Article By Mary Sanders // Health Matters // EEW Magazine

Actress Tia Mowry-Hardrict, is opening up about her ongoing battle with Endometriosis in hopes of helping others who may be struggling.

Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition, characterized by severe menstrual pain, resulting from abnormal tissue growth in the uterus that can also cause infertility.

 “Finding out that I had endometriosis was a very, very long journey,” said Mowry-Hardrict on her web series, Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix. “For years I would have very painful menstrual cramps. I really didn’t know why. But my cramps were so incredibly painful that I would get emotional. I would cry.”

One day, the then-college student told her doctor she felt like something was off. But, according to Mowry-Hardrict, the physician, who did not specialize in that condition, told her, “Run it off. Take a bath.’ She would also tell me, ‘Put a heating pad on it.’ But it just never felt right. I was still in a lot of pain.”

After suffering and not getting any help, someone recommended visiting a specialist, and that’s when the Sister, Sister star was officially diagnosed with Endometriosis at 25. At that time, she found out she might not be able to have children, which, she said, left her “mind blown.”

Thankfully, after two surgeries, Mowry-Hardrict and hubby Cory Hardrict have been blessed with two children.

In order to manage her condition, she tries to avoid foods that cause inflammation like dairy, processed goods, and sugar.  

“I am careful with what I eat,” she said. “But I also have a lot of fun. I still partake in cake, and cookies, and ice cream, and all of that. I’ll do, like, little detoxes every now and then.”

Though Mowry-Hardrict said has gotten a handle on her situation, she knows there are many like her struggling with the same symptoms, without knowledge of exactly what’s going on.

“If I were to give any of you guys any advice, listen to you, and listen to your body. You are living in your body every single day, and if you know that something is off, or something is wrong, or something is different, don’t give up.”

She added, “Listen to your body. Listen to yourself. And don’t just go for one opinion.”