In this 1 of 4 episodes for endometriosis awareness month 2022, I sum up the year of this podcast and put my view out there on my opinions on endo right now. I don’t often go on a rant, because I think keeping calm about things is always the best recipe. However, I am extremely passionate about this subject and wanted my listeners to hear where I stand on endo related subjects. I am extremely open to debate, so if you don’t agree with anything covered in this episode, I am happy to hear your own viewpoint. Many thanks for listening to the last year of Endo Matters, I appreciate all your support. If you want to visit me on other platforms, please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media

In this 1 of 4 episodes for endometriosis awareness month 2022, I interview my husband, Stuart Brookes. I ask Stu about what it is like to live with someone suffering with the condition and how he has tried to help me over the years. He also gives his best advice for other partners of sufferers. If you want to visit me on other platforms, please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media

In this 2nd of 4 episodes for endometriosis awareness month 2022, I interview endo sufferer Katie Mitchell. Katie has suffered with endo most of her adult life and is soon to have a hysterectomy as a result. Katie has worked with me and also shares what she has learnt and how that has helped her to get in control of the symptoms, no longer letting the symptoms control her. If you want to visit me on other platforms please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media

Show Notes Episode 15- My talk about Endo and Mental Health. In this 1 of 4 special episodes for endometriosis awareness month 2022, I cover the subject of mental health. In past episodes and on a lot of my socials I have talked a lot about the symptoms of endometriosis and how to help yourself with those symptoms. What I haven’t talked a lot about is how it can affect your mental health. In this show I give a very raw outline of my struggles with mental health and how having endometriosis has added to this massively. I also touch on ways in which you can reach out and find help in these areas. If you want to visit me on other platforms please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media

Todays’ guest is someone who has had a big impact on my life and career, it’s thanks to her I started my journey in the fitness sector. What Yvette doesn’t know about health and fitness isn’t worth knowing, she has been an inspiration to me and many others. I first met Yvette at a job interview, which she got and subsequently she then became my boss as I got the job as a trainee trainer at that gym! Since that day Yvette encouraged me to go further, helping me get my qualification as a PT and was even my examiner. She is an amazing yoga teacher and holistic therapist and is just an all-round health guru! All that said, today I haven’t invited Yvette on the show to talk about her life as a teacher/practitioner. Sadly, Yvette quite recently got diagnosed with breast cancer and has had a single mastectomy. This show is aimed at helping women with endo, but I do think it is important to talk about other important issues that affect women particularly. What I have loved about what Yvette has gone through is that she has documented her whole journey on Instagram and in true Yvette style it’s been very upbeat, despite what she has gone through. In this episode we cover: · How Yvette was diagnosed · How she dealt with the diagnosis mentally. · How she documented her journey and why she wanted to do that. · The medication she has been given and why as a holistic practitioner, she finds that the most difficult part of her experience with breast cancer. · Yvette’s advice on how to get through breast cancer. · Yvette’s advice on exercise pre and post op. · How to surround yourself with the right people, who can best help you. · Here is the link to her Instagram where she covers her journey with breast cancer. Yvette. Yogi. Cancer warrior. (@breastcancerlife) • Instagram photos and videos If you want to check out Yvette’s amazing yoga classes look at her FB page Health-n-Happiness | Facebook If you want to visit me on other platforms; please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question, you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media [email protected]

Happy New Year This episode aims to help you prioritise your health and find out where you need to be focusing on the most when you live with endometriosis. At this time of year, we generally make goals that can be realistic, sometimes not, and it can be overwhelming, especially if we get thrown curve balls and cannot fulfil what we set out to achieve. Over the last few years, I have been working with women to help them with their endometriosis symptoms. This is one of the exercises I ask them to do so that I can determine which areas they need the most help. It can also help you to set goals in the right places that will benefit you as an individual. There are so many symptoms involved with having endo and to tackle them all at once is impossible. It is therefore important to work through them one by one. Take out a fresh piece of paper or a blank screen Write down on each line separately Bloating Pain Brain fog Low Energy Painful Sex Poor Sleep Infertility Low Mood Dizziness and fainting At the side of each symptom put a number from 1 to 10. 10 means this is very severe 1 is not so much an issue. Have a look at your list and see which symptoms have the highest number. The highest ones are the ones you will concentrate on first. If they are all at 10 then pick 1 to start with and then once that starts to improve you can move onto the next one. Take that 1 symptom and make a list underneath with some action points of what could help you in that area. If you don’t know at all, maybe investigate a practitioner that specialises in that area to help you. Listen to this episode to hear suggestions of action points you could make to help you get on top of each symptom. If you want to visit me on other platforms, please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question that you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media [email protected]

This month’s guest is a lovely lady called Helen Fenton. Helen owns her own yoga studio not far from me here in south Manchester. What I really love about what Helen does is that she is very woman focused and has qualifications in yoga for menopause. Teaching women at that stage of life how to really help them get through all those symptoms that the menopause can bring. That may be through yoga, meditation or merely teaching self-care techniques that can be also used off the mat in everyday life. In this episode we cover: · How Helen ventured into yoga after a cooperate career and her journey with anxiety. · How she listened to her clients and knew that a qualification in menopause yoga would serve them well. · Helens tips on how to help yourself through the menopause · Working around the cycle in women of all ages · How yoga can help endometriosis Here are the titles and authors of the books Helen mentions: My Menopausal Vagina- Jane Lewis The New Hot- Meg Mathews Where to find Helen: Orange Bloom Yoga Studio | Facebook Helen Fenton (@orangebloomyoga) • Instagram photos and videos (12) Orange Bloom Yoga & Wellness: Overview | LinkedIn Orange Bloom Yoga in Hazel Grove - Your Yoga, Your Way If you want to visit me on other platforms; please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media [email protected]

In this episode I cover 3 questions that were asked by the listeners. If you have a question, you would like answered in an episode, then please send to the email at the bottom of these notes. 1. How to deal with pain? - 3 tiers working in synergy- nutrition, exercise, stress management. Nutrition- no processed (ping it, add water to make into a meal) refined sugar, dairy, wheat/gluten, salt, alcohol, caffeine. Exercise; work it around the cycle, stress management. Reduce all areas of stress as much as possible. - Hot water bottle - Relaxing - Patches - Positions that you can get yourself into - Pain killers - Reiki - Reflexology - Meditation 2. Where can I look to for support? - Make an endometriosis buddy - Local support groups – Endo UK - Explain to your partner how you feel and what you need, make it part of their life too. - Social media- follow people who you relate to 3. Are superfoods a real thing or is it just marketing hype? - A word used in marketing to sell things that are high in nutrition value - Food on the superfood list is generally high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals such as blueberries kiwi fruit, goji berries. Fish, leafy greens, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, yogurt. All of which are great for a ‘healthy’ lifestyle and good balanced nutrition. They can help with the immune system and help keep disease and inflammation at bay. Links Long hot water bottle Charcoal grey Henry hot water bottle – BE Lifestyle Boutique Menthol Patches BeYou Monthly Patches | Cooling & Comfortable | Cups & Period Pain (beyouonline.co.uk) Comfortable positions for Endo pain positions to help get comfortable should you have an endo flare up - YouTube If you want to visit me on other platforms please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media [email protected]

In this episode I talk to long term endometriosis sufferer Michaela, who has been suffering since she was 9 years old. Had 11 endo related surgeries, fertility treatment and now at the very young age of 28 has just had a full hysterectomy. In the show we chat about how she first recognised symptoms and her diagnosis. The journey she has been through with the medical profession and what she has learnt along the way. Her experience with medically induced menopause and dealing with that mentally and physically. How she now has used her experiences to reach out to others with the condition and offer advice and support to enable them to learn from the mistakes she made along the way. It was such a pleasure to have Michaela on the show, she is a true inspiration and a real pioneer for the cause. Michaela also leads a Manchester based support group and is starting a charity to help others with the condition. You can read her blog called ‘Pretty in Pain’ on FB Pretty In Pain | Facebook On Instagram Michaela Abenson (@pretty.in_pain) • Instagram photos and videos On Linkedin (10) Michaela (Labaton) Abenson | LinkedIn If you want to visit me on other platforms, please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question that you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media

Menopause In this episode I have a great chat with Jacqui Sechiari who is a coach that helps women going through the perimenopause and menopause. Having experienced symptoms of perimenopause herself, Jacqui started researching into this little-known world to find ways of relieving symptoms. She found that making small changes to certain things in her life made a big difference and was determined to share this information with others. In the show we chat about: - The transition from living with endometriosis to starting with the perimenopause - Where to start if you start to have perimenopausal symptoms - HRT - How to still look out for cycles and tracking - Useful reading material that will help you on your journey. To find Jacqui look at: Instagram Rediscover you. (@jacquisechiarimenopause) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook Jacqui Sechiari: Rediscover you - Menopause | Facebook Her book: The Menopause Manual The Perimenopause Manual: Everything you wish you’d been told before you turned 40 - and more: Amazon.co.uk: Sechiari, Jacqui, Thomas, Benjamin: 9798687221900: Books Her book recommendations Menopause: The One-Stop Guide: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Dealing with the Menopause (One Stop Guides) : Abernethy, Kathy: Amazon.co.uk: Books Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too: Amazon.co.uk: Thebe, Amanda: 9781771647601: Books The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Prevent Dementia eBook : Mosconi, Lisa: Amazon.co.uk: Books https://womenempoweringwomen.co.uk/ambassadors/michellebrookes/?fbclid=IwAR0ZHgO3KVVbENwOFr0HwL6q6d_w91wj1iWfdKVvDo5dH83twf5mFUIQFqY If you want to visit me on other platforms, please find me on FB https://www.facebook.com/desphys1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/desiredphysique/ Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrookes/ Also visit my website www.desiredphysique.co.uk If you have a question that you would like me to answer on this podcast, then please send to: [email protected] This podcast is produced by Strength in Media [email protected]