Crohn’s Fitness Food

Jenny Pascoe talks travel, hypnotherapy, meditation, and fitness (E39)

In today’s episode, Jenny Pascoe shares her Crohn’s story and how it took 10 years of battling symptoms before a capsule endoscopy confirmed a diagnosis of IBD. She struggled during those years trying to find ways to manage her symptoms, including numerous dietary changes, and even found herself wondering if it was all in her head, as many of her doctors suggested. Eventually, it took the persistence of her mother to tell her she wasn’t leading a normal life and finding the right doctor to determine Crohn’s Disease.
After diagnosis, she was started on Humira, but it still took another six months before her symptoms really started improving. Although she’s not completely in remission, her symptoms have subsided and she’s taking back her life. Looking back on her journey, she shares how she didn’t communicate with her doctors early on the severity of her symptoms and what was happening. She tended to normalize her experiences and downplay how she felt.
Now on the path to healing and back from a recent overseas trip, Jenny also shares how complementary healing practices, such as hypnotherapy and meditation, helped her control her anxiety and better prepare her for an extended summer trip and international flight. She shares more of what she’s learned over the years about managing flares and also talks about how finding the IBD community on social media has allowed her to connect and share her experiences in new ways, finding an even greater level of support.
To keep up with Jenny’s journey, follow her on Instagram: @crohnieintheclassroom

Kristen Furey, 11 Health Patient Coach and HOPE Conference Project Manager (E38)

In today’s episode, the first 11 Health Patient Coach, Kristen Furey, shares her Crohn’s journey. Diagnosed at age 12, Kristen has battled IBD for 13 years. She underwent her ostomy surgery in 2013 and had a total colectomy in 2015.
Kristen has been in a constant flare since her diagnosis, only reaching remission for the first time this year. She opens up and talks about the post traumatic stress she suffers from her medical trauma, but also shares how finding new passions has kept her moving forward and fueling her positive outlook.
About two years ago, Kristen joined the 11 Health family, a new company developing smart ostomy bags for patients. She soon became the very first Patient Coach and began developing and expanding the Patient Coaches program, from recruitment to training. There are now over 40 Patient Coaches.
Kristen is now sharing her own patient journey through social media, further developing the Patient Coaches program, and is serving as the project manager for 11 Health’s first conference, HOPE, that will be held at the end of this month in Las Vegas.
HOPE 2019 | Healthy Outcomes for Patient EngagementOctober 24-25, 2019Hard Rock Hotel, Las VegasFREE to attend!
HOPE is a two-day conference featuring a series of informational speakers from doctors, to nurses, patients, and even medical administrators from all over the Ostomy world. At HOPE, you will have the opportunity to engage with some of the most inspired thinkers in healthcare and healthcare technology and get a chance to see first-hand the newest generation of wearable healthcare devices.
Register at:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hope2019-presented-by-11-health-tickets-65217567500
Kristenhttps://www.instagram.com/thefureyfighter/https://www.facebook.com/thefureyfighter/
11 Healthhttp://www.11health.com/https://www.club11health.com/11-health-podcasts/https://www.facebook.com/11health/https://www.instagram.com/11healthandtech/https://twitter.com/11HealthandTech
Patient Coacheshttps://www.facebook.com/patientcoaches/https://www.instagram.com/patientcoaches/https://twitter.com/CoachesPatient

Sophie Howard, Crohn's Warrior, talks about travel, stress, and community (E37)

In today’s episode, Sophie Howard shares her journey with Crohn’s Disease. After being diagnosed at the age of 11, she learned to navigate the ups and downs of Crohn’s as a child and fought off countless infections over the years. Now, 14 years later, she chooses to look at the accomplishments in her life and hasn’t let Crohn’s hold her back.
Although food is not a trigger for Sophie, stress is. She’s learned the importance of sleep, stress management, and how to balance fitness and recovery. As an avid traveler, Sophie shares her tips for reducing stress while traveling, including why she packs as light as possible and why she increases her vitamins before a trip.
She’s also learned to appreciate simple things in life, like walking outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and taking long, hot baths on a regular basis. She makes priority lists every morning to help her focus on what she wants to get done first and what can wait until later, if needed.
After feeling very alone as a child with Crohn’s Disease, growing up in a small town where she didn’t know anyone else with IBD, Sohpie embraced the support and connection that being an active part of the IBD community online offers. She felt immediately connected with fellow IBD patients from all around the world who shared the same disease. She’s now speaking up and sharing her voice in the community. She describes it as a place “where everybody is talking about their experiences daily...and we’re all pushing each other to be better and we’re all pushing each other to widen the conversation and to make sure we are educating everybody who doesn’t know about IBD...and what it’s like to live with it.”
She blogs about her travels at www.crohnswithme.com and shares her journey on Instagram (@crohnswithme). She hopes to show that life can be good and that it’s about making simple adventures as fun and as easy on yourself as possible.

Ciara Munnelly takes control of Crohn's with mindset and fitness (E36)

In today’s episode, Ciara Munnelly shares her journey with Crohn’s Disease and how she’s learned to change her mindset and find better health through fitness and lifestyle.
Though she was always active growing up, as she got older, life got in the way of fitness. Then, when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s, she allowed the disease to take control of her life. She gave in to the fatigue and the bad days and, although medication helped control the severity of her Crohn’s, she was still sick and not living life to the fullest.
One year ago, after taking a good hard look at what she wanted out of life, Ciara started working on changing her mindset, focusing on the positive things in life, and joined a CrossFit gym. She focused on ways she could reduce stress in her life, including changing jobs, and was consistent with her fitness. On the days she felt fatigued, she learned to listen to her body and not her mind; pushing herself to get up and move when she knew her body could handle it. Her sleep improved and gradually, the aches and pains that were constantly there started to fade and her energy levels began to improve. She now feels stronger and more resilient than ever.
Finally learning to live her life and not willing to let Crohn’s control what lies ahead, she’s now preparing to move from her hometown in Ireland to Thailand. There, she’ll be spending the next couple of months training at Unit 27 and putting her life on the course that she wants–pursuing fitness as a new career and following her passions. She talks about how she’s preparing to make the move, while managing Crohn’s, and is ready for whatever comes next.
Keep up with Ciara and join her on her journey on Instagram by following @ciaracrohnsfitness

Molly Dunham-Friel, battling IBD, IBS and SIBO (E35)

In today’s episode, Ulcerative Colitis fighter, Molly Dunham-Friel, shares her journey battling Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). One year after her Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis in 2012, she was diagnosed with IBS, and in 2018, SIBO was added to her list of gut conditions.
Over the past year, she’s tried a number of different diets, acupuncture, exercise, talk therapy, medications, supplements, frequency specific microcurrent therapy, detoxing foot baths and much more in an attempt to help heal her gut. She talks about the long and winding journey that battling gut conditions is and shares everything from the various diets and medications she’s taken to the lasting food fear and anxiety that still remains.
Throughout her entire IBD journey, Molly has been determined to find her best health–looking to thrive rather than just survive. Early on, she went through multiple gastroenterology clinics until she finally found one that made her feel like she was being heard and working with the staff, rather than just given medications and dismissed until the next appointment.
Her persistence for better care grew over the years as she became passionate about advocating not only for herself, but for others in the IBD and IBS communities. She’s been an active volunteer with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, moderating local support groups and supporting events, and this past summer, she even met with her local government representatives to discuss the needs of IBD patients and issues in the healthcare system, such as medication and procedure costs.
Though she admits she doesn’t have all the answers and the journey is full of twists and turns, she continues to fight, constantly seeking ways to improve her gut and overall health, and live life to the fullest.
@betterbelliesbymolly
www.betterbelliesbymolly.com
 

34. Trevor Zabar, Crohn's Crusaders; Gut Microbiome

In today’s episode, Trevor Zabar, founder of Crohn’s Crusaders, shares his journey with IBD from conventional medications to learning how to heal his gut with time-honored fermented foods. Battling Crohn’s for 35 years since childhood, he talks about being sick all the time. But, neither medications nor surgery ever put him into remission. His weight fluctuated as an adult during periods of sickness and, at one point, he dropped from 180 to 120 lbs.
Through trial and error, Trevor began introducing probiotics and fermented foods into his diet, while eliminating those that are known to be inflammatory. He eventually began drinking kefir (a fermented milk beverage) and slowly started seeing his Crohn’s symptoms improve. After a few months of caring for his gut microbiome, not only did he finally achieve remission, but he also found a new purpose. Trevor made the decision to leave his career in criminal justice to follow his passion for educating others, especially those suffering with gastrointestinal issues, about the gut microbiome–including the power of fermented foods.
Trevor talks about the importance of starting slow with fermented foods, sharing that when he first began drinking kefir, it was just one teaspoon at a time. After years of researching how the gut microbiome works and studying scientific articles, he finally developed a protocol that worked for introducing fermented foods into his diet and regaining his health. He’s been sharing his protocol with others suffering gut issues and just recently finished writing his first book, Crohn’s Crusaders Secrets, that is currently in the final stages of publishing and is an introduction to gut health and everything he’s learned throughout his journey in healing his gut.
For those interested in starting to add fermented foods to their diet, Trevor recommends Siggi’s traditional Icelandic yogurt. If you’re interested in kefir, while obtaining grains and making your own kefir at home is ideal, a commercially-available brand that most people can find in their local grocery store is Lifeway. Trevor also stresses the importance of good quality water and recommends Zephyrhills natural spring water.
Trevor is passionate about the gut microbiome and encourages anyone suffering with gut issues to reach out to him. Follow him on Instagram at @crohns_crusaders to keep up with his current endeavors, including plans for coaching, fermented food instructional videos, and building a support network with subject matter experts in various fields such as gut health, plant-based nutrition, essential oils, hormones, and more.
www.instagram.com/crohns_crusaderswww.crohnscrusaders.com
www.siggis.com (traditional Icelandic yogurt)www.lifewaykefir.com (commercially available fermented milk)www.zephyrhillswater.com (natural spring water)

Episode 33: Author Anitriss Smith, "Undefeated: My Fight with Crohn's Disease"

In today’s episode, author Anitriss Smith shares her 18-year journey with Crohn’s Disease and how her desire to help others with IBD know that they are not alone, drove her to tell her story in her new book Undefeated: My fight with Crohn’s Disease.
Diagnosed in 2000 after experiencing her first flare during a family road trip to Canada, it took Anitriss 16 years of struggling with Crohn’s before she finally found the right care and treatment at the University of Michigan Hospital. Her previous doctors–despite many tests, medications, and pain killers–never succeeded in helping her achieve remission. In 2016, she was finally started on Remicade and was able to start taking back control of her health and life.
She talks about the important role her husband and children continue to play in providing support and laughter throughout her Crohn’s journey. Her children are always eager to help during flares by cooking food (and snuggling) and she’s learned over the years to help her body heal by getting rest, finding peace and a quiet escape through reading scripture, and adjusting her diet.
It was just last year, after spending so much time battling a disease she felt she couldn’t win, that she realized, “I’m still standing,” and with the encouragement of her husband, she began writing. After battling Crohn’s for so long, she couldn’t sit around anymore and not share what she had learned and experienced. The process of writing was not only therapeutic, but was her way of being able to help others going through the same thing. Battling IBD is not just a physical fight, but a mental and emotional one as well.
“I am a woman of faith and family,” she says in her book. “I’ve had many trials and challenges with this disease and its effects. Now, I am taking charge of my health and future. My goal is to encourage others to unite and in turn challenge others to do the same. Together we are UNDEFEATED!”
Anitriss’ book is available on Amazon or through direct sales. If you’d like a signed copy, you can direct message her on Facebook (she accepts PayPal, Cash App, check or money order) or if you’re in the Flint, Michigan, area, you can bring your copy to her book signing:
Undefeated: My Fight With Crohn’s Disease Saturday, August 24, 20191:00pm-3:00pmTotem Books620 W. Court St.Flint, MI 49503
https://www.amazon.com/Undefeated-My-fight-Crohns-Disease/dp/1075984300/https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnitrissSmith/https://www.facebook.com/anitriss.smith
 

Episode 32: Tara Kruck, 20-Year Crohn's Warrior

In today’s episode, Tara Kruck shares her 20-year journey with Crohn’s Disease. Like many IBD Warriors, in the beginning, she first noticed significant weight loss along with increasing abdominal bloating and eventually severe pain. She ignored the symptoms for more than a year and simply attributed them to the stress of being a senior in college and starting the process of looking for a job after graduation.
Her first doctor dismissed her symptoms and it wasn’t until after graduation, and finding a new doctor who referred her to a gastroenterologist, that she found out she was suffering from Crohn’s Disease. It was the early 2000s and the first medications she took never helped completely. Her doctor then was also limited in recommendations for lifestyle changes or other ways to help fight IBD.
During the early years of her diagnosis, it was Tara’s mom who encouraged her to start changing her diet and try different things to help improve her symptoms. But, it wasn’t until she found her third gastroenterologist around 2010 that she was able to bring all the pieces of medication, diet, and fitness together to finally find relief and a path to feel her best. Her new doctor was able to guide her in identifying foods that were her specific triggers and showed her how to navigate the process of reintroducing foods she had eliminated back into her diet. He also stressed the importance of physical fitness and switched her medications, getting her to a point where should could finally put on the healthy weight she’d been struggling to gain for so long.
Tara also opened up and talked about the emotional and mental toll that Crohn’s takes, in addition to its physical symptoms. She’s learned over the years that stress is a major trigger and shared how she’s been able to bring more things into her life that help to manage stress–from surrounding herself with positive people and pets to enjoying concerts and learning to not sweat the small stuff.
In addition to finding the right mix of medication, diet, fitness, and lifestyle habits, Tara also became involved with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and joined a support group in her area. Finding a group of people who were going through the same thing gave her both a sense of community with IBD as well as ideas and strategies for managing her own disease. Support groups are a great resource for patients to share tips on how to prepare or navigate social situations revolving around food to just being able to talk about everyday things and how IBD impacts life.
Tara now lives in Huntsville, Alabama, and is working with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation to start a local support group in the Huntsville area. If you are interested in being part of the group, please reach to Tara and let her know you’d like to be involved!
If you’d like to keep up with Tara’s journey, follow her on Instagram: @tarak.99
 

Episode 31: Jessica Porter, Crohn's Disease Warrior and Bikini Competitor

In today’s episode, Crohn’s Warrior Jessica Porter shares her journey with IBD and is proving that you can do anything with a chronic illness. Jessica’s Crohn’s journey began six years ago when her first symptoms of pain and bloating were becoming a daily occurrence. In late 2014 the pain was worsening and in 2015 she went to the hospital, barely able to walk.
The doctors found an abscess that had grown to the size of a large fist that was attached to both her appendix and large bowel and was close to bursting. The surgeons removed both the cyst and appendix along with one foot of bowel, but after the surgery her doctor remained adamant that she didn’t need further medication, despite her Crohn’s symptoms continuing. Finally after making the decision to move back to her hometown and find a new doctor, she was put on Humira immediately and found relief.
It was the following year that she knew she needed to start taking better care of her health and body and in July 2016, she stepped into her first gym. Personal trainers helped her to learn proper form and exercises and she fell in love with weight training. Then in 2018, she watched her current coach go through a fitness competition and she was inspired to take on the challenge herself. Jessica began training under the guidance of her coach and just completed her first bikini competition this past March.
She talks about how her journey into health and training for the competition went hand in hand with her Crohn’s management and how she (and her coach) learned to balance both. Jessica shares her tips for how she managed the fatigue she battled daily and learned that yes, she could (temporarily), give up chocolate! She gives tips for managing flares, how she would de-stress during the day, and talks about how she had to face the major decision to leave her career to work in an entirely new industry that would be less stressful and allow her to put her health first.
It was just a few years ago that she realized how few people actually knew what Crohn’s Disease was when she would tell them about her IBD. It was then that she started advocating in hopes to both educate others who weren’t aware of either Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis and to inspire others with IBD to keep trying new things and continue fighting to find ways to thrive.
To keep up with Jessica’s journey, follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @JessicaRosePx and @JessicaRosePXX

Episode 30: Krista Deveau, 18-year Crohn's Warrior and Kindergarten Teacher

In this week’s episode, Krista Deveau shares her 18-year Crohn’s journey. Diagnosed at just 9 years old, Krista has gone through multiple surgeries, had a feeding tube twice (one time as a child and another as an adult), and tried just about every medication available for IBD. A little over a year ago, she received an ostomy and has been enjoying a new lease on life, thanks to Stella the Stoma.
Krista shares her experience as a child with Crohn’s Disease and what it was like to have a feeding tube. She talks about the incredible support she received from her family, friends, and community and gives tips and advice to parents who might have a child with a feeding tube. Her disease continued to progress as she got older, never really reaching remission, and she talks about how it wasn’t until the last six years that she really considered herself to be sick.
It was while she was finishing her degree, moving with her husband, and starting a career as a teacher that the stress and changes in life were becoming too much for her body to handle. Like many IBD Warriors, through sheer determination and stubbornness, she pulled herself through the immediate challenges, but then knew it was time to start healing.
A little more than a year ago, she had to advocate for her own care and sought the opinions and advice from friends and other ostomates about her next options. Her doctors wanted to delay surgery and keep trying medications, despite how sick she had become and even though she had never truly been in remission. Knowing it was the right decision, she asked for an ostomy and it gave her back her life.
Over the last few years she has learned to listen to her body and understands that rest and slowing down are just as important to her overall health as the surgery and medications have been. She talks about the benefits of sharing her IBD with her boss and coworkers and how supportive they have been. In learning to slow down and listen to her body, she’s also learning how to balance life, stress and Crohn’s, including making the transition from full-time work to part time.
Finally, she shares a little bit about what it’s been like to reintroduce foods back into her diet after surgery and talks about the experience her husband had while wearing an ostomy bag during World Ostomy Day this past October. It’s now been over two years that she’s been sharing her Crohn’s journey and raising awareness for IBD with no plans to stop! To keep up with her story, follow her on Instagram @my.gut.instinct