Planning A New Diet

Did you miss me? :) Tom and I went on a short break to Leicester to visit his parents and then on to Manchester for a few days just the two of us. It was lovely - we went to Twycross Zoo, Chester Zoo and The Chestnut Centre (an otter and owl sanctuary in the Peak District) - which I loved, but also highlighted my need to get fit like nothing else could!

The otters spotted breakfast on its way!

Despite stopping frequently to rest and taking plenty of food and drink to keep my energy up, I was still left exhausted and in pain on most of the days (a lot of walking was involved even on non-zoo days). I took naps on any afternoon we were home/at the hotel and was going to bed early most nights but I was still left drained by the end of the holiday and desperate for my own bed!

Alongside all of this happening I've noticed more bloating/some weight gain and the tightening of my clothes, so it's time to do something. I also have a friend who recently broke her leg and is looking to lose weight before her wedding later this year, so we've teamed up to keep each other accountable.

I've made a plan that I'm going to try for the next week to see if I can stick to it and I wanted to share it with you in case anyone wants to try it with me. :)

So here goes...

Breakfast: a fruit/veg smoothie. My plan is to buy fruit and veg in bulk at the start of the week the freeze it in portion sizes ready to blend each morning. (side note: I've tried blending then freezing but they just don't taste as nice.) I'm thinking a basic recipe of gluten free porridge oats, almond milk and then a mix of whatever fruits and veg (spinach/kale will be my sneaky iron intake) I have on hand.

Mid-morning snack: Veg sticks, nuts, raisins etc.

Lunch: Soup. Again, planning to make this in batches and freeze in individual portions to make things super easy.

Afternoon snack: Veg sticks, nuts, raisins. On treat days this is when I'll eat the chocolate too (raw dark chocolate of course!)

Dinner: This is the only meal that will be more flexible as I'll have to accommodate Tom here, but I'll still try to keep it healthy and perhaps reduce my portion sizes.

Drinks: I'll be following the rule "don't drink your calories" and sticking to water, except perhaps some fruit juice or squash if I really need something with flavour! I know people advise lemon/lime in water for flavour, but that just doesn't cut it for me.

I'll try to get more exercise in too to keep up any fitness I gained while we were away, but since #EndoFitPlan bombed miserably I'm gonna concentrate on getting the diet right before worrying about that!

Is anyone else trying to get healthy and lose some weight as summer approaches? (I don't believe in yo-yo diets, but I definitely find myself more motivated when the weather is nicer!) Let me know if you want to create a group for support!

Our Endometriosis Interview with The Digestion Detective

On the 26th of March Kassi and I had a lovely chat with Sam from The Digestion Detective all about Endometriosis and our fundraising efforts, specifically #ShaveForEndo. We covered what endometriosis is, some top tips for getting help from your doctor and the basics to starting the endo diet. We also explained what fundraising we've done so far, plans for the future and why we think Endometriosis UK is such a great charity! You can listen to the full interview here:

Moments after Kassi saw her new 'do' for the first time!

Donate to #ShaveForEndo
Find out more about Endometriosis UK

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?

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!

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!

A Change In Direction

I can't believe it's almost a year to the day since I wrote my last blog. So much has happened since then! A quick run down of last year for you, before I get on to why I'm actually writing the first new blog for 12 months...

First things first, I got engaged in September! We were on our first holiday with my family in Spain and Tom proposed at midnight on the roof of our villa in a blanket fort. It was the cheesiest, most romantic thing ever and I loved it. :)

My business was also a rollercoaster - growing impressively fast early in the year then tailing off towards the end. December was hibernation mode for me and January has started with a million and one ideas on how to change my business to reflect me a little better.

My relationship with my family has only grown stronger - our experiences in 2013 really did cement some already pretty awesome friendships. I've also made new friends and gotten closer to existing ones, so 2014 was definitely a good year for relationships all round in my life. :)

But that's enough about life. Onto why I'm writing! And how fitting that it's one year since my last post - completely unintentional I assure you. I'm about to enter the next stage of my Endometriosis journey, having some scans to check up on everything and then (all being well) having the Mirena coil removed. This is partly to start the journey of having a family, although I think that one will still take some time, but more importantly I'm taking a much more natural, holistic approach to my endo. My experiences with the diet have been bitter-sweet; when I stick to it everything goes pretty well and I'm largely symptom free still, but if I slip up even slightly it can have some nasty consequences. The first step I'll be taking is to get more strict and more healthy - introducing fitness as well.

What's this got to do with the blog you might be asking? Well I want to document it all. I'll finally be sharing full details of the diet that I failed to finish last time, including recipes I find useful and alternatives to things you can't have on the diet. For example last night I made some caramel cookies that were completely endo friendly. Would you believe it?
I'll also be including any therapies that help, product alternatives to the chemical-filled ones you'll find in supermarkets. exercises that ease pain... all of it. Much like I used to track my eco adventures, I'll now be tracking my endo adventures (with some eco thrown in of course - I haven't changed that much!) in the hopes that it could help someone else going through the same. And the therapeutic effect writing gives me. ;)

I've already got billions of ideas for blogs popping into my head, but I won't be posting everything all at once. If my past unreliability has taught me anything, it's to pace the blogs and have some prepared in advance, so that's what I'm off to do!

If you have any questions about endo, the diet, recipe requests - anything at all - just leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to respond! :)

Reflection - My Story

I'm awake. Awake and in pain. A familiar yet unfamiliar pain that I haven't felt in almost 5 months now.

Rather than get annoyed, I find myself reflecting on the last year and all it's brought me.

12 months ago I was experiencing just the beginning of what would soon become daily agony. I didn't know that I was soon to experience crippling pain that would have me sleeping on the living room floor wrapped in heat pads and blankets, on the strongest painkillers the doctors would give me, all in the hope of an hour or two of sleep before work. Pain that bloated my body and made every day a surprise of whether I'd make it to the end of the work day. Weekly osteopath appointments would just about keep me standing with the back pain and weekly doctor appointments would become more and more frustrating as my suffering fell on deaf ears.

9 months ago was the start of the pain. After 3 months of particularly bad 'womens problems' the pain was no longer just a symptom of an (extended) 'time of the month'. The pain became my month - all of it. And then it became two months. Then three and finally four. Four months of pain that was completely unexplained and the doctor settled upon IBS as the diagnosis from Day One. When each drug didn't work I was given another. Diet advice. Pain relief. No offer of an alternative diagnosis, further testing or anything that would've looked into the real cause.

7 months ago came the first blood test. The first admission that it might not just be IBS. By this point I hadn't slept in weeks and I was so bloated I looked 6 months pregnant. Work was becoming a struggle and I was starting to suffer depression from the constant pain. That blood test showed I had signs of infection in my blood, but no antibiotics were offered. Just an appointment in two weeks time for another blood test "to see if it's gone."

6.5 months ago came blood test number two. All my hopes pinned on this one - something had to show. Something that would explain everything. But life stepped in before I got those results.

Sunday 28th July I was in agony - even more so than usual and I couldn't even sit still. My blanket of heat pads didn't cut it and I rang the NHS advice line to find out what my options were at 9pm on a Sunday night. Within an hour I was at Frenchay Hospital Out of Hours GP seeing a lovely doctor who was probably the first to touch on the real problem. But he wasn't to be the one who would save me. Being late on a Sunday night he advised I visit my GP the next day. So back to my GP I went, for my blood tests to show more infection. And once more I was given an appointment in two weeks "to see if it's gone."

But Tuesday 30th July changed it all. Sat in my mum's kitchen I was in tears, not because of the pain but because I gave up. My family was outraged at the way I was being ignored, but I was just used to it. My fight left me that morning and I resigned myself to constant pain. I told my mum that someone else would have to fight for me, because I just couldn't anymore.

It's funny how the universe knows when you mean it. And I couldn't have meant it more. I was defeated. Within 30 minutes I was white and throwing up. Laying limply on the sofa an emergency doctors appointment was made  for the afternoon. It's funny looking back that I didn't consider it serious enough for an ambulance even at that point. It was 'just IBS' after all.
That afternoon I saw a different GP. If angels exist she is one of them, because she saved me that day. I had a fever on top of the vomiting and I was sent straight home to pack for Frenchay. Something was very wrong.

At midnight after seeing a number of doctors and being sent to a different hospital I was finally admitted to the Gynae ward in Southmead Hospital with a suspected infection of my fallopian tubes. Tears streamed down my face for most of the night, especially at 2am when my mum had to admit defeat and head home to sleep. It was all just too much.

Wednesday 31st July I got my first glimpse of a real diagnosis. A scan showed two cysts - 8cm and 4cm - one on each ovary. My insides were a puzzle; it took them a lot of searching to find my ovaries in the first place as they were up by my bellybutton, touching in the middle. Blood tests also showed I had not one, but two infections. The one that had caused my fever but also a chronic infection that had been around for at least a month by that time. A very nice consultant gave me the news; it was either an abcess or endometriosis. I was put on antibiotics and watched constantly - if it was an abcess and it burst I'd need emergency surgery, but they wanted to wait until the infection was under control before surgery if possible.

I spent the next few days staying positive, meeting each new patient as they came and went and getting to know the nurses. I've never been more grateful for my family (especially my mum and Tom) as not a visiting hour went by that I wasn't surrounded by people, presents and food.

This time 6 months ago it was Thursday 1st August - the day before the first of two operations that changed my life in so many ways. In every way.

Me with presents after Op #1

On Friday 2nd August an exploratory laparoscopy showed I had Stage 4 (severe) endometriosis. I would need another surgery once the cysts had been shrunk as it was too dangerous to cut them out at that point. I was given Zoladex to put me into a medical menopause for 3 months which would shrink the cysts and conversations delicately skirted around the real fear we all had. Would it affect my fertility?

3 months ago I came to the end of a new hell; the menopause was not kind to me. I was angry a lot of the time, depressed the rest and fighting to see an end to any of it. I'd also started on the Endometriosis Diet and combined with the Zoladex September and October were almost pain free for me. In one way I was so grateful for that relief, but in another the hormones took that gratitude from me as I was too emotional to enjoy it. And it still wasn't a solution. Zoladex was just a stop-gap on the way to the next surgery.

On Friday 22nd November I was admitted once more for another laparoscopy - this time to cut away the cysts and any endo they could get to. They were also checking my fertility and making sure all was working okay. At pre-op I'd been told I would be going home that night, but my consultant said it wouldn't be until the next day at least. So mum went off to work to keep occupied and I was taken off to surgery.

That afternoon I came around just long enough to hear the results before sleeping the rest of the day and night. The cysts were gone but they had bad news about my bowel, which was attached to my fallopian tubes. It was too risky to cut them apart, so they'd been left. And in my haze I almost missed it as the consultant said my fallopian tubes were blocked. I sat in shock and at that point I could only muster a few tears. I didn't believe it. Of all the things I thought they might say, my fertility was the one thing I'd been sure of. As the consultant explained further I just stared at her blankly. Once she was gone I could barely keep my eyes open. I knew I should be talking to mum and Tom, but the pull of sleep was too strong and so I sent them home. Sleep provided me with an escape from all the things I just couldn't cope with right then. The next day I was discharged from the hospital and left to the care of my family.

And now here we are, 2 months on. There are still so many things I'm struggling to come to terms with and I think it'll be a while before I do. But this morning has me reflecting on all the things I've overcome. I'm now pain free, completely. I've lost a stone and everyone tells me I've got my sparkle back. Not only am I back at work, my own business is now 3 months old (yup - started before the op!) and thriving. I've started with a personal trainer to regain the core strength I've lost and I'm improving my diet constantly. I've made new friends along the journey too.

With my cousin and sister at Christmas.

But I think the best reward I've had from all of this is the relationship with my family. The support they've given me brings me to tears. There aren't words to describe what it means to me - my mum and Tom never left my side. Mum with her pep talks, her sympathetic ear and her endless patience in waiting rooms. Tom with his bear hug every time it all got too much, his constant support and his endless patience with my mood swings! Kassi with her sunny outlook on everything and her ability to make me laugh so hard I had to curl into a ball to protect my stitches. My grandparents with their endless generosity, helping me with anything I needed and just being there. And not forgetting my Dad who brought me crisps and Rachel who brought me magazines and distraction. I couldn't have done it without them. I still couldn't. They're my support, my inspiration and what keeps me going.

So there's my story. I don't want your sympathy, that wasn't the point. But now you know a little more about me and why I sometimes need a moment to compose myself or have to excuse myself from plans when I get tired. If you know me I hope it's given you insight into why I've been so absent from a social life lately and if you don't know me, I hope it's given you hope. Or at least been interesting to read for a while.

If you have any questions or stories of your own I'd love to hear them. You can leave a comment below or if it's personal you can email me: amirosemarshall@gmail.com

Thank you for reading.

Update on Life

Hi everyone!

I'm safely back at home and resting up so thought I'd share a little update with you. :)

The op went well and I came home Saturday evening after almost 24 hours of sleeping in the hospital. I even kicked out my visitors so they wouldn't have to watch me sleep! Since then I've been napping at least twice a day, snacking on plain foods and convincing Tom that I really do need him to set the Wii Fit up every morning so I can check my weight! (I'm more than a little curious how much weight that endo was taking up - results to come once the swelling disappears!)

I was also a lucky lady yesterday when my lovely sister and our friend Andy agreed to take Tom and I to the cinema to see Catching Fire (which I adored in case you're wondering, go watch it!). It was a bit of an expedition requiring a hot water bottle (got some funny looks for that), a pillow being seatbelted to my stomach and pre-warning of all the jumpy bits, but it was worth it and I rested all evening to make up for it.

I also had a visit from the amazing Rachel, who put up with my constant babbling with a smile. I've only seen family since the op so I probably dazed the poor woman and I wouldn't be surprised if her ears are still ringing!

Plans for the rest of the week include training Tom on the business elements of Social Media so he can help me with my new business, making a start on homemade Christmas presents before the Secret Santa deadline and having a lot of chicken soup which is my current food craving!

Hopefully I might find some time between all the napping and eating to write a blog post or two as well. ;)

Have a good week!
xx

Recipe: Endo-Friendly Moroccan Chicken & Lemon Cous-Cous

As some of you will know each week we make a meal plan so that we can keep our food costs down and also get everything in one shop rather than going to and fro all week for things we need.
Monday is meal plan & shopping day, so I usually spend the better part of the morning doing a quick inventory of the freezer and cupboards to see what we've got, then coming up with meals for the week. Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays tend to be my favourite days to cook something new as those are my days off and I can generally spend more time preparing an exciting meal.

Since starting the Endo Diet food has lost some of its appeal to us, which is a little depressing. As much as I enjoyed being inventive at first, trying to come up with exciting new ways to present what is essentially chicken or turkey and veg has become a bit of a chore. So yesterday I made an extra effort to come up with meals that sounded full of flavour and was really quite pleased with myself when I fell upon a recipe for Moroccan Chicken & Lemon Cous-Cous! Not only did it sound delicious, it was also an opportunity to attempt cooking with bone-in chicken thighs. For those who don't know me that well, I have never even eaten food with bones in before unless it was a surprise and in all occassions I stopped eating as soon as I found out. Something about it freaks me out. But in the name of money saving and on a quest for flavourful foods, I took a deep breath and jumped right in to this new experiment.

I had a little waver upon seeing them at the shop and another upon seeing the bones at first at home, but after seeing the price I pushed through. £4 got us 1.1kg of chicken thighs! To put that into context; the packets of 450g of chicken breast are also £4, so we got almost 3 times the meat for the same price. So on the back of last nights' success, I've been convinced to try AFC (Ami Fried Chicken!) using chicken wings or drumsticks in future. I'm a bone-in convert...for chicken at least!

And so on to the recipe...

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

4-8 Bone-in Chicken Thighs

2-4tsp Turmeric

1-2tbsp Garam Masala

Pinch of Salt

Sunflower Oil

1 Onion, finely sliced

1-2 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced

500ml Chicken Stock

Juice from 1 Lemon

125-250g Gluten Free Cous Cous

Parsley to garnish

Method:

1. Heat some oil in a large pan, coat the chicken thighs in half the spices and place skin-down in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes before removing them from the pan.

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry until golden.

3. Add in the remaining spices and cook for another minute. (I forgot to do this bit and it still turned out yummy!)

4. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil, before placing the chicken back in the pan skin side up.

5. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 35-40 minutes. (I didn't cover it and the stock concentrated down nicely, but I did have to add more water in later for the cous cous to cook.)

6. Remove the chicken and take the pan off the heat.

7. Stir in the lemon juice a cous-cous, topping up water if necessary, then leave to stand for 5 minutes/until the cous cous is cooked through.

8. Fluff through the cous cous and place the chicken back on top.

9. Garnish with parsley and serve!

I forgot to take a picture of our meal last night so this picture is taken from the recipe!

The Uprising Bakery and Cafe

Last month it was my friend Rachel's birthday and everyone went for a meal and a night out to celebrate. I was heartbroken I couldn't go, but with my diet and my early bedtime at the moment I would've been a dead bore for everyone. On a hen night I attended earlier in the year I'd met a lovely girl called Ellie who runs a vegan, gluten free cafe in Bristol and as a birthday treat I decided to take Rachel who's also on a gluten free diet. :)

The Uprising Bakery and Cafe is a sweet little cafe with delicate tea cups and eclectic furniture. They have a menu of savoury and sweet foods such as soups, pizzas and cakes that are all handmade on the premises not to mention quite a wide range of scrummy herbal teas.

Rachel and I shared a pot of wild berry tea (which tasted mildly of black jelly babies in my opinion!) and Rach had a red velvet cupcake while I had a yummy slice vegan banana bread. It was all absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced considering the usual raised price of anything gluten free.

Once you factor in the enjoyable walk there from the Cabot Circus car park and the lovely antique jumble shop across the road that I fell in love with, it made for a cheerful afternoon. :) Definitely something I'll be repeating when I'm in need of an endo-friendly sweet fix!

Yummy wild berry tea!

Recipe: Endo-Friendly Banana 'Ice-Cream'

I chose this recipe today to celebrate as today was the last Zoladex injection I need before my lap next month! Avoiding dairy and sugar has been difficult (and I've slipped quite a bit on sugar..) so finding this recipe has been a god send. This is definitely one for your sweet tooth, saved for those occassions when you absolutely need something sweet but don't want to slip off the bandwagon. Obviously it isn't real ice-cream, but it's close enough! It does take some pre-planning and you may not get to the ice-cream stage - while preparing my first attempt I couldn't wait for it to freeze and ended up with ice-cold mashed banana! :)

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 Banana
Fruit Syrup (optional)

Method:
1. Break the banana up into chunks
2. Freeze then part-thaw the banana
3. Blend the banana until it's smooth and creamy
4. Serve with fruit syrup

Very budget friendly, very tastebud friendly!

Recipe: Endo-Friendly Homemade KFC

One of the things I've missed most since starting the Endo diet is fast food. Aside from hot curries, there are very few meals you can get from a takeaway that don't have ingredients you need to avoid in them. So imagine my delight when a friend of mine says she has a recipe for homemade KFC. :) I tried it this evening and it was nom, so I thought I'd share it with you!

It's healthier than KFC (who knows what else they put in it!), cheaper than KFC (the price of chicken plus a small amount of flour, spices and oil is a lot less than a takeaway) and better for the environment too - no wrappers to go in the bin. If I'd known about this recipe in my pre-diet days I'm not sure I'd ever have had KFC!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts cut into pieces
Flour (I used rice flour but any gluten-free one should do)
Spices (I used paprika, cayenne pepper, asafoetida, oregano, thyme, chilli flakes, minced garlic)
Egg replacer
Olive Oil

Method:
1. Pre-heat the over to 22C
2. Mix the flour and the spices together in a bag (I used 4 tablespoons of flour and that was WAY too much - 2 should be more than enough)
3. Add about 1cm of oil to the bottom of a square glass dish
4. Dip the chicken into the egg replacer and place it in the bag, shaking it so that the chicken is fully coated (1-2 pieces at a time so that it doesn't all stick together)
5. Place the chicken in the dish, repeat until all the chicken is coated
6. Cook for 30 minutes, turn, then cook for a further 15 minutes
7. Remove from oil and place on a piece of kitchen roll to drain
8. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken ready to go in the oven!

Recipe: Endo-Friendly Spicy Lentil and Chicken Soup

This is a new twist on an old favourite of ours and is really simple to make. Spicy chicken soup is a fall-back whenever we fancy something satisfying, warming but still healthy and budget-friendly - it really hits all bases! I especially like this recipe as you can get away with just 1 large chicken breast for 2 people. Chicken isn't cheap (there's a pun there somewhere) so needing half the amount definitely helps the food bill. I was doubtful when I first tried it, but you really do end up with a LOT of chicken once it's shredded. If you're not a fan of spicy foods it's really simple to swap out the spices and put herbs like Basil, Thyme and Parsley in their place too.

(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
100g Red Split Lentils
Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1 Large Chicken Breast
400ml Chicken Stock
270g Crushed Tomatoes
1tsp Cumin
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Black Pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion, carrot and garlic - cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken, cumin and cayenne and cook fur a further 5 minutes until the chicken starts to brown.
3. Stir in the stock and water then simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove and set aside the chicken and add the lentils and tomatoes, leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes. While the soup is simmering, shred the chicken breast.
5. Add the chicken back to the soup and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.
6. Season to taste and serve.

For a naughty added extra crush some lightly salted corn chips (make sure they're gluten/soya/milk free - Asda Smart Price ones are but don't know about other brands) and sprinkle them over the top for a crunchy layer.

Busy, busy, busy!

Sorry for the lack of posting over the last week or so! I'm currently halfway between my 2 ops so I'm making the most of being able to do stuff with my family. :) When I recover from my next op it won't be far from Christmas and the weather will be gross so I'm enjoying everything while I can.

The weekend before last we went to Leicester to visit Tom's parents and were very spoiled. :) It was lovely seeing them sooner than planned and we've already arranged our next visit which makes a change!
Then the weekend just gone we went with my grandparents to their caravan so we were even more spoiled! The weather was crap but we still had a good time. My Nan took up to a wholefoods store in Sidmouth and I found my heaven. Nan treated me to things like endo-friendly pancakes, rice flour and even some raw chocolate covered raisins which are incredibly yummy.

That's it for weekend adventures now until after my op (that I know of...) but I've downloaded the Blogger app so that I can keep blogging on the move if things change. Can't believe I didn't think of it sooner to be honest!

I've slipped up on the diet through all this, despite doing my best to keep with it. I'll definitely be looking into easier ways to stick to the diet while on the move and of course I'll be sharing that with you!
So you can look forward to a few more recipes coming up - I especially want to share the Harissa chicken traybake that Tom's mum made for us which was lovely!

Hospitals, Hormones and The Traumatic Incident of the Dog in the Evening.

Monday marked exactly 1 month from the day I was discharged from hospital, which surprised me! It seems like no time at all! To celebrate, yesterday I went to the doctors for my second Zoladex implant and to the hospital for my post-op check up. Seems like an odd way to celebrate, but that's the medical profession for you. ;)

I'm happy to say that all went well. The implant wasn't half as scary as I was worried it would be! As for the hospital check up, everything was better than they'd expected, which can only be good! Both cysts have shrunk - the larger one is now half the size which is pretty impressive! So they're happy to go ahead with my next surgery in October, which is great news.

The only downside so far are the mood swings and hot flushes. I've not quite turned into a fire-breathing city-destroying monster, but irritability is never too far and more recently I've been feeling quite fragile and easily upset. Not to mention turning into a furnace at the drop of a hat!

This all came to a spectacular explosion after a particularly traumatic incident yesterday evening with the neighbours dog that left me a shaking mess in our hallway! (No dogs or Amis were hurt, just mentally scarred for life...)

So if I'm snappy, over-react or just seem plain grumpy, please forgive me. There is hormonal warfare currently taking place in my body and right now I'm not winning!

Recipe: Endo Friendly Chicken Goulash

Today I decided to use the slower cooker that's been collecting dust since we moved in! Tom had work and I was feeling particularly lazy, so a batch of slow-cooked chicken goulash found its way onto the menu. It's incredibly simple to make and takes between 2.5-6 hours to cook depending on the setting you use. Prep time is only about 10-15 minutes so it really is a hands off meal!

Serves 6 (I froze 4 portions for later meals)

Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 an onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1kg chicken breast
1 1/2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1tbsp brown sugar
1tbsp paprika
3 handfuls of red lentils
other seasoning to taste (I used sage, mint, parsley & chilli flakes)
water/tomato puree can be used to thin/thicken it as you like

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, saute until cooked through and add to the slow cooker.
2. Cook the pepper and garlic in the pan then add to the slow cooker.
3. Add all of the other ingredients (minus the 'other seasoning' and lentils) to the slow cooker and mix together.
4. Cook for 2.5-3 hours on High or 5-6 hours on Low.
5. Remove the chicken and shred it.
6. Add the chicken, lentils and other seasoning to the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes on High or 30 minutes on Low.
7. Serve and enjoy!

I especially liked this recipe as it was something I could share with Tom - he cleared his bowl! Half the battle of the endo diet is feeling like you can't share meals with other people without feeling like they're giving up a good meal, so this was a real relief. :) It's also a budget-friendly meal, especially when done as a big batch. The chicken was the biggest expense at £6 but the rest cost no more than a few pence per ingredient, bringing the cost per portion to less than £1.50!

Endo Recipe Book Review

I recently purchased Recipes & Diet Advice for Endometriosis by Carolyn Levett* for two purposes: firstly to explain what foods to cut out and why, secondly for the recipe ideas it contains. On both fronts I've been very happy with the purchase.

                                        

The first few chapters deal with what foods to avoid and the science behind them. I found this bit particularly fascinating, especially learning exactly why each food exacerbated endometriosis in particular. Although I knew some of the things on the list weren't exactly 'healthy', I didn't realise they could have such negative effects on the body. For example I knew soy wasn't good from a salt-content perspective, but I was surprised to find that every aspect of mass-produced soy is bad for you as the process removes all the good nutrients and aluminium from the containers is slowly absorbed into the end product.
The chapters are broken down simply and the science-y bits are really easy to follow (if not understand!).

The beginning of the book also deals with foods that will help you in your recovery - liver friendly ingredients to help with detoxing, along with lists of specific fruit and veg that contain vitamins directly useful to healing from endometriosis. I've found this section extremely useful when trying to flavour new recipes I'm testing - consulting the spice rack for its medicinal uses instead of just the flavours I can create.

Another aspect that I've found helpful is that throughout the book there are sections explaining alternative ingredients you can use in place of the banned ones. For example stevia, cacao or carob can replace sugar depending on the recipe you're using. There's also a lengthy section explaining the different benefits of alternative gluten free flours. These alternatives can be a bit pricey though so I'd definitely pick recipes that use the same kind of flour so that you only need to buy one.

The majority of the book is dedicated to recipes; from drinks and starters all the way through to desserts and baking, not to mention party food options. This is where the true value of the book is found, as a lot of sources will tell you what you can't eat but very few will help you work out what you can. All of the recipes are extremely basic and conform to a completely vegan diet, so that absolutely anyone can use them. This leaves plenty of room for you to add your favourite white meat or fish to the dishes.

Whenever I'm planning our meals for the week I've taken to having this book nearby. I'm very fussy when it comes to food, but even if I don't like the exact recipe it's excellent for getting base ideas to build on.

If I had one complaint it would be that the book has typos scattered throughout and you can tell it wasn't professionally written. The author is an endo-sufferer and wants to share what she's discovered and found to help. It's not a big problem, these things just jump out at me!

Overall this book is absolutely invaluable and if you're an endo sufferer it should definitely be on your bookshelf! Or even if you just want a healthier diet that isn't full of the additives and hidden nasties that regular products are now becoming overloaded with.

*This is an Amazon Associate link.