The Endometriosis Diet
WARNING: Side effects are possible: more energy, less pain & better health! 
DIET IS VERY IMPORTANT
I stay on this diet about 80-90% of the time-there are times I am on the road unprepared, so sometimes it is just not possible, other times I must cheat, we need to really splurge occasionally in my opinion! What I am saying is some of us may want to go full force and that is great. Others may want to do it 75% of the time. You know that is still excellent as it is probably a big change in eating for you and you will be that much healthier!! I must be honest ok, there are days I just say forget it and eat everything wrong. It is a nice break on occasion, but then I get right back to eating healthy again as I want to build up my health.
You do not have to start out full force, do a little at a time and work up to it. You can try eliminating dairy or wheat first and see how you feel. Give it a good 1-2 months before adding a certain category of food back into your diet to see if it is a trigger food-triggers pain, bloating, bowel, yeast or bladder problems....It is good to keep a food diary to tell which foods are the culprits! Also some of you may also have IC or some other health problems that come into play here. Example: I have hypoglycemia along with endo so I need to put certain foods together that always include a fat, protein & grains at each meal to keep up my blood sugar. Yes it is difficult at first, but so worth it to feel Good!!!!These are some guidelines to strive for. This can be a clue to certain foods that can help regarding your health forever perhaps. I figure I have suffered enough from this disease & will do almost everything I can to stay symptom free!
Please Note: When adding a lot of vegetables to your diet, you may experience GAS! This happened to me, but after a few weeks it went away once my body was used to it. You may want to start the vegetables slowly or get some Beano!
Please send in any links for this diet, food ideas, normal foods to get at the grocery stores... Please remember this is not an exact science, just us endo girls figuring out foods together, so please post if you disagree with a food I list and the source of your information. What can we eat??? Please post your ideas on the talk forum on this site, under The Endometriosis Diet & I will add them here as I have time. This should give us a good grocery list & also some more resources.
Stores that have a lot of the GOOD foods: Trader Joes(reasonable), Whole foods, Henry's, Wild Oats. I have an extremely hard time at the normal grocery store, so if you see anything good there besides the Produce & Health Food section, please post it. Oh Yes I do understand some of this can get expensive, pray for an increase in income!
What does the diet do?: Anti-inflammatory(less pain-see prostaglandins), Promotes less estrogen(endo grows with estrogen), Builds up the immune system... For more detailed info, please see the natural treatment page. . especially regarding dairy and wheat! Any ?'s, ask at the forum on this website.
READ LABELS!
Update Jan 2007-I need to be 100% gluten/dairy free, soy free, since a recent test showed gluten, soy & dairy intolerance. That means any dairy or gluten that I consume will create antibodies. Can this be a problem for so many of us?
BAD FOODS:
NO Wheat(oops the problem may not just be wheat, it may be gluten!), NO Dairy, NO Caffeine, NO Sugar, NO Junk food, NO Alcohol, NO Red Meat, NO Soy?(controversial, so many mixed views on this one, I suggest you find out if it is a trigger food for you)
GOOD FOODS:
Chicken, Fish, Turkey (try to have organic)
Goats milk Yogurt-add some fruit spread or other sugar free Jam to make it sweet or add maple syrup. Some who are making an immune response to dairy cannot tolerate goats milk. I leave it out now.
All Vegetables especially cabbage, onions, garlic, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower-(estrogen clearing)
All Fruits (wash thoroughly)
Dried Fruits, apricots & bananas are an excellent dessert.
Sorbet
All Pastas, Spaghetti: Wheat/gluten Free
All Nuts, Brown rice, White rice(just that whole grain rice is healthier) Potatoes
Milk Substitutes: Rice Milk, Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Soy Milk? Read labels to see if gluten free.
Drinks: Juice, Green tea, Herbal decaffinated Teas, Water, Juice Squeeze(trader Joes)
Cereals: Gluten free
Raisins, Applesauce, Dates,
Pumpkin, Sunflower Seeds, pistachios, All seeds.
All Beans: Lentils, Lima, Pinto, Peas, kidney...I make a good soup out of fresh lentils or peas & vegetables quite often.
Peanut Butters: Trader Joes has some very good ones "Cashew Macademia Nut" & "Better than Peanut Butter"
Jams, Jellies: Apple Butter,
Breads: Rice Almond, Millet...
Chips: Vegetable chips, Blue corn tortilla chips, other corn chips-Great with Guacamole or salsa!
Cookies: gluten free.
Sweeteners: Maple Syrup: I add it to everything, Vanilla & Almond extracts..., Molasses
, Organic Coconut Oil(raises the metabolism, so only use if you are trying to lose weight) Stevia-a natural herbal sweetner.
Condiments, Spices: Regular Salt, Sea salt, Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cloves, Mustard, I think all spices, but some contain gluten.
Oils: Vegetable Oils are Bad! Instead for cooking: Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. For dressings...Safflower, walnut, flaxseed, linseed, borage, star flower oils.
Carob
Many posts, questions and suggestions about the diet are on this thread: http://pub20.bravenet.com/forum/1696951335/show/408709
Great tasting shake: Almond milk and frozen blueberries and mango or any other sweet fruit. I sometimes add a bit of maple syrup.
Lori
I would recommend checking out the www.vegweb.com site for lots of great veggie recipes! Also, for other recommendations of places to eat, if you have a Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant nearby, it's awesome too. www.sweettomatoes.com For another cuisine to try, thai food has a lot of great dishes using coconut milk if you're looking for something "creamy or milky" 'Hope this helps! :) (suggested by nickname-foodie)
El Pollo Loco: Bowls, Chicken Meals with corn, rice or beans-but order the corn tortillas-not flour, Taco El Carbon? what do you think girls, is this one healthy? I am unsure about this as they use vegetable oil, maybe just stick with the chicken as they say they do not add anything to the chicken.
Various places: Chicken Salads, Fish Salads -check labels for the dressings Vinaigrette is always a good choice.
Baja Fresh: Mahi-Mahi Salad, Baja Salad, Fish Tacos, Chicken Tacos, Black & Pinto Beans, Rice, Corn Tortillas, Try some of their Avocado & other Salsas as Melanie suggests...
Wheat flour alternatives: unrelated to wheat:
Buckwheat, Amaranth,
Quinoa www.quinoa.net
I have much more to write here. I do believe gluten is a problem for many of us. You can get tested without your dr. www.enterolab.com I just found out that my body creates an immune response to gluten and dairy, so a gluten free/cassein free diet is helping me greatly. Read all on that link ok.
Great endometriosis diet book!
Go to www.endo-resolved.com