From a Foodie with Endo!
First-Person Perspective: One Foodie's Journey with Endometriosis & Plant-Based Eating
by Crystal Latimer
As we approach the holiday season, we know that delicious foods, desserts, and cocktails are one of the big highlights. As a foodie, those delicious things have always been highlights for me no matter the season, lol! After having a hysterectomy in October of last year, I continued to experience a significant amount of pain afterward. I chalked it up to the fact that a hysterectomy was not a cure and I did still have endometriosis in other areas. It wasn’t until I met someone who had been living a plant-based lifestyle for many years and who convinced me, who convinced me to give it a try to see if it would help alleviate some of my pain symptoms.
To be honest, this did not sound appealing to someone who loved wings and anything with cheese on it. I had already cut red meats and limited my alcohol consumption to pretty much none at all a couple years prior. After giving it some thought and hearing stories, such as Tabitha Brown’s, about how a plant-based diet helped with her health issues, I decided I would give it a try after my birthday this past May. During my birthday, it was a celebration of course! I enjoyed all kinds of foods, cocktails, and lots of cheese! I remember being in pain and bedridden after each day I celebrated, I had to end the nights early. I also had severe bloating for several days.
I am now six months into this journey, and while I am still learning how to supplement the things my body needs and find plant-based foods I enjoy, I feel the lifestyle change was worth it since I have decreased my pain by about 90%. I’m still a foodie, but now I just enjoy foods that don’t contribute to my endo flares. As with many things, all changes do not work for everyone; however, I do recommend giving it a try to see if it will benefit you.
I am not a medical professional or giving medical advice. This is my personal experience that I wanted to share with you.
Check out this link here for a delicious plant-based Thanksgiving recipe for Southern vegan cornbread dressing, along with some photos of meals I've prepared at home.