Look how hilarious these salads are!

I wanted to talk about my diet change this week because I've been asked about it a lot. But before I begin, I'd like to emphasize that this was a choice I made on my own, and I don't necessarily endorse it for everyone. Diet change isn't proven to have any impact on endometriosis production and progression, but it's certainly helped me manage my IBS-like symptoms that come with my condition. To be honest, it could be because I'm just eating healthier, but either way, this is working great for me.

And of course, I'm not a doctor, health-care provider or any other kind of medical professional, so please ask your doctor before making major diet changes okay glad we got that out of the way.

One of the frustrating parts of the past two years has been figuring out what I can and can't eat. Once we figured out I had endometriosis, it was a little less frustrating since I sort of had guidelines. But I still hate feeling awful after meals or having to forego foods I once enjoyed. (Although I was never crazy about red meat or alcohol, so that's not a loss...)

But this has also been a good thing for Andrew and me. We've been eating a lot healthier lately, and I've devoted more time to taking care of myself. I've also discovered new foods that I like and how to cook them.

I'm going to start off this blog post with a disclaimer. Upon skimming through a post I made a few days ago, one reader thought that I was advocating substituting an anti-inflammatory diet in place of treatment and medication. In response to that, I said, "Wow, noooo way am I doing that." I was actually sort of baffled that anyone would think that, but after re-reading that post, I could see how someone may interpret what I said that way. So I apologize for any confusion, and I've updated the post accordingly.

Absolutely do not use this diet in place of medication. I personally am taking continuous birth control as a way to slow/stop endometriosis production. This diet won't stop endo. What I believe it will do is help manage the symptoms you might feel as a result of endo (upset stomach, indigestion, general pain and discomfort, etc.)

So again, sorry for any confusion. I'm not advocating for foregoing treatment and medication. If there's one thing I firmly believe in, it's the power of modern medicine and science. So please don't stop taking your medication, and please don't use a blog written by a 24-year-old with a BA in political science in place of real-life doctor advice.

Anyway, on with the food! (Note: I don't consider this recipe anti-inflammatory, due to how I felt afterward, but it is delicious.)

Before I get into how much I love tea, I just wanted to thank everyone who has looked at my blog this week. After I officially rolled it out on my Facebook page and Twitter, my blog received more than 600 views. Say whaaat?!

More importantly, I have received an outpouring of love and support, even from people I haven't talked to in years. Friends offered to connect me with physicians and physical therapists. Acquaintances reached out to let me know they suffered from endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome and offered encouragement and advice throughout my treatment. And even others just sent me a quick message to let me know they read my blog and hoped I felt better soon. 

All of this has been incredibly humbling and motivating, and I'm tearing up a bit just writing about it. I really don't feel especially brave or inspiring for writing this blog, and honestly, my endo is not nearly as bad as many other women out there. But I truly appreciate every single word of encouragement, no matter who it comes from (I mean it), and I really hope this blog can be helpful to someone, regardless if they suffer from a chronic condition or not.

Anyway, before I get too sappy and sentimental, let's talk about tea. My recommended soundtrack for this blog post is anything by David Bowie because it's his birthday and he's fantastic.

My entire life, I have disliked fish. The only type I could occasionally eat were the fish fillets my mom would make once in a while. But when I decided to cut out red meat entirely from my diet, I realized the only types of meat I could eat were chicken and turkey. That didn't leave me a lot of options...

So after doing some soul-searching and Pinterest-ing, I decided to give fish another shot. After all, I'm a big kid now, and my food interests have changed pretty dramatically over the past few years. And when I saw this dish included my all-time favorite food, avocado, I couldn't say no.

As part of my effort to get better and avoid a drastic treatment like Lupron, I have decided to change my diet and focus on eating anti-inflammatory foods. This is great for both Andrew and me, since his family has a history of arthritis and other inflammatory illnesses.

Now, I am not a good cook. I can bake an awesome pumpkin cheesecake or whip together some cupcakes, but cooking is not my forte. Andrew, on the other hand, is a great chef. He makes everything look easy and delicious. But now that there is a mission behind my food, I have started to get back into the kitchen and acquaint myself with domestic living.