Anyone else tried the Homeopathic route? Also anyone tried Wheat Free/ GI diet?

[Barbara82]

Hi, having had 2 laps and both times having endo return within 3 months I decided to ask the NHS to refer me to homepath hospital. I had my first appointment this week and after a lengthy appointment I was prescribed Staphysagria to help with overall mood and advised to try a wheat free diet and the GI diet to help with reducing pain symtoms. I know there is a strong link between Wheat and endo symtoms but I'm looking to find out if anyone has had any tips on either of the diets. I've been advised to try the GI diet to help me reduce my cravings and to improve my overall health but researching both GI wheat free diet seems like it is going to take a lot of research and a lot of preparation and thinking for every meal. I would be grateful for anyone's thoughts or advice on either diet.

Thanks

[Catness]

Hiya

In one of my previous posts I talk about nutrition and 'curing' endo through diet. It's true that statistically women with endo were more likely to have a gluten intolerance and eating processed foods can make symptoms and the spread of endo worse. I control all my endo and bladder disease through diet as I didn't want to take anything hormonal based (much to my consultant's utter horror). Since I have followed the endo diet I feel a million times better, have got a handle on the bone-aching exhaustion, got back to the gym and have been living again :0)

It's very strict: mostly vegan, no gluten, no caffeine, no alcohol and no dairy. I know that sounds ridiculous but your body gets used to it and you can still have treat days, at least I do anyway and they don't seem to hurt. Take a look at this website:

endo-resolved.com/diet.html

The author of the website has also written a really good recipe book, I also follow vegan recipe books for a bit of variation. You will be amazed at how less bloated and tired you will be if you do it.

I decided to do it as I am 23 and don't fancy eating tablets and having hormones put into me for the next 20 years. I hope you find it helpful good luck!

Oh also before I forget. I also have a juicer and make sure to have one fresh juice everyday normally vegetable. This has taken away my bloated tummy and 'regulated' everything digestion wise so it is a lot less uncomfortable

[Barbara82]

Hi Catness,

Thanks for the info, I have now ordered the book as it seems it's exactly what I am looking for and a good starting point. I enjoy cooking so hopefully it will help me on this new journey of healthier eating. I am hoping that the diet will also help with a bit of weight loss as well as reducing pain so fingers crossed. I have started making small changes and will start it properly at the end of the month after my holiday. I don't tend to have too much trouble with digestion and think that changing my diet will definitely help in general with digestion.

I've ordered a couple of other books on Wheat free and GI diet so I will be sure to read all the info as I'm sure it's going to be a lot to take in and a lot of planning for meal times. It will be fine once I get used to it and get into the swing of things. Thanks for your helpful advice. x

[Catness]

As far as weight loss goes yes you will I have lost a stone over the year and just feel happier really as I didn't realise how things such as caffeine could affect my mood. It does take a little bit of planning especially if you are cooking for more than just you. I started by doing the weekly shop online and planned every meal for me and my partner for the week so that we only bought what we needed and to ensure that he didn't miss out as he is still a meat eater and trying to bulk up. This also helped me not to be tempted by the treats at the supermarket and that wonderful smell of fresh bread!

The hardest thing for me still is breakfast (I remedied this by still eating eggs) and snacks as for a while the fruit and nuts I was eating didn't really seem to fill me up. I guess it's all about reprogramming yourself a bit and it is true now that although I do have the odd bit of chocolate, I crave fruits and veggies more. I also drink a lot more water/ herbal tea so this fills me up.

This diet has also cut my weekly food shop by 20-30 pounds per week. Not quite sure how as buying all fresh and I would have thought that would be more expensive but I'm happy at this none-the-less x

[worth71]

i had looked into the endo diet but it really looks so complicated and restrictive, i have weight/food issues anyway lol, but what i will say is that since last year i have mostly eaten the slimming world way, in 10 months i lost 5 1/2 stone, i then had my lap and ablation done in april this year, and i hit quite a plateau, but i have stuck with it, and since my lap i have cut out all types of bread and cereals, caffeine, (almost apart from a mouthful of hubbys pepsi max now and then) chocolate to very occasionally, take aways are once or twice a year and i drink lots of water, i miss cereals and especially weetabix, i miss bread but when i eat these foods my pain and symptoms come back with a vengeance, i can literally feel my bowel and my ovaries pulling each other i'm sure of it lol, and i feel like total cr*p almost hungover, so whilst i may not be doing the 'endo diet' i feel that by cleaning my diet up with these few changes, and i now exercise 6-8 hrs a week doing classes, has helped me come off nearly all my medication, i was taking amitriptyline, codeine, mefanamic acid full doses everyday and laxido to help keep things moving, and now i take mefanamic acid a few times a week, the benefits i get from exercise is unreal, I'm sure it does help me deal with the pain much better, whereas before i was too poorly to even think about exercise. i'm hoping my ablation has done the trick with the heavy bleeding, and that i can avoid the hysterectomy they suggested to me in april as they did not remove any of my endo as they said there was too much, i've now reached 6st weight loss, still have a couple to go xx

[veggiegal]

Hi all, I am going to follow this diet too as it can't hurt and must be better than taking drugs forever. A herbalist told me this morning to also cut out all plastics, so no water from bottles, no wrapping in cling film and no heating food in plastic tubs. She said that she thought that this link to endo is very high and looking on the internet it seems a few others share that view. I'm going to give that a go too.

[johewer]

I have been following a gluten & Wheat free diet for 5 years now & I find it doesnt make much difference. I have not gone into the extremes of lentils, pulses, juices etc which I am now contemplating due to worsening digestive issues. So I guess I havent replaced my fibre with much although I do eat fruit & veg most days but I have heard alot of good things about juicing!

[Barbara82]

Worth71, I have also been doing slimming world for 2 years now and I have also lost just over a stone and a half. I need to try the wheat free GI to see if it makes a difference, it does look complicated though. Well done on your amazing weight loss

Veggiegal, I have also read before to cut out plastics as well as apparently when heating it releases chemicals into our food, it's scary stuff. i've just purchased the book Catness suggested and just had it delivered. It is full of information and also mentions to avoid plastics.

Johewer, I think I will be eating lots of lentils, veg, lean meat but it is hard to combine wheat free/gluten free against the GI diet (which is cutting down on sugar). I have had lots of friends to the juicing diet the only thing I would say is you can only do it for 5 or 7 days and prepare to feel very tired and possible a little under the weather for the first 2 days, apparently after that you feel amazing, not sure how it would help endo as it's only a short term change.