In honor of Endometriosis Awareness month, the Endometriosis Foundation of America has launched the #BiteTheLemonChallenge to bring awareness to the painful disease.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing chronic pelvic pain, painful periods and sex, fatigue and, in some cases, infertility. One in 10 women and girls of reproductive age have endometriosis, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), but there is no cure.
Padma Lakshmi, author and co-founder of the foundation, who has lived with endometriosis for decades, participated in the challenge on Instagram on March 2.
“Eating a lemon (peel and all!) for #endometriosisawarenessmonth,” Lakshmi, 55, captioned the video.
She also nominated three other people to participate in the challenge, including Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon, who has spoken publicly about her own endometriosis diagnosis; and comedian Michelle Buteau, known for her advocacy around women’s reproductive health.
Lakshmi previously opened up about her experience with the condition on TODAY in 2016.
"From the time I was 13 until the time I was diagnosed (at age 36), I missed 25% of my life. So I’m sitting here and I’ve lost six years of my life to this illness," she said at the time. “It’s very debilitating. ... It’s starts in adolescence, when it’s such a tender time to begin with, and no one wants to talk about it.”
What Is the #BiteTheLemonChallenge?
The goal of the #BiteTheLemonChallenge is to encourage people to film themselves biting into a lemon wedge to raise awareness of what it's like to live with endometriosis, and then to nominate three others to do the same. Suggested hashtags include #bitethelemonchallenge and #endometriosisawarenessmonth.
"Biting into a lemon wedge is uncomfortable. Sharp. Unexpected. It makes your face scrunch, your body react, and your nerves light up instantly. That jolt is intentional," a press release explained.
"For people living with endometriosis, pain often arrives suddenly, intensely, and is frequently dismissed as 'normal.' The lemon represents that moment of shock, the pain people are told to push through, and the daily reality many endure in silence."
On average, it takes between seven and 10 years to be correctly diagnosed with endometriosis, research shows. While there is no cure, symptoms can be treated with medicines and sometimes surgery.
The #BiteTheLemonChallenge was created by the Endometriosis Foundation's social media manager Leslie Moser based on her personal experience with the disease.
“If a simple bite of a lemon can spark even one real conversation, one earlier diagnosis, or one person feeling less alone, it matters,” she said.
