Endometriosis- What a Pain!!

– Posted in: Blawg, Dairy Free, Detoxification, Food, Gluten Free, Paleo, Raw, Whole 30

I get asked all the time why “eating clean” is so important to me. My response has been and always will be “None of your business.” Then I direct them to my blog and let them know that one day in the distant future, I will write up my reasoning. Well, here it is. And to all those people that ask me all the time, I hope this helps:

Imagine, a brisk, or warm day, (I forget) in 2004. I was 18.  Roughly one year previous “Aunt Flow” took a liking to me and exposed me to her bag of tricks and horror. Like most snot-nosed teenagers, up to that point, I had never experienced excruciating pain. Mind you, I grew up with four older brothers who pushed me down flights of stairs in cardboard boxes, hurled me off the roof and regularly tossed me around like the annoying little sister I was trying to be;  and yet, here my undercarriage was to blame for the worst pain I had theretofore experienced!

No blood over my body’s door would scare away the dark angel we all affectionately have named “The Period!!!”  I was ravaging a Super Duper Tampon every hour!  To avoid filing for bankruptcy, I decided to use the “Diva Cup.”  (Don’t worry, those stories will come later for those who have not already unsubscribed from my blog)

Back to the main story: It was a temperature filled day in 2004, I went to the OB/GYN, aka Alien testing clinic (all their cold, sterile utensils, poking and prodding). The verdict was in: endometriosis. “Well doo-doo” I said to myself. But more importantly than having some disgusting sounding disease, it aroused all manner of questions that lead to more questions that were only remotely related; Does that mean no babies? Do I even want babies? Can I have sex? If I do will it hurt? Am I too young to have my uterus removed? What surgery can I have to help? What pills can I take? After a whole slew of questions, I was told to wait to have surgery until I was going to start working on having a family.

8 years later, I’d  be suffering through agonizing pain and pumping my body full of Lortab and Soma’s!

In 2011, I bought a body wrap certificate off of a daily deals site. At the appointment, the young lady asked me if I had heard of “Candida.” I could have sworn it was a phantom disease that only weirdos believed in.  So I looked into it.  I researched like crazy. Seemed legit. So I braved the unknown waters of a candida killing program. It CHANGED my life! Going to school to be a nutritionist, chemist and online marketing professional didn’t have the same impact that learning what holistic health did.

The anti candida plan from M’lis that demanded that I take out grains, dairy, fermented products, yeast and even fruit for 60 days! I detoxed and sweat out ever toxin my body could muster.

Well that’s great, you’re thinking. Good job detoxing. But here’s the kicker: When that horrific time of the month rolled around again; I felt NO pain. NONE! My period was just as mother nature intended; a flowing, gross, repulsive mess.  Imagine that! No pain, no tears, no lying in bed for 2 days eating microwavable dinners and watching soap operas! I could function like a semi-normal human being. I had eaten “healthy” before, but had never experienced such glorious results for my efforts!

The story of greatness continues- I no longer have signs of endometriosis! However, when I consume dairy my body throws a tizzy fit and reminds me of times of yore. My autoimmune disorder flares up with vengeance, taking no prisoners. My pain creeps back. Eek. So, I can’t consistently consume diary, hormone induced meat, aspartame and grains if I want to feel alive and well all month long.

I have this immense feeling of gratitude for my maker. For giving me this beautiful body that hopefully one day I will be able to hold a baby that’s mine. My heart aches not having a family. I don’t ever want the reason I don’t have children to be something I could have prevented. So when I get teased as a fringe weirdo for eating “clean” or for turning down a cupcake, I just let it slide. I remember the future I hope to enjoy.  I don’t want to tinker or negatively impact  my uncertain future if it’s something as simple as passing on delicious, scrumptcious, tantalizing cake.  It ain’t easy bein clean. But it’s worth it!

I have to recommit myself on the daily to eat clean, real, wholesome food just the way God intended.

XOXO

Chanelle

Ps I’m not the perfect eater. I stand at about 80/20

Pss I am a huge advocate of adoption.

Psss I’m a nutritionist but not your nutritionist. These are my personal beliefs

 

Comments on this entry are closed.

Lara May 29, 2014, 8:47 pm

I love your candidness. Kicking that endometriosis where it counts! Much love!

chanelle May 30, 2014, 9:43 am

Thanks babes!

Doug May 31, 2014, 2:48 am

Read your blog yesterday. It was well written, tasteful, raw, and courageous of you. It isn’t easy to open up so deeply and publicly. Well done.

chanelle June 10, 2014, 12:19 pm

Thank you so much!!! xoxo

kimber November 25, 2014, 1:59 pm

Did you get surgery because in order for them to know for sure is through surgery. Cysts can cause pain. I’m glad you are feeling better and don’t have the pain.

Chanelle Jepson November 25, 2014, 3:52 pm

Thank you. I’m happy after all these years to finally be symptom free!

Dawn April 22, 2015, 10:12 pm

Very well written and as a fellow Endo sufferer, I understand. I suffered through years, miscarriages, and was only diagnosed when I was in so much pain I couldn’t stand up, I was 36 years old when they decided to remove scar tissue from Csections. Turned out Ovarian cysts, and Endo. I tried the clean eating earlier this year and it somewhat worked. Something I am still working on.

Chanelle Jepson May 13, 2015, 9:05 am

Dawn thank you so much for sharing your story with me! I’m proud of you for eating clean!!

Christina August 27, 2015, 2:32 pm

Food can be poison or medicine. You rock!

Allyson Van Brocklin August 27, 2015, 3:55 pm

I want to find out more about how you eat! I have suffered with this for 10 years with many surgeries because of endometriosis spreading to other organs. I would love to learn more ! Thanks !

Chanelle Jepson August 28, 2015, 12:25 pm

Allyson I’m sorry you’ve suffered through that many surgeries!! I’m not a Dr. however, I’ve seen such great relief from autoimmune disorders through clean eating. If you’d like to email me at [email protected] I’d be more than happy to share with you the program I did and even attach some recipes!

Xoxo Chanelle

Sharee August 28, 2015, 9:13 am

Thank you for sharing. If you’ve cut back on dairy, grains, fermented products, yeast and fruit what do you eat a lot of?

Chanelle Jepson August 28, 2015, 12:29 pm

Hi Sharee! I would do coconut crusted chicken or salmon. Sweet potatoes. Eggs sautéed in coconut oil and topped with half of an avocado. I make this coconut curry soup that was to die for! Soups were easiest for me and I’d put them in freezer bags for an entire month so that I always had something on hand. I’d do the same for shredded chicken! Being prepared was vital. I got a group of us together and we spent a couple hours just cooking and were able to make 30 day freezer meals for 4 of us. I used a lot of recipes for RealEasyMeals.com which has a ton of candida fighting recipes. Let me know if you have any other questions! I’ll also be posting more recipes here and how I did the 30 days of freezer meals.

Xo Chanelle