invisible illness – Eating Vegan with Crohn's Disease

How does one “Feel Better?”

With Crohn’s disease, when you start feeling like shit you know you are in for the long haul. Crohn’s is a Victorian wasting disease where the only remedies are hot pads, cold compresses, and moving to the mountains where the air is less tubercular. Except it’s 2025 and you can’t buy morphine or heroin overContinue reading “How does one “Feel Better?””

Pain

Two nights ago I experienced what I think may have been the worst pain of my life. Following a very high stress week, like crying at work, the students can tell something is wrong stress, like your elderly parents and disabled brother are living in filth with mouse shit all over their kitchen and onlyContinue reading “Pain”

Reverse Engineered EEN Smoothie

To approximate food like Modulen or Kate Farms medical meal replacement shakes, I made this smoothie. I drink two of these a day currently, in addition to 3-4 Kate farms shakes. The Kate farms micronutrient profile hits all essential vitamins and minerals at 3-4 shakes a day. My last meal of the day is yogurtContinue reading “Reverse Engineered EEN Smoothie”

Fit in my 40s update

It’s been about two months since I have reframed my thinking about fatigue, chronic illness, and fitness. My therapist has been very helpful in reinforcing my new mindset, as well as looking at the scientific evidence of my recent colonoscopy, which shows no signs of inflammation. With my Crohn’s and Hashimoto’s medically managed, I shouldContinue reading “Fit in my 40s update”

To be fit in my 40s

I am trying some things this winter to beat the sunless, warmthless doldrums. I read a memoir by a woman who healed from chronic fatigue syndrome. Parts of it seemed like sound advice. Parts of it seemed like real wellness influencer film flam (like starting and ending the book with Rachel Hollis quotes). I won’tContinue reading “To be fit in my 40s”

Diet for Remission Update

I have reached the 6th week of my Crohn’s disease exclusion diet. Half of my daily calories are from enteral nutrition (Kate Farms chocolate flavor nutrition shake). Half of my calories are from fruits and vegetables, mostly smoothies, soups, and the occasional salad. I actually guess I haven’t been following the diet, per se, becauseContinue reading “Diet for Remission Update”

Here is how capitalism caused my Crohn’s disease.

1) It is socially acceptable and commercially encouraged to eat a diet high in meat, fat, and processed foods. This diet is driven by advertising. This diet contributes to higher rates of Crohn’s disease. 2) Big pharma can’t monetize vegetables, so they have no incentive to get people to eat the foods that lower theContinue reading “Here is how capitalism caused my Crohn’s disease.”

Healing Crohn’s Disease with Diet

Riding the Flare & Dietary Interventions for Crohn’s Disease

I’m about 3 weeks into this flare. Had a great talk with my primary care doctor where we discussed my long term health goals and I shared with her my research on treating Crohn’s with diet. She is incredibly supportive and promptly ordered a bunch of tests to assess my micronutrient levels and try toContinue reading “Riding the Flare & Dietary Interventions for Crohn’s Disease”

Life with Multiple Chronic Illnesses

In a word, confusing. What is causing the symptoms? Are these conditions impacting each other? I have Crohn’s disease, hypothyroidism, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. What is causing my fatigue? My brain fog? Why does my whole body hurt? What is throwing off my sleep schedule? When you are navigating multiple diagnosis, specialists make it moreContinue reading “Life with Multiple Chronic Illnesses”