Episode 48: Functional Medicine for Chronic Pain and Endometriosis with Jessica Drummond
Dr. Jessica Drummond is the CEO of The Integrative Women’s Health Institute and author of Outsmart Endometriosis. She holds licenses in physical therapy and clinical nutrition and is a board-certified health coach. She has 20 years of experience working with women with chronic pelvic pain, facilitates educational programs for women’s health professionals in more than 60 countries globally, and leads virtual wellness programs for people with endometriosis. Dr. Drummond lives and works with her husband and daughters between Houston, Texas, and Fairfield, Connecticut.
In this episode, we talked about:
Jessica started to incorporate a Functional Medicine approach in her work as a Physical Therapist after personal experience of adrenal fatigue related to Epstein-Barr and secondary infertility
Working with nutrition and pelvic or chronic pain clients
The American healthcare system is complex and costly
The power of listening and trusting that the patients knows themselves better than anyone
Burnout for clinicians as cogs in the healthcare system is rife
Giving people autonomy over their schedule, to enable a more personalised and cyclical life, could hugely improve productivity
Work will forever be changed post-Covid-19
The Industrial Revolution working day of 8am-5pm is aligned with the male hormonal health. Male testosterone peaks around 7.30am, drops off around 12pm and declines by 3.30/4pm
Now we have more accessibility to work remotely, and for different hours
Some kids are studying better during lockdown as the old schedules don’t have to be adhered to
People will start to create their own schedules and their own ways of working, which can enhance productivity
Endometriosis can be pointed to by: family history, history of GIT symptoms, pain during intercourse, painful periods, bladder pain, vulvar pain, fatigue and anxiety, infertility
Diagnosis of endometriosis is by laparoscopy
Surgery is advised in teens or twenties
Functional nutrition to optimise the immune response
If lesions are not seen on imaging, it does not rule out endometriosis
Relating to others who have also had a chronic/ mystery illness
Having to make complicated decisions without having all the information
An anti-inflammatory diet, close to paleo to optimise digestive function
The benefits of simple cooking techniques
Daily herbs and spices such as garlic, oregano, rosemary, ginger and turmeric
“Nutrition is a huge needle-mover”
The power of a consistent meditation/ mindfulness/ prayer practice to calm the nervous system and as an antidote to modern life
Committing to sleep better: turn off blue light exposure around 8.30/9 pm, have exposure to daylight for setting the circadian rhythms, having a buildup of adenosine (burning the energy that builds up during the day), balancing blood sugar levels
To determine the right intensity of exercise, ask yourself “do I feel nourished or depleted” straight after, 2 hours after and the next morning after exercise
Walk for 30 minutes a day
10 minutes twice a day of bodyweight strength training
Prior to ovulation is when testosterone and oestrogen levels are at their highest, so where you can push the workout and performance. In the luteal phase, post-ovulation, maintain those gains. Just before the period is a great recovery time e.g more sleep, stretching, walking
Space to slow down and keep things in balance
Resources:
Jessica’s books:
Outsmart Endometriosis: Relieve Your Symptoms and Get Your Career Back on Track
Nutrition for Relieving Pelvic Pain: Fueling the Patient/Practitioner Healing Partnership
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