The Tragedy of Endometriosis

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Conventional medicine falls short – but you’re not powerless

Endometriosis is a tragic condition that affects tens of millions of US women but gets too little attention from conventional medicine. Estimates are hard to come by, but the consensus is that about one in 10 women of childbearing age suffer from this painful and incurable disease. Remarkably, studies indicate Endo causes 25-50% of all infertility in women. The delay from first doctor’s visit to diagnosis is also tragically long – 5-10 years – by which time a woman’s window of fertility is vanishing.

Yet Endo gets less than 1/10th of 1% of research funding at the National Institutes of Health. And the standard of medical care is not much better.

One of the main reasons Endometriosis takes so long to diagnose is that women’s reports of pain and other symptoms are too often dismissed as “normal.” Put plainly, this is medical gaslighting—and it’s not just anecdotal. A global survey of more than 2,000 women with Endometriosis found an average diagnostic delay of 9.6 years. During that time, women repeatedly described feeling dismissed by their doctors:

• Physicians normalized Endometriosis symptoms as “typical.”
• Women felt their symptoms were ignored or considered unreliable.
• Women felt dismissed by their doctors based on personal attributes such as age, appearance, weight, or physical ability.

Just as troubling, even when doctors do attempt to help, conventional treatments fall short.

• The former conventional path to a diagnosis of Endo now usually leads to a diagnosis of “chronic pelvic pain” and treatment with painkillers, especially opioids – essentially a dead end for the patient whose doctor will now only treat her symptoms, not the underlying problem.
• The “gold standard” of surgery for removing endometrial tissue is rarely the end of the story. Lesion removal may offer temporary relief, but surgery also triggers growth factors that commonly trigger new lesions. Many women end up in a cycle of repeat procedures.
• Doctors too often conclude their patient is a complainer, that her problem is “in her head”, while ignoring the very real mind-body connection of the disease, especially the proven correlation of child sexual abuse and other adverse childhood experiences with the incidence of Endo. These issues go unaddressed, even though conventional medicine admits the problems.

Delays and shortcomings translate to missed opportunities for getting pregnant and years of unnecessary suffering. If you’ve wondered whether your symptoms could be Endometriosis, and you are not getting the answers you need, our Endometriosis Quiz can help. It’s not a diagnosis, but it does highlight whether your symptoms line up with what research shows to be most common in Endo. 

Actually, we do know what causes Endometriosis

Women with Endometriosis are often told “there’s no known cause and no cure.” But the science of Endometriosis tells a different story. Research shows clear pathways that explain why misplaced endometrial tissue grows and what makes some women more vulnerable than others. 

Here’s our model of the disease:

• What it is. Endometriosis happens when tissue that normally lines the uterus shows up where it doesn’t belong. During the menstrual cycle, this misplaced tissue grows and thickens just like uterine lining does — but in the wrong place, which creates inflammation, pain, and other disruptive symptoms.
• How it starts. Nearly all women experience some “retrograde menstruation,” where uterine tissue flows into the pelvic cavity through the fallopian tubes, rather than exiting as normal menstrual flow. The immune system should clear this wandering tissue away. But in Endometriosis, the immune defenses falter, and the tissue takes root and grows where it doesn’t belong.
• Why it happens. Researchers have identified several conditions that make this process more likely:
  • Hormonal imbalances, such as irregular cycles.
  • Impaired immune function, leaving the body less able to clear misplaced tissue.
  • Genetic factors, which don’t cause Endometriosis directly but can raise susceptibility.
  • Early-life stressors, such as adverse childhood experiences, which may disrupt hormone and immune regulation later on.

So while Endometriosis is complex, it is not mysterious. In a general sense, Endo is a derailment of your body’s self-regulatory mechanism. In many such cases, it isn’t possible to completely restore that healthy self-regulation. But you can support it and improve it, and indeed this approach is known to mitigate the symptoms of Endo – and can be done naturally and without drugs. 

Our approach: science-based, natural support

The research has made it very clear: by targeting the four pathways that drive Endo, it’s possible to help the body regain balance and find symptom relief.  That’s not a cure, but relief is so meaningful to women with Endo.

The 4 pathways of Endometriosis

• Estrogen imbalance: Excess or overactive estrogen, or impaired estrogen metabolism, fuels the growth of endometrial tissue.
• Prostaglandin-driven inflammation: Elevated prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds) trigger cramps, pain, and tissue irritation.
• Oxidative stress: Free radicals damage cells and worsen inflammation.
• Weakened immune response: The body can’t fully clear misplaced tissue, allowing it to spread and grow.

Building on this understanding, researchers have increasingly investigated natural compounds that target the underlying drivers of endometriosis. A 2024 review of PubMed-indexed studies on curcumin and a variety of plant-derived antioxidants highlighted their effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, immune dysfunction, and pain. The findings suggest these compounds may help restore balance across these systems, offering women promising, science-backed natural alternatives.

Complementing this, a 2023 study in the Journal of Reproductive Biology & Endocrinology found that supplementation with antioxidant vitamins significantly reduced dysmenorrhea and improved dyspareunia (painful intercourse), and pelvic pain, resulting in meaningful improvements in quality of life for women with endometriosis.

Drawing on this growing body of research, we created our Endo Combo as part of a comprehensive protocol for natural relief.

• Inflammatory Support & Oxidative Balance: Curcumin, Vitamin C, green tea, lycopene, and magnesium help calm inflammatory pathways and neutralize oxidative stress – two key drivers of pelvic pain.
• Hormone Modulation & Estrogen Balance: Botanicals like red clover, chasteberry, black cohosh, and wild yam support healthy estrogen signaling. Curcumin helps to further reduce excess estradiol production and slow endometrial cell proliferation.
• Immune Regulation: Curcumin, EGCG from green tea, and lycopene have been shown to modulate immune pathways by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, enhancing antioxidant defenses, and supporting immune surveillance mechanisms that help limit the survival of ectopic endometrial tissue.
• Muscle Relaxation & Cramp Relief: Magnesium has strong evidence for relieving menstrual cramps. It works by relaxing uterine muscle, reducing prostaglandin-driven pain, and calming nerve hypersensitivity.

Paired with our lifestyle protocol — emphasizing restorative sleep, balanced nutrition, stress management, and healthy movement — the Endo Combo offers a natural foundation for symptom relief.

You don’t have to wait 

Endometriosis can feel overwhelming, especially when conventional medicine leaves you with more questions than answers. But understanding the science behind the condition changes the story. While a definitive cure may not exist, we do know the biological drivers — and that means there are real, practical ways to care for your body, ease symptoms, and protect your well-being.

You are not powerless. With the right tools and knowledge, you can manage symptoms, restore comfort, and reclaim control over your health.