Episode 41: Alysa Johnsen–Healing Ulcerative Colitis with yoga, mindset, and plant-based nutrition

Crohn's Fitness Food Podcast cover photo of Alysa Johnsen

In today’s episode, Alysa shares how she’s been managing her Ulcerative Colitis through yoga, mindset, and plant-based nutrition. After being diagnosed with IBD and suffering from the side effects of Lialda, she sought the help of an integrative medical doctor.

Once she found a doctor that she connected with, Alysa underwent a number of different test, including a food sensitivity test, that helped her doctor put together a comprehensive plan designed just for her. She was equipped with a customized food list and a variety of supplements that started her on a new journey and within two weeks, all of her stomach cramps had disappeared. As more time went by, her IBD symptoms improved and she was able to go off of her medications.

Always active from a young age, over the past few years, she’s turned to yoga for daily fitness and as a way to check in with herself. She matches her yoga practice to what her body needs for that day and utilizes breathing techniques to help manage anxiety and stress, as well as twists and yin yoga to help with bloating or pain.

Alysa also shares her tips for traveling with specific dietary needs, how her mindset has evolved over the years, and her daily mantra. She’s learned to focus on the positive things that IBD has brought her–from focusing on discovering better health to being a part of this community–and she encourages everyone to find one thing you are grateful for each day.

Resources mentioned in the interview:
https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/
https://thehealthyapple.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

Follow Alysa at https://www.instagram.com/lovingmyuc/

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