The Endometriosis Diet: Eggs & Soy

Why cut out eggs & soy?

The simple answer is that both contain oestrogen which can exacerbate endometriosis symptoms, but in the case of soy it also goes a lot deeper than that. Traditional processing methods typically found in Asia result in a fairly 'safe' version of the bean, which if used minimally can be part of a balanced endo diet. However modern processing methods involve high levels of chemicals and strip the bean of almost all nutritious value. Rather than dig into it here, you should head to this article by Endo Resolved which explains exactly why soy is such a bad ingredient for endo sufferers.

As for eggs, the occasional one in a cake recipe is fine, but for the most part eliminating them will help reduce your symptoms. Also take care to stick to organic, free range eggs - commercial hens are given additional hormones and antibiotics to make them grow faster which will be passed on through their eggs.

Effects on Endometriosis

As endometriosis is largely fed by too much oestrogen in the body, reducing your intake of foods that contain oestrogen will at the least prevent symptoms from getting worse. In best case scenarios symptoms can be completely eliminated. By balancing your hormones you can take advantage of a number of benefits, better explained by this article.

Cutting them from your diet

Depending on the type of diet you already follow it may be fairly simple to remove eggs and, with a little care, soy too. This was the case for me as I did little baking at the time and wasn't a huge soy fan either. Even if they are a large part of your daily diet, there are substitutes and alternatives to both.

Egg replacements can be ordered online or found in health food shops. The one I've been using is Orgran No Egg, Gluten Free* and I've found it hugely useful for baking and even making endo-friendly homemade KFC! It doesn't help cakes to rise though, so you may need to add a little extra baking powder when you're baking.

As for soy, while you should limit your intake it is still possible to include some in your diet. Look out for traditionally-brewed soy sauce, which won't contain the excess aluminium and phytic acid that is found in modern processes. I personally use Clearspring Organic Tamari* that's also gluten free (seriously, you'd be surprised how many soy sauces contain wheat!) and I really like it. You can also include traditionally prepared Miso, Tempeh and Tofu, although you'll need to do your own research into those as I haven't tried them yet!

Eating out

This is where is become a little trickier, as to avoid eggs and dairy you often have to choose from the vegan menu but this is often where you'll find the soy products instead. Your best options are to stick to vegetarian, not vegan, where possible and simply ask for no dairy/egg, but this isn't possible. The only real advice I can give in this area is to ask/visit a restaurant before you go there for a meal to see what options are available. In the UK it is now law that anywhere serving food has allergen information for everything on the menu, so it should become a lot easier than it used to be!

Roundup

Avoiding gluten and dairy becomes easy with practice and there are plenty of substitutes out there for them. When it comes to eggs and soy products, it becomes a little harder. You'll find them in places you didn't expect such as soya lecithins in chocolate, or in a free-from products since a lot of vegan substitutes rely on soy instead and egg isn't usually considered an allergen to be removed. However with a little effort and a few replacement ingredients you'll barely notice they're missing. :)

Have you cut out eggs or soy from your diet? How easy did you find it to do?

Birthdays, Parties & Blog Breaks

For those of you who don't know (shame on you), Friday was my birthday! It was also Tom's birthday last week, so we wrote the whole week off as one giant birthday celebration! It was great fun, although it did mean a break from the internet, so sorry for the lack of planned blogs!

On Tuesday (his birthday) I got him a bottle of Cinnamon & Vanilla Jaeger to try as he's been going on about it for months now (we don't buy alcohol very often) and it was a hit, so I was very pleased with myself. I also got myself some Peach Bellini Oddka, which is reeeally nice with vanilla coke as a side note.

Thursday was an exciting day as I went to the casino to pay for our engagement party (4 days to go!) with Kassi (Maid of Honour #1 & Sister). Tom was too poorly to join us - probably from the jaeger! We had a tour of the casino for Kassi's benefit, discussed last minute details and had a free bet on the roulette wheel which we didn't win...

Then we wandered on over to trade in a game for Tom and get him a new one - Dragon Age: Inquisition - which I'm completely hooked on now. Seriously, I've spent about 15 hours on it over 3 days: obsessed. It took us a ridiculously long time to walk back to the car which made Kassi late for picking our cousin up from school, so I tagged along for the ride. My sides physically hurt by the time I got home from laughing so hard. There's nothing quite like time with family who think just like you!

This doesn't do it justice - it's bright red!

Friday was my birthday! I spent 4.5 hours in the salon - way more than the 2.5 I thought I'd be - getting my hair done and was starving by the time I eventually got home. I had just enough time to throw a pretty dress and some make up on before heading out to the Bonzo Lounge - a new place that's just opened up in Keynsham that does endo-friendly meals. I've been waiting to try this place out for weeks now and it was definitely worth it! I had a gluten-free harissa-spiced chicken burger with hummus instead of mayo. Yum! Plus a few too many cocktails, so Saturday didn't start too well for me, haha!

The weekend was spent playing Dragon Age and visiting fam for a good catch up. Plus I went to see 50 Shades of Grey with the girls Sunday night. I wasn't expecting much and really was just going for the girl-time, but it was actually alright. I think it was better to go in with low expectations as I was pleasantly surprised rather than disappointed, haha.

This week I have my uncle's birthday & my mum's, my scan and the engagement party so it's another busy one for me! But I think I prefer busy weeks - I was getting into the habit of a few too many pj days lately!

How about you? Busy busy busy or still hibernating for winter? :)

Diagnosed With Endometriosis: Now What?

The information you get shortly after being diagnosed with endometriosis will vary depending on where you're being treated, the doctor/consultant you speak to and your mental state (I was told shortly after waking from anaesthetic, so I missed a lot of the conversation!). If a specialist carried out your surgery you may receive excellent care and information, but for many they are diagnosed via exploratory surgery performed by a general gyne surgeon. They often have limited knowledge of the specifics of endometriosis and rarely know alternatives to medical treatment. For example when I asked my consultant if there were lifestyle changes I could make to complement treatment I was told a flat no - but further research has shown a wide variety of options!

So what should your first steps be upon receiving a diagnosis?

1. Rest

How you feel after surgery will vary - some people won't need telling twice to rest up and recover as they'll be feeling lethargic and in pain. Others will be experiencing their first hours of life without chronic pain and will consider themselves to be feeling fine. I was in this camp, feeling alert and energetic once the anaesthetic had worn off. If this is you, please rest. Your insides will still be healing even if you feel fine!

2. Research Endometriosis

Even if you received a lot of information about your diagnosis, there is still a lot of information for you to find out there. Your doctor will have advised you of their recommended treatment, but be aware this is not always the best route suited to your situation and beliefs, merely their opinion. You'll meet some doctors who know lots about endometriosis and others who have barely heard of it, so the best way to advocate for your own situation is to become knowledgeable about endo yourself. A brilliant book I read early on was Living Well With Endometriosis: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You That You Need To Know*. It goes through everything you could want to know about endo in great detail - from the history of its discovery, to exactly what endometriosis is, treatment options and research into causes and future treatments. You don't need a medical degree to read it, but it does contain medical terms that you may need to look up.

3. Find support

It's not easy receiving an endometriosis diagnosis, especially if you have chronic pain symptoms or fertility issues. Even if you just don't know what it is, or need to speak to someone who understands, a support group is full of people ready and willing to help. Endometriosis UK offer a number of physical and online support groups you can participate in, a helpline if you need to talk to someone and an online forum for discussion. Facebook has hundreds of support groups set up by women with endometriosis too - some private so friends and family can't see and others open to help raise awareness. Find a place full of people you connect with so that you have support during the harder times and friends for the fun times.

4. Look into complementary options

If you've found this blog you might already be at this stage, which is great! There are a number of options you have that can complement or replace traditional medicine depending on your beliefs and situation. The Endometriosis Diet is a step you can take immediately towards reducing the symptoms of endo and improving your health. A book I recommend frequently is Recipes & Diet Advice For Endometriosis* - it explains everything in detail, provides recommendations for alternative foods and has hundreds of recipes.

Other options include starting a personalised exercise routine designed to ease and stretch your body without worsening your symptoms (yoga and swimming are particularly good at this) and finding alternative therapies that also help with symptoms such as Reflexology and Reiki. You can also look into supplements that assist digestion, hormone balance and pain relief such as turmeric, B vitamins, evening primrose oil etc. Always check with doctors before starting supplements to make sure they don't interfere with medication.

5. Find things you love that aren't hindered by Endometriosis

One realisation I came to not long ago was that I let all my loves and hobbies slip away over the course of my endo journey to date. Between periods of chronic pain, lethargy and trying to keep an income, I had little energy left for some of the  things I used to love doing such as baking (couldn't stand for very long), reading and crafts (both tired me too quickly). If I could go back I would make time for those things as I think they would've helped my mental health and recovery more than I thought they would at the time.

Whether it's a new television series, photography, writing.. there are plenty of hobbies that won't irritate your symptoms. Even ones that do can be adapted to suit - I've found ways of standing longer for baking for example. The real message I want to convey here is don't let endometriosis become who you are, which is possible if you're suffering constant symptoms rather than cyclical ones.

What did you do when you were first diagnosed? Are there other steps you would add to this? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! :)

*These are Amazon Associate links - I make a small commission on the books if you buy them. I own both of these books, highly recommend them and would never link to a product I didn't fully back myself.

The Endometriosis Diet: Alternatives to Dairy

Why Cut Out dairy?

Dairy is not an easy thing to cut from your diet, but there are a number of reasons that make it worth it. Dairy products have a high-fat content that contains oestrogen - a hormone that endometriosis sufferers often have too much of already. Oestrogen controls a number of processes in the body, but most importantly it controls our reproductive system and an imbalance of the hormone is closely linked to endometriosis. It 'feeds' the endometrial cells.

Series 2 prostaglandins are found in dairy and are known to promote an inflammatory response in the body. I'll devote another blog to these pesky things as they're also found in red meats and aren't easy to summarise!

Dairy can also cause a host of digestive issues such as constipation or difficulty absorbing other nutrients in your food. And finally there are a number of intolerances that are caused or worsened by dairy - not just the obvious lactose intolerance - that can manifest as illnesses such as asthma, eczema and arthritis.

Whether you're feeling the effects of all of these problems or just one, cutting dairy could give you a significant reduction in symptoms.

Cutting Dairy From Your Diet

Initially it can be tricky to get your head around all of the products that contain dairy - even things you wouldn't expect like salt and vinegar crisps! But as you acclimatise to your new diet it becomes second nature and the habits you develop will make it much easier to avoid.

I'd start by replacing your milk with a simple unsweetened nut milk such as almond or hazelnut. The taste is quite creamy and easy to adjust to and nut milk can be used the same as normal cows milk - in hot drinks, on cereal and in baking etc. These are found in the same section as normal milk and are slightly more expensive, but also have a much longer use by date so if you're an infrequent milk drinker you may even end up saving money - we have! :)

Once you've cut milk out, it gets easier to remove or find alternative products like cheese and butter. Sadly I've yet to find an alternative to cheese (vegan cheese contains soy), but I live in hope!

A Note On Yoghurt

Although a dairy product, there are certain types of yoghurt that are actually beneficial for the endometriosis diet. Commercial yoghurts are highly processed, sweetened and full of sugar, whereas the healthy yoghurts tend to be natural 'live' versions that contain bacteria that promote a healthy gut. These yoghurts can be made from animal milks as well as nut milks, however animal milk is still harder to digest and nut yoghurts would be better for you.

Dairy Free Dining

While not as common as gluten free, dairy free menu options are starting to become more popular - especially in new restaurants and smaller chains. They're often found in the vegan section, although don't assume that normal items can't be made dairy free. Often it's as simple as asking for no cheese/cream dip etc. If in doubt ask for the allergen information to go alongside the menu - restaurants now have to have this information by law so it's about to become much easier to dine out than it used to be!

Alternatives To Dairy

As mentioned already it's possible to get nut milks to replace dairy products. You can also get nut butters and yoghurts too. Rice milk is another alternative that you can buy from health stores - I've even seen it in larger Asda stores! Less obvious substitutes are water or fruit juices, depending on the use. For example water is a healthier alternative for hot chocolate and fruit juice can be used as a sweetener in baking.

Butter is fairly simple to replace too - simply use an olive or sunflower oil based spread. These should appear either in the butter section or closeby, depending on the store layout.

As I said, the only alternative I've yet to find is cheese. I've heard that cheeses made from nut milk do exist, but I've yet to find them and I'm pretty sure they'll come with a price tag I won't want to pay!

Roundup

While it's less common to cut dairy from your diet than gluten, in many ways it's easier as there are less products for you to slip up on. I would caution you to check labels, as milk can creep into some products you wouldn't expect it to, but you'll get used to this over time. Removing dairy can have a host of benefits, from clearer skin to less painful cramps and a healthier digestion.

Have you tried a dairy free diet? What alternatives do you use? And if you've found a dairy free cheese substitute (that isn't made from soya) I'd love to know!

Things That Hurt In The Night: Back Pain Edition

As I write this it's currently 4.10am which means it's exactly one hour since I got up and also 6 hours since I went to bed. I'm functioning on a grand total of 5 hours sleep, which is ironic since earlier I was explaining to a friend that I don't function on less than 8 and preferably 9-10.

Sometimes this is all I'm good for...

Lately my back pain has been getting worse. I'm taking the hot water bottle to bed nightly now and even using it through the day. I wake up sore and stiff, like I slept funny, with all kinds of knots even though my sleeping habits haven't changed. Some days I can't even bend forwards without a huge protest from my back and I have to start the day slow, warming into anything that requires retrieving items from the floor or low drawers. The next step to this pain if I don't do something about it (and it's already starting to creep round) is pain in my ribs and chest, like a band where my bra would go if it wasn't too painful to wear.

I know it's the endo because it flares around my cycle and the pain is only eased by a scalding hot water bottle. By the time you can bear to have it on your skin for longer than 10 seconds it's too cool, so you'll often find my back covered in angry red patches.

You have a cure for back pain?

No amount of stretching will ease the pain, although it does give me a brief respite mid-stretch (and some insanely satisfying clicks and cracks) that I reach for ridiculously often even though I know it's only  fleeting. I used to see an osteopath regularly and that did help, but it was costing between £80-160/month and going any less than once a fortnight meant the effects didn't last between sessions. I also tried weekly hot stone massages - the painful remedial kind, not the relaxing ones - but the relief of those only lasted a few days at most and were similarly £100/month. Weekly personal training sessions meant that my back pain eased more long term too, but even those were coming in at £80-100/month and sometimes aggravated the pelvic pain to boot. Conclusion: back pain is expensive!

So I've established that stretching - the kind that comes with exercise and massage - is the key to reducing this pain. But here's where I'm stuck: how do you exercise when you're already in pain? Not just in your back but in your pelvis too? Even walking pulls at the pain in my abdomen and the stretching from yoga on the Wii Fit that I was finding helped my back does little for the other pains.

I'm going swimming with mum tomorrow, so perhaps that will offer me the gentle exercise I need to stretch everything without pulling. That would be a nice hobby to take up again, it's been years (and years and years... almost 15?) since I went regularly.

If that fails I'm just gonna have to live in exercise clothing and jump into exercise the moment I get any reprieve! Or create some kind of hot water bottle outfit on the suggestion of another friend. Either way, I need to find some way to get more quality sleep, because 5 hours is just not enough for a happy Ami!

Do you have pains that aren't typical endo but you know they're related? Or tricks that help with your pain? I'd love to hear your thoughts - I know it's not just me up at odd hours!

Dress Shopping and Pin It Buttons

Happy Sunday lovely readers!

This week has been full of ups and downs with the diet - those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook will have spotted my new obsession with Banana Smoothies! But I was also bad and had more chocolate than I'd like to admit to.. Must try harder next week!

I finally got a date through for my scan - 19th Feb - so I'll find out what the endo has been up to in the last year. Fingers crossed for no difference, but I don't think I'll be that lucky this time.

The highlight of this week was Wednesday, when I went dress shopping for our engagement party with my nan. I'm not a standard size so inevitably a top that fits my chest will be too big for my stomach and vice versa. Plus I'm short, so dresses don't fall where they're supposed to. I usually try to avoid shopping, but we went in with determination to find something that would fit!

We planned to go to Milsom Street in Bath as they have some little boutique stores, but we ended up on Broad Street first and found a lovely little shop. The owner was fabulous and very friendly - passing me all kinds of dresses to try on as we went through the sale racks. She even let me borrow a pair of heels and some jewellery to see what the 'completed look' would be for each outfit!

I tried on 4 dresses in total, all of which were beautiful. It was a completely new experience for me to try on dresses and love every single one! I was wearing my sister's corset on underneath to smooth the lumps and bumps, but that was my only cheat.

In the end though there was a clear winner. The ladies in the shop were raving about it and my nan was giving it the big thumbs up, so it had to come home with us. For the first time ever, we not only found a dress that fitted with minimal fuss, we did it in the first shop we went to! (I know you're not supposed to buy the first one you find, but when you see it you'll know it was the right call!)

I'm keeping the dress under wraps for now - I've been asked for a sneak peek by so many people already! Now my task is to find accessories to match and I have 12 days left to do so. :)

Another achievement this week was adding Pin It buttons to the blog so you can share it on Pinterest now - a small but happy win! So if you like what you read go ahead and Pin away!

What was your highlight of the week or achievement you're proud of? Sometimes endo can leave us focusing on the negative, it's nice to take a look back and give ourselves high fives for the little things!

The Endometriosis Diet: Alternatives to Wheat & Gluten

Why Cut Out Wheat & Gluten?

Wheat and gluten have been implicated in a number of health and digestive issues and sufferers often have some degree of wheat intolerance, whether that's a simple sensitivity or something more severe like coeliac disease. It can exacerbate conditions such candida and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which occur frequently alongside endometriosis.

There are a number of theories as to why gluten is such a problem, particularly to endometriosis sufferers, but the exact cause is unknown. The most popular theory is that the mass-produced crops we grow today are vastly different from the original crops. Through genetic modification we've made the crops more resistant and suitable for mass-production, but at what cost to its nutritional value? Combined with the huge number of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers used to grow the crops, wheat is no longer the healthy grain it once was and our bodies are unable to process it as easily anymore.

Symptoms Of Gluten Intolerance

While coeliac disease is a much more severe allergy and has it's own set of symptoms, it does share some common symptoms with the less severe intolerance. The most common symptoms of gluten intolerance are:

• Cramping & bloating
• Gas or a rumbling stomach
• Fatigue and/or headaches
• IBS - either constipation or diarrhoea
• Iron/B12 deficiencies
• Anaemia
• Depression

Gluten Free Effects On Endometriosis

Although cutting gluten from your diet has no guarantee of reducing your pain, this is the case for many of the women who try a gluten free diet. Up to 80% of women with endometriosis who follow a gluten free diet experience a reduction in their cramping, bloating and pain symptoms and of those some even find that they have no endometriosis symptoms at all. For those resisting the idea of trying this diet, isn't that worth just 1 month of changing your diet as a test?

My personal experience is that while sticking strictly to the endometriosis diet I have ~80-90% reduction in my pain symptoms. While mostly following the diet I have ~40-60% reduction and when I don't follow the diet at all (I sometimes slip up and quickly regret it) my symptoms are rather quick to return. Of all the foods cut from this diet, gluten is the one rule I will not break as I can bloat up to 2 clothing sizes bigger within 30 minutes of eating it. In the 18 months I've been on the diet I've only eaten gluten by accident (improperly labelled foods or getting caught out by the trick foods I'll mention below).

Cutting Gluten From Your Diet

Although it sounds extreme, gluten isn't as difficult to cut from your diet as it once was. Most stores usually have a 'Free From' section and many of the big brands are starting to offer gluten free alternatives of their products. Even if your local shops don't have a gluten free section, there are plenty of health shops that stock alternatives such as rice flour, corn flour or oat flour to name just a few of the options!

The best thing to do is eliminate gluten from your diet gradually or you may find yourself with a hefty food bill to begin with! Start by replacing items that run out with gluten free alternatives, such as your bread and pasta. Then over time you can learn new recipes and alternatives and stock up on the necessary ingredients as you need them. Eating a gluten free diet doesn't need to be expensive, but you do have to be willing to cook from scratch and rely less on convenience foods.

If you want cheap, convenient and tasty foods you're out of luck, but you're also forgoing all of the additives and chemical nasties added to food too so don't feel too bad. See those things as a triangle - you can have cheap and tasty if you're willing to put the time in, cheap and convenient if you're less fussed on the taste, or convenient and tasty if you'll spend a little extra on the ingredients, but not all three at once.

To see whether gluten is a problem for you, realistically you need to be eating a completely gluten free diet for at least 2 weeks to see if it has worked. You will experience some benefits of reducing gluten, but only cutting it completely will show true results.

Gluten Free Dining

Making gluten free food at home is relatively simple once you get the hang of it, but what about those special occasions when you want to eat at a restaurant? The best thing to do is look at menus before you go. Coeliac is becoming a more widely understood food intolerance and as a result more and more restaurants are starting to cater to the diet.

Also don't assume anything when it comes to ingredients - some meals are inherently gluten free even if it's not stated on the menu, whereas others seem like they should be gluten free but aren't. (I'm looking at you roast potatoes and gravy...) Over time you'll get used to identifying 'safe' foods and also 'trick' foods - ie the ones that shouldn't have gluten in but always seem to for the fun of it. (Here I'm thinking of Corn Fajitta Wraps. Took me far too long to realise they had wheat in them too!)

Takeaway Cheat Sheet

You may think your days of takeaways and fast food restaurants are long gone when deciding to take on this diet, but you'd be wrong! Here are a few of the restaurants and meals I've found to be gluten free when desperate for an unhealthy fix! (I've stuck to well-known brands here to increase the chances you'll have one nearby - always check local takeaways too as they sometimes have better adapted menus!)

• Nandos - Endo friendly as a whole as it turns out. Ask for their Butterfly Chicken with any sauce you like! You can even skip the salad and team it with their fries as long as you ditch the piri piri salt (boo!).
• McDonalds fries - okay, not a whole meal as most of their foods are breaded or battered, but if you're after a quick salty snack it's better than nothing! (Of course their salads etc. are available too, but who goes to McDs for a salad?!)
• Chiquitos - these guys have a fabulous gluten free menu that can easily be adapted to the endo diet, simply ask for no sour cream/cheese etc.
• Indian Takeaways - if you like it hot, a curry is brilliant for takeaway nights with friends or family. The mild curries always have cream or milk in them, but you can specify no dairy when you order in any place that makes their meals from scratch. (I have my local favourites trained to my tastes now!) Also ask them what their poppadoms are made from. Traditionally they're made with Gram Flour, but some places now use wheat instead.

Alternatives to Wheat

As mentioned earlier, there are a number of alternatives to wheat - particularly when it comes to flour. They vary in price and also application - some are better for savoury foods while others are more suited to cakes and baking. Rice, corn and potato flours are the most common you'll find in gluten free products - particularly breads and wraps, although you may also see tapioca and maize too.

When it comes to baking at home you can buy special gluten-free flour blends, but they tend to be bleached and low in nutritional value. Personally I prefer to use rice flour in most of my baking, although any health food shop will be able to give you a number of options, such as Buckwheat (not actually wheat - just shares the name!), Amaranth, Potato, Chickpea, Millet, Quinoa... the list goes on!

If you're looking for recipes there will be plenty added to this blog over time, or simply try googling them - you'll be amazed at the options out there now!

Roundup

Living a gluten free lifestyle is not as hard as many people make out. It requires some advanced planning and a learning curve upfront, but over time it gets a lot easier to follow than you'd think. You'll learn your favourite recipes and always have the ingredients to hand. You'll find the gluten free friendly cafes and restaurants in your area and you'll even introduce your friends and family to foods they probably haven't tried before and now love! Tom was very anti-cous cous to start with, but now it's a staple in our meals. So give it a try - what is there to lose except the pain of endometriosis?

I'd love to hear your experiences of trying a gluten free diet - the treats you were surprised you could still have and also the things you miss most (Dominos pizza anyone?). Let me know in the comments below!

The Endometriosis Diet: Revisited

I first posted about the diet shortly after I was diagnosed with endometriosis and I was just starting to try it. Since then I've had great success with some parts (for example I've only had gluten a handful of times since then and all were accidents) but less success with others - I'm still not sugar free and the additives/preservatives bit is yet to be attempted.

Since I'm starting up the blog again and renewing my efforts I thought it'd be useful to take another look at what is cut out and why - both for readers and also to strengthen my resolve in abstaining from chocolate! This is gonna be an ~8 part series through the month focusing on what is cut out and why, along with alternatives that I've found over the last 18 months where possible.

So first a quick run down of what's cut out again, along with a little about why:

Wheat/Gluten causes all kinds of nasty symptoms from bloating to IBS. Cutting it out is the difference between me fitting my clothes and living in my stretchy pjs - literally.

Red Meat is full of type 2 prostaglandins (more on these later!), which cause your body to have an inflammatory response. Endometriosis causes inflammation all on its own, so you want to avoid adding to it!

Dairy & Eggs are full of oestrogen, something you probably already have too much of if you have endo. Cutting it from your diet can help reduce the cyclical pain.

Sugar can wreak havoc with your hormones and is particularly known for causing irritability and even rage in some sufferers. It also feeds Candida - a yeast infection in the gut often found alongside endo/IBS.

Caffeine - I'll be honest with you, I can't entirely remember why you cut out caffeine. I've mostly succeeded, but maybe doing the research for this will help my resolve with staying away from coke!

Alcohol doesn't directly affect endometriosis, but it does affect your liver's function. Your liver is the #1 organ for eliminating excess oestrogen from your body, which it can't do all that effectively if it's working on last nights indulging!

Yeast - another food-source of Candida, so a good one to avoid.

Soy(a) is absolutely full of oestrogen. There are some types of soy sauce that are okay dependent on their brewing methods, but apart from that avoid soy at all costs.

Preservatives/Additives are made up of complex chemical compounds - some of which act as endocrine disruptors and xenoestrogens (again, more on these later!). Your hormones are all over the place enough without adding chemical substitutes for your body to deal with.

Personally I've had great success with gluten, red meat (I only broke down and had a beef chilli once and it so wasn't worth it), eggs and soy (the latter two only very occasionally). Medium success with dairy, caffeine and alcohol - I do sometimes slip up with my coke addiction and indulge in alcohol on special occassions. I also haven't been able to completely kick chocolate, so dairy sneaks in now and then. As for sugar, yeast and preservatives/additives, I haven't even started aside from switching to a few natural body products. So if you look at this list and think it seems impossible to even start, don't worry. It's a journey and it'll take time to get used to it. :)

Do you follow the Endo Diet, or a version of it? What do you cut out or slip up on? I'd love to hear your experiences!

BBQ Pulled Pork & Crazy Hormones

BBQ Pulled Pork has been a little obsession of ours lately. Thanks to a friend who was able to get us a lot of pork shoulder for pretty cheap, we were able to indulge more than usual over the last month. I've made 3 giant batches now, totaling about 18 portions of absolutely delicious pork, made even better by the homemade BBQ sauce I made to go along with it. Yum!

January was an interesting month - my hormones have been jumping all over the place and it's made me more than a little irritable. In fact I've even experienced full on rage, which was a new one for me. I think it had to do with having my first cycle in 6 months and it's not a feeling I'm looking to repeat...ever!

January also saw the return of another emotion I battle with occasionally: depression. After doing a vision board workshop I realised that I have rather few hobbies that I indulge in anymore thanks to the endo and for a while I did feel quite upset by it. But it's also a pretty exciting opportunity to explore some new hobbies and get back in touch with old ones (such as reading and blogging!).

On the flip side of all that January also brought me a need to declutter - a lot! I'm still in the middle of the process, but I've sold off some of our bookshelves, taken a few bags to charity and even sorted out my underwear drawer and put some to one side for a homeless shelter. I have a strong desire to purge all of the unnecessary stuff that's accumulated in the flat over the last 2.5 years and make room. Call it hormones or energy, but I suddenly feel a little claustrophobic with all the stuff we own. It's actually nice getting rid of some of it!

This has been a bit of a random post, but I guess that's what crazy hormones do - make everything a little random! I've really enjoyed putting together the first few posts about the Endo Diet and its alternative, so look out for those over the new few weeks. :)

How was January for you? Did you make some great progress on new goals or get distracted and forget them (like my healthy eating idea...)?