real food should always be the foundation, some supplements may offer additional support for managing the inflammation and discomfort associated with endometriosis.  

Research is still evolving, but the following supplements have shown promise:

• Magnesium: May help relax muscles and reduce menstrual cramping through its antispasmodic effects.

• Vitamin D: Plays an important role in immune function and regulating inflammation.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: May help support a healthy inflammatory response and have been associated with reduced pelvic pain in some studies.

• N-acetylcysteine (NAC): A powerful antioxidant that has shown promise in early studies for slowing the growth of endometriomas.

• Curcumin: One of the active chemical compounds of turmeric, curcumin is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and may also help support pain management.

Note: Because supplements aren't appropriate for everyone and can interact with medications, talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement.

4. Prioritize gentle movement

Exercise may not sound appealing during an endometriosis flare, but regular movement can offer real benefits. Physical activity has been shown to support circulation, improve mood, reduce fatigue, and boost endorphins—your body's natural pain-relieving chemicals.

For many people with endometriosis, gentle to moderate movement is more comfortable than a high-intensity workout, especially during painful parts of the menstrual cycle. 

Consider options such as:

• Walking

• Swimming

• Cycling

• Yoga

• Pilates

• Low-impact strength training

• Stretching or mobility exercises

Listen to your body and adjust your activity based on how you're feeling. Rest is just as important as movement, and the goal isn't to push through the pain, but to find a routine that helps you feel your best.

Branch Basics’ Endometriosis Connection: Why We Believe in the Power of Removal

Branch Basics co-founder Marilee Nelson grew up with excruciating cramps and breast pain, only relieved by taking Percodan, the narcotic her mother took for pain from cancer. After exploratory surgery at age 23, Marilee was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis and was facing other serious health challenges. She was led to a medical doctor in a Boston hospital that was using food as medicine with his patients. After going on an organic medicinal diet that removed all processed foods,  her lifelong health issues were resolved. This was when Marilee first realized the power of removal!  

That experience changed her career path. She became a medicinal cook and saw again and again how removing processed food and eating nutrient-rich organic food improved her clients' health. Years later, when her 10-year-old son suffered a catastrophic chemical injury that doctors called irreversible, she witnessed the power of removal again—this time researching ingredient safety and eliminating toxic chemicals from cleaning and personal care products throughout the home, which became key to his recovery.

As she began to work with clients with chronic illness (many with hormone disruption), she developed a category-by-category system of removal of products with harmful ingredients (now called Toss the Toxins) based on her research on ingredient safety. In one case after another, without fail, eliminating toxins from the diet, products used on the skin, and in the home environment results in the reduction and sometimes even resolution of symptoms. 

Scientific research, across study after study, now validates what Marilee saw clinically: The old "the dose makes the poison" model doesn't hold up as a safety benchmark for the human body. Epigenetics shows that even small amounts of harmful, hormone-disrupting chemicals can initiate disease, block recovery, and impair the body's ability to heal. 

This understanding is the foundation of Branch Basics: what you remove from your diet and home can matter just as much as what you add to your wellness routine.

Finding Hope in Your Endometriosis Journey

Supporting your hormonal health often includes improving nutrition, managing stress, and working with a trusted healthcare provider. But if you're continually exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in your diet and at home, the healing process may be inhibited or blocked. Therapies become more like band-aids, and results are temporary due to continuous exposures.

Our mission at Branch Basics is to share information that transforms lives. Branch Basics founders Marilee and Allison both found resolution of serious endocrine disruption through the simple power of removal. They had experienced how living with endometriosis and PCOS can be physically and emotionally exhausting, especially when your symptoms are dismissed or it takes years to receive an accurate diagnosis.

While there's no one-size-fits all approach to treating endometriosis, supporting your health through an anti-inflammatory diet, regular movement, targeted supplementation, and reducing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals are all lifestyle changes that can help you proactive care of your health.

Want to get started eliminating toxic chemicals from your home? Our free Toss the Toxins Course walks you one step at a time to help create a healthy home.