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Episode 43: Shawn Bethea (ChronicallyStrong.com), IBD Warrior and Advocate

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In today’s episode, Shawn Bethea shares her IBD story from her first diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis in 2009 to an eventual diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease this year. She’s been through medications, surgery, and countless diets and has finally learned to navigate life with IBD.

Shawn talks in depth about her ostomy surgery, describing the full year of research she did and countless back-and-forth decisions on whether to move forward. Finally–among all her searches–she found someone online in 2014 sharing her own personal ostomy story. It was then that she reached a point of comfort with her decision and was ready for her own.

In 2015 Shawn had her ostomy surgery and six months later had her j-pouch surgery. It was finally after the surgery that she had her life back and began to live again. Before the surgery, Shawn didn’t have any “safe” foods. Everything was a trigger for her, it was only a question of how severe. Though she doesn’t have any limitations on what she eats now, she looks at life differently and says, “you only get one j-pouch!”

Seeking ways, in addition to medication and surgery, to feel her best, Shawn follows a pescatarian diet, focuses on her mindset and has learned to listen to her body and accept support from others when she needs it. She is now an active IBD advocate, regularly attending conferences, serving on patient panels, blogging, and openly sharing her journey. Shawn encourages all IBD patients to build their support system, to ask for help when you need it, and to always aim for better!

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@shawnbethea_

Facebook, Chronicallystrong

Blog, Chronicallystrong.com

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Episode 42: Troy Parsons (@flaredupfitness), IBD Warrior and Advocate

Crohn's Fitness Food podcast cover image of Troy Parsons

Today’s guest is Troy Parsons, Crohn’s Warrior and IBD advocate. Diagnosed 10 years ago at the age of 17, Troy has faced adversity, enjoyed accomplishments and successes, and suffered failures. But, through it all, he has continued learning, seeking health, and is ready to face any challenges that the next 10 years may bring. Continue reading “Episode 42: Troy Parsons (@flaredupfitness), IBD Warrior and Advocate”

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Cystoscopy: My fears and anticipation vs. what actually happened

Photo of Stephanie Gish immediately after her cystoscopy

Do you ever find yourself loving Google, yet hating it at the same time? That was the case for me as I spent more and more time researching and looking up information during the two weeks leading up to my cystoscopy earlier this month. My last four urine tests all showed blood in the urine, which was actually part of the reason for my referral back to nephrology. And, although the hematuria is most likely due to IgA nephropathy, my doctors wanted to send me to urology just to make sure everything was good there, since–I later learned–all cases of repeated hematuria not caused by urinary tract infections should be referred to urology. Continue reading “Cystoscopy: My fears and anticipation vs. what actually happened”

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Episode 39: Jenny Pascoe (@crohnieintheclassroom) talks travel, hypnotherapy, meditation, and fitness

Crohn's Fitness Food podcast cover image of Jenny Pasco

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. Continue reading “Episode 39: Jenny Pascoe (@crohnieintheclassroom) talks travel, hypnotherapy, meditation, and fitness”

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Episode 38: Kristen Furey, 11 Health Patient Coach and HOPE Conference Project Manager

Podcast cover image of Kristen Furey

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. Continue reading “Episode 38: Kristen Furey, 11 Health Patient Coach and HOPE Conference Project Manager”

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Part 2: Fasting and diet, my one-two punch out of my most recent Crohn’s flare up

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Part 2 is here! Well, technically, it’s parts 3, 4, and 5 of what I did to help pull me out of my latest Crohn’s Disease mini flare up. If you didn’t read last week’s post, I encourage you to go back and read it, as it paints the picture for what got me into this flare and the key changes I made in my diet to pull me out of it. So, without further delay, let’s pick up where we left off! Continue reading “Part 2: Fasting and diet, my one-two punch out of my most recent Crohn’s flare up”

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Fasting and diet, my one-two punch out of my most recent Crohn’s flare up

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How I used fasting and diet to pull out of a mini Crohn’s flare up and yes, vegetables really do hate me…

 

Things started going downhill two months ago in July. Over the summer, I started playing around with adding different vegetables into my keto-carnivore diet. One by one–and spread out over the course of a few weeks–I tried an asparagus spear, butter lettuce, white rice, sweet potatoes, and even dark chocolate. Then in mid-July, it was time for my 7th colonoscopy (I think, I lost count), followed up by an MRI two weeks later, to see how my Crohn’s Disease was doing. Continue reading “Fasting and diet, my one-two punch out of my most recent Crohn’s flare up”

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Episode 37: Sophie Howard, Crohn’s Warrior, talks about travel, stress, and community

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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. Continue reading “Episode 37: Sophie Howard, Crohn’s Warrior, talks about travel, stress, and community”

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Episode 34: Trevor Zabar, Crohn’s Crusaders; Gut Microbiome

Crohn's Fitness Food podcast cover for episode with Trevor Zabar

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. Continue reading “Episode 34: Trevor Zabar, Crohn’s Crusaders; Gut Microbiome”