Why I Quit Dairy

I freaking love cheese. Goat cheese, cheddar cheese, Havarti, swiss- you name it, I love it. So when I discovered that cheese could be the source of some of my endometriosis symptoms, it hit me hard. Am I being dramatic? Probably. But let me back up.

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While I was in the midst of my six month Lupron-induced hell (more about that later), I started reseaching ways to treat endometriosis naturally. That’s when I stumbled upon The Endo Diet.

You’ve probably heard of it. According to The Endo Diet, certain foods can make endo symptoms worse and should be avoided at all costs. These foods include wheat, dairy, refined sugar, alcohol, red meat, soy, processed foods, and caffeine.

Excuse me??

Needless to say, I freaked out a bit. How was I supposed to cut out entire food groups? What was left to eat?

Thankfully, my thoughtful aunt gave me a copy of A Whole New You by Tia Mowry. In this book, Tia talks about her struggle with endometriosis and how she uses food to manage her symptoms. If you’re new to The Endo Diet, I suggest you start with A Whole New You. Tia has great advice for how to cut out certain food as well as suggestions for substitutions for common dairy ingredients. And let me tell you, her recipes are delicious.

So, with Tia Mowry on my side, I began my journey with the Endo Diet. Through trial and error, I learned that dairy is the biggest contributor to my pain and bloating. After about a month without dairy, I had considerably less pain and zero bloating!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy. Every now and then I slip and eat something with delicious cheese. But sometimes you just need need some brie.

Have you tried The Endo Diet? What foods cause your symptoms to flare up? Tell me in the comments below!