Crohn's and Body ImageI turned 55 last month and June marked my 35th year with a Crohn's diagnosis. It might say 55 on my drivers license, but in my mind, I still feel...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Pivotal Moments of Self-AdvocacyRecently I was trying to think about 1 pivotal moment in my life that was impacted by Crohn's disease and shaped me as a person, and I think it's naive...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
I Pooped in the Bushes of Disney World… Twice.I think the title says it all. Yes, it happened. The dreaded intensity of urgency hit me hard on my vacation to Disney World. There was no way around it. I had no...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments
The Emotional and Psychological Dimensions of Living With IBDLiving with inflammatory bowel disease comes with such a multifaceted set of challenges. There are obviously physical things we struggle with – from abdominal pain to frequent and urgent bathroom...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Feeling the "Food Pressure" and Paying the Painful Price"Oooh... It smells so good," I think to myself. I try to ignore the sizzle, crackle, pop of greasy goodness. But it's right there in front of me. "You know...Reactions0reactionsComments13 comments
Can You Drink Alcohol With Crohn's Disease?People with Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), learn to avoid food and drinks that trigger their symptoms. For some people with Crohn's, one of those triggers...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Low-Residue Recipes"Low-residue"? What's that? The low-residue diet limits the intake of foods that are high in fiber, particularly insoluble fiber. The purpose of this is to reduce the amount of undigested...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Can You Thrive With Crohn's Disease?It has been 12 years since I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. I look back at all I have been through with this complex diagnosis, and I feel like my head...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Promise of Science: New Treatments for Crohn's and UCThrough the 13 years of living with Crohn's disease and the many years of experience I have been a part of the the IBD community as a moderator, contributor, and...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Paleo Chocolate CakeI LOVE chocolate cake. I love the decadence, sponginess, and chocolatey flavor that engulfs my mouth. The problem, however, is that I am gluten-free and large amounts of sugar really hurt...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
IBD Dinner RecipesThe eternal question: What's for dinner? Regardless of whether you have Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, figuring out what to make for dinner (again . . .) can feel like a...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Did Anesthesia Cause My Stomach Issues?We all know that we are living in unprecedented times. I guess if there was a silver lining to this pandemic it would be that we all learned how to...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Paleo Creamy Garlic Chicken SkilletDo you feel like you love creamy dishes but they just don't love you back? Many ulcerative colitis and Crohn's patients (myself included) are unable to tolerate dairy, especially if it...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Learning to Speak "Medical Talk" With Crohn'sYes, I once spent over 367 days in the hospital due to complications with Crohn's. Many days I was too sedated to talk or think straight. But there were also many...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Experience With Switching Diets"Eat this, not that!" screams the advertisement on TV. That phrase sure captures the history of living with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's. For years, gastroenterologists handed me a printed out...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Vegan Tuscan White Bean SoupThere are many benefits to eating a vegan diet, especially for those with IBD. Replacing animal protein with plant-based foods has helped many patients feel better, better manage their symptoms...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Weathering UC During Life's Storms"Storms make the oak grow deeper roots." –George Herbert Last night, I saw rippling streaks of lightning across the black night sky. It flashed its wiry, electric charges, and my...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
How My IBD Content Has Changed Over TimeI first started talking openly about having inflammatory bowel disease in 2014. I had pouchitis, and I was sick of people not getting that I was ill, because I looked...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Artichoke and Asparagus Pasta SaladLet me just put it out there – I LOVE pasta. I can honestly eat it for every meal of every day for weeks straight (not that I have ever...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Changing Crohn's Medicines, Again.It has been 12 years since I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. And within those 12 years, I have tried many medications, some being: mesalamine, Remicade, Entyvio, Humira, Stelara, azathioprine...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
