endometriosis adhd treatment

ADHD and Endometriosis: Why Symptoms Overlap and a Smarter Treatment Approach

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Brain Health, Endometriosis, Menstrual Cycle

If you are living with both ADHD and endometriosis, you have likely experienced something that is still widely under-recognized in conventional medicine: your symptoms do not exist in isolation. Instead, they interact in ways that can make both conditions more difficult to manage. You may notice that your ability to focus declines during a flare, that your motivation drops significantly …

saffron for endometriosis symptoms

Saffron for Endometriosis: How It Can Help With Pain, Mood, and Inflammation

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Endometriosis, Menstrual Cycle

If you’re living with endometriosis, you already know it involves more than having “bad cramps.” Endo also comes along with inflammation, immune dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, and nervous system overload. Additionally, for many women with endometriosis, the condition causes anxiety, low mood, irritability, and exhaustion that can feel nearly impossible to separate from physical pain. And that’s exactly why saffron (yes, …

magnesium supplement for PMS

Magnesium Supplement for PMS: Does It Help With Period Cramps, Mood, and PMDD?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Menstrual Cycle, PMS & PMDD

Why does your body feel calm and capable one week, then suddenly tense, bloated, and emotionally raw the next? PMS is one common reason this happens to many women—and it’s not only due to rising and falling hormones. The intensity of PMS symptoms that you deal with also depends on how your nervous system, muscles, and inflammatory pathways respond to …

endometriosis and painful ovulation

Endometriosis and Painful Ovulation: Why Ovulation Hurts, Where It’s Felt, and What Helps

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Endometriosis, Menstrual Cycle

When you think of endometriosis symptoms, painful periods probably come to mind. But for many people, the pain doesn’t stop once menstruation ends. In fact, endometriosis and painful ovulation are closely linked, and ovulation can be just as uncomfortable, or in some cases, even more distressing, than period pain. If you experience sharp, aching, or cramping pain mid menstrual cycle …

menopause headaches

Menopause Headaches: Why They Happen and How to Get Relief

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Perimenopause/ Menopause

About 60–70% of perimenopausal women experience symptoms such as headaches, hot flashes, mood swings, depression, decreased libido, and sleep disturbances. Headaches during perimenopause and menopause are very common, yet rarely talked about. Many women ask, “Can menopause cause headaches?”— and the short answer is yes.  Shifting hormones, especially lower levels of estrogen and progesterone, can create the perfect environment for …

best supplements for endometriosis

Best Supplements for Endometriosis (Evidence-Based Guide)

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Endometriosis

Anyone who has endometriosis knows that it’s more than simply a “period problem.” It’s a complex, inflammatory, hormone-driven condition that affects the immune system, gut, nervous system, and energy production. That’s why many people with endo find that their pain, fatigue, bloating, mood changes, and brain fog persist even outside of their cycle. While supplements are not a cure for …

omega 9 benefits for women

Omega-9 Benefits for Women: Heart Health, Menopause, and How It Fits with Omega-3

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Food

When most people think about healthy fats, they jump straight to omega-3 fatty acids. But there’s another group of fats that supports your heart, hormones, and metabolism too: omega-9 fatty acids. Omega-9s, especially oleic acid, are among the most abundant fats in your diet, especially if you cook with olive or avocado oil. They belong to the family of monounsaturated …

autoimmune progesterone dermatitis

Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis (APD): Symptoms, Causes, Foods to Avoid, and Treatment Options

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Autoimmune Disease, Balancing Your Hormones

Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis (APD)—also known as progestogen hypersensitivity—is a rare immune-mediated reaction in which the body mounts an allergic or autoimmune response to endogenous progesterone or synthetic progestins, leading to cyclical skin and systemic symptoms that worsen during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. What’s unique about APD compared to other types of dermatitis is that it’s cyclical, with …

Magnesium Supplementation for Anxiety

Magnesium Supplementation for Anxiety: Benefits, Best Types, Dosage, and Safety

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Balancing Your Hormones

Regularly feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or struggling with poor sleep are all signs that your body might be missing one key nutrient: magnesium. Magnesium supports your nervous system and mental health in many ways, such as by helping to regulate neurotransmitters1 like GABA and serotonin, lowering levels of stress hormones like cortisol, and reducing inflammation in the brain. A well-balanced magnesium …