I am not a nutritionist, dietitian or expert on diet, this is just my journey and what has worked for me.
Endometriosis is better treated with an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY diet. Or so I’ve been told by my naturopathic doctor and my new gynecologist. Everything I decide to eat I know has some kind of anti-inflammatory benefit. Turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and zinc are amongst my favorites that I keep in rotation.
I had already been vegan for the most part, but I still liked to nibble on some non vegan chips or cheese pizza once in a while. Then my heart was ripped into pieces when I learned dairy is a huge inflammatory trigger which isn’t good for me so I chose to let that go completely. RIP Hot Chips and my favorite bakery with cheese and guava pastries. I love cheese.
On top of that, gluten is also a huge culprit for endometriosis so while I was being tested on my tolerance with gluten, I decided to stop eating it all together. Those puffy, beautiful bread appetizers with butter, or the chewy, melt in your mouth chocolate chip cookies, while vegan, most had gluten and I decided to let that go. Luckily, the results came back and I do not have Celiac or any allergy to gluten. However, having felt the huge difference of going gluten free for about 3 months, I decided to limit my gluten intake, especially in the week leading up to my period every month. I can’t express enough how much it actually does help.
With all the healthy eating and drinking, going to the bathroom twice a day everyday became my goal. Yes, this is TMI but it’s important because that helps with the elevated estrogen levels associated with endometriosis. I started eating my yogurt with flaxseed and banana or homemade granola and doubled my liquids every day to help.
In addition to that, I decided on yoga every day. I started off at 5 minutes and worked my way up to 20-30 minutes. I’ve definitely had a few setbacks on this. Like the entire month I went with an IUD that was destroying my uterus, I could barely move. (More on that journey in my posts IUD Part 1 and Part 2). Unfortunately, exercising every day is so hard for me because of my busy schedule, but on the days I can’t dedicate the time to yoga, I choose to walk during my lunch around the block. The point is to get my muscles moving and my digestive system running smoothly. But not too smoothly, if you know what I mean.
I became obsessed with learning about my microbiome and how to have and maintain a healthy gut because that directly affects my endometriosis. Skipping meals because I was too busy was no longer an excuse. Buying pre-made food wasn’t an option anymore because of the elevated sugars, sodium and not so natural flavors. Cooking, one of my LEAST favorite things to do in the world, became a fun activity with loud music and dancing. I had to make something I hated so much into something fun at the very least. My determination to better myself and never have to go through the horrors of surgery and crippling period pain again outweighed my laziness.
I learned how to make my own granola, my own sour cream using vegan, unflavored yogurt and a dash of lime, and I even attempted to make Japanese roux cubes for curry. They definitely needed more salt, but it was an attempt well made. Black beans and garbanzo beans go good with almost everything so I have them ready to go with tortilla, bread or a salad. Luckily I live in a world where it’s easy to find fun recipes for exactly what I need. Although, I won’t lie, it wasn’t easy or fun to make this change in my diet. I hated it for the most part, but as the time went by I started to feel more energized to do it all over again every week and continue this momentum. I feel so much better now and my period has been pain free for the most part. My uterus is happy, I’m happy.
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