What is the ECS?

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex cell-signaling system identified in the early 1990s by researchers exploring THC, a well-known cannabinoid. Cannabinoids are compounds found in cannabis.

The ECS is a biochemical communication system in the human body, which plays a crucial role in regulating our physiology, mood, and everyday experience.

Experts are still trying to fully understand the ECS. But so far, we know it plays role in regulating a range of functions and processes, including:

• sleep
• mood
• appetite
• memory
• reproduction and fertility

The ECS exists and is active in your body, even if you don’t use cannabis.

Now, what is PCOS?

In short simple terms, PCOS is a “syndrome,” or group of symptoms that affects the ovaries and ovulation. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.

Common symptoms of PCOS include:

• irregular periods or no periods at all.
• difficulty getting pregnant (because of irregular ovulation or failure to ovulate)
• excessive hair growth (hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks.
• weight gain.
• thinning hair and hair loss from the head.
• oily skin or acne.

Scientific Connection Between The Two

A 2013 scientific review in the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology suggests the mysterious cause of polycystic ovary syndrome may actually be dysfunctions in the endocannabinoid system.

With all that I’ve learned & read about the ECS, & it’s DIRECT role with the reproductive cycle, noted by Dr. Felice Gersh in her presentation , THERE IS NO WAY that I can deny the ECS as a solution to women who are struggling with menstrual health. Simply based on my own experience + science.

& Now Here’s The Journey With PCOS + The ECS

The journey with PCOS, WOW where to even begin. I wish it were short, but it’s not!

As a child, I struggled with weight, which was contributed by my insulin resistance challenges, poor gut health, from eating an extremely unhealthy diet, amongst many other factors.

As years progressed into my teens, & when I started my cycle for the first time at 14 years old, my young womanhood cycle that was not regular, which later became a consistent issue. They came around ONCE every 5 months.

I had gone in to see my pediatrician with my mom at 15, in hopes to get a referral to a dermatologist about my acne, since it seemed like it was growing all over my back, shoulders, even the crease of my elbow, face, jawline. At that time, I was also struggling with my weight, still, & cycling in & out of Lindora programs, to lose & manage my weight. Yo-yo dieting was always consistently inconsistent. I’d make progress, I’d feel good, get the hang of things, but it was never a lasting solution. In that same Dr.’s appointment, it was highly recommended that I get on birth control at 15 years old, as a method to manage my acne. It was also presented as a prevention plan to any FUTURE REPRODUCTIVE CHALLENGES.

Excuse me, “WHAT?” is what I literally thought at the time.

That appointment jumpstarted my mom to help me begin eating a more balanced diet, to create more control of the acne + overall health situation.

Welcome, PCOS.

Later, in college, where I was studying at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, earning my degree in Kinesology, is where the journey with PCOS really began to play a role in my life. As a sophomore in college, I woke up after a night of partying (we did a lot of that), with a dull, very achey, pulsing pain on my side. I honestly thought nothing of it. It kept getting progressively worse, & I kept wondering “What in the heck did I do last night??” My ever so sweet friend highly encouraged that we go to the hospital to just make sure that everything was “good to go.”

At the hospital, after all tests & scans, my doctor came back and said,
“Did you know that you have PCOS, & both of your ovaries are completely covered in cysts? Have you done anything about this?

All of the years before came rushing into my head and I thought “Okay, it caught up with me.” RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THEN, I knew I had to make lifestyle changes. Getting on medicine was not an option for me, simply because I didn’t relate to it. I made changes AGAIN in my health by dramatically switching over to a clean eating lifestyle in hopes to create positive forward movement in my health.

We’re Getting Into The ECS…

Post college, I had the opportunity to dive right into the clinic life, to work with some of the BEST doctors, Dr. Robert Marshall PhD., & Dr. Linda Forbes DC, LAC, DACBN, CCN, at The Premier Center of Santa Monica.

These two mentors helped shape the framework for all of my beliefs in the ability to activate the body to heal itself, when supported properly.

What an amazing opportunity to learn about the body in a manner that is NOT taught in school, while also an incredible opportunity to work with THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE in such a short amount of time of a handful of years.

I’m beyond blessed for that clinical experience.Through this experience, I was able to apply some AMAZING health protocols that were incredibly extensive, direct, restorative, & life changing.

With all of these protocols, I did make improvements in my cycle.
HOWEVER, I was NOT able to completely correct my menstrual challenges.

To be honest, I felt that I had done all that I could, that I couldn’t make any more improvements, and I was just grateful that I was getting them in closer windows compared to just once very 5 months.

My cycles still included:

• Black blood.
• Massive clotting.
• Hemorrhaging.
• Extreme back pain 1-2 weeks before a cycle.
• Horrible facial + body swelling.
• Hyper sensitive in my emotions (deep sadness)
• Cystic acne over my kidneys (only before a cycle)
• Intense electrical shocks in my uterus (right before a cycle)
• Debilitating pain on day 1-2 on a cycle.
• Body collapse while jogging on a cycle (almost like a blackout)
• Lymphatic backup
• Brain fog

This was my normal, & I was grateful to even have a cycle.

This is where the ECS passion makes its introduction to my life.

2 years after exiting the clinic, when I was already advocating primarily online, working on building out my blog, my Instagram, & advocating wellness, CBD was introduced into my life.

I received, with skepticism.

To be honest, I didn’t want much to do with it.

I didn’t know what my clients would think, & for me, that was a concern at the time.

HOWEVER, I went with it, based on intuition.
I started my self education journey with learning more & more about the endocannabinoid system, The ECS, the system that CBD is clinically known to communicate with. There is a load of information out there if you search for it.

My body was incredibly responsive to supporting my ECS with CBD from the beginning. My list of challenges became “non-challenges.” I was STOKED, thrilled, that this had become a solution. THEN, I found a way to access the ECS even more that I already had, for great results.

& NOT WITH CBD OIL.

You read correct. I DON’T use or advocate CBD oil, like I used to.
WHY? Less taxation on the body. Especially if the body is already compromised. & OIL & WATER DON’T MIX.

I use & advocate a water dissolvable complex delivery system, for maximal bioavailability, w/ clinical data to support it. Clinically, scientifically, and medically validated. ECS access by absorbing INTO the body, not by being DIGESTED into the body, maximal bioavailability.

Think of the concept of, ushering an IV bag of nutrition into the body, but from a tincture, for maximal bioavailability purposes, with super antioxidants added to it.

I’M A NERD AT HEART.

I LOVE SCIENCE.

This valid science is what allows me to work with other health care + medical professionals, & surgeons, integrating this line into their practice to help people more efficiently. It’s biotechnology at its finest, to jumpstart the body.

With the simple shift of being able to access the ECS at full capacity, without combating digestion, & working with absorbing cannabinoids, let me tell you…

MY HEALTH ACHIEVEMENTS have MASSIVELY stretched farther than they ever have before, even more than when I had used an oil based CBD.
The same applies to so many that also use it, to achieve optimal states of health.

Here’s the BEST part.

For other women who have been looking for further nutritional assistance for their cycle, & choose to support their ECS like I have, with what I use, they have also made great health progressions, too.

To be clear, I am NOT a medical doctor. I do not treat, cure, or diagnose, anything.

Anytime I’m speaking with women who struggle in their menstrual health, there’s always a sense of loss in hope, frustration, insecurity, and a high level of anxiety that’s been wired into their system.

For many of them, almost their entire adult life of struggling within their cycle, and for many, for at least a few years of trying to maintain, make things better, or just trying to survive through the struggle.

Supporting menstrual cycles and PCOS specifically through the ECS CAN CHANGE LIVES, like it has for me, and for the other women I’ve shared this information with.

If you or someone you know struggles in their menstrual health, I HIGHLY encourage you to be open to learn more about supporting the ECS, & to entertain the option of supporting it maximally, so that YOUR BODY can begin the process in restoring itself.

Your ECS supports EVERY SINGLE SYSTEM, RHYTHM, & FUNCTION IN THE HUMAN BODY. It is capable of restoring ANYTHING that is out of balance.

This means that it has UNLIMITED potential to bounce its way back to true operation & foundation.

Ladies, give your body a shot to restore itself by activating the ECS.

If you have questions, you are certainly welcome to reach out directly on Instagram.