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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode, we are joined by Danielle, one of the IBD specialized dietitians on our team! We discuss what it was like for Danielle to be diagnosed with Crohn's as a teenager and Celiac disease a little later in life.  We also talk about our big takeaways from the Digestive Disease Week conference we attended. 

0-10 minutes
We talk about how exciting it was to meet in person recently! Danielle shares one of her favorite experiences in the US: Trader Joe's! Danielle dives into her gut sensitivities as a child and her journey getting diagnosed at age 14 with Crohn's disease. Her illness sparked her interest in her current career as a dietitian. In 2018 she was diagnosed with Celiac.

10-15
Danielle discusses dealing with Crohn's as a teenager and sharing the news with her softball team. She talks about her biggest support system- her parents.

16-20
Playing softball with IBD; Rebecca shares about playing sports with IBD also. The experience made Danielle feel stronger and inspired her to help others with IBD so they feel supported.

20-27
Danielle discusses when she knew she wanted to be a dietitian working with IBD patients. She loved learning about the body and nutrition as a teenager. She shares her experience with a dietitian in the hospital.

27-35
We talk about our experience at the Digestive Disease week conference. Ashley's big takeaway: she enjoyed the connections she made. Rebecca found it invigorating to see how many people are dedicated and passionate about finding a cure for IBD. It was cool to see different ways to improve IBD patients' lives.  Danielle thought that some moments were challenging as an IBD patient.

35-39
favorite lectures from the conference:
Rebecca enjoyed the study on sulfur microbial diets in IBD . There is a higher prevalence of IBD in western countries. Foods with higher sulfur content are linked to an increased risk of Crohn's and colon cancer; but no association was found with UC, which was surprising. 

39-43
Danielle found the study about the Hispanic diet interesting and noted that there is some inclusivity lacking in research.  She wonders how many dietary patterns are we missing? 
We found it comforting that one meal isn't going to make or break anything. From an inflammatory standpoint it is more important to look at patterns and we can let go of black and white thinking.

43-51
Ashley liked the study about fiber and how it is important to reduce inflammation. She shares some notable facts about IBD patients and brings up a common bias. It was also brought up that rates of IBD are rising. We met some interesting companies including one who advocate for patients, and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. It was so good to

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We love helping provide quality content on IBD nutrition and making it more accessible to all through our podcast, instagram and youtube channel. Creating the resources we provide comes at a significant cost to us. We dream of a day where we can provide even more free education, guidance and support to those with IBD like us.

We need your support to do this. You can help us by liking episodes, sharing them on your social media, subscribing to you tube and telling others about us (your doctors, friends, family, forums/reddit etc). Can you do this for us? In return, I promise to continually level up what we do here.

💜
Ashley

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode, we are joined by our very own Christa Smith, another IBD specialized dietitian, who we have loved working with, and her 3 year old daughter, Millie.

**Note: In this episode we had many interruptions in internet connection so we tried to salvage what we can. This is why it sounds like you are coming into it mid conversation. Enjoy.

0-9:00
-We enjoy some insights from Christa's daughter. We really appreciate her honest answer when asked if she likes broccoli: "I do but I don't"
-ASMR: sounds we enjoy.. or don't 
-We're impressed by the confidence of 3 year olds!

9:00-18:00
-Christa, a busy mom who wears many hats,  talks about what she does when she feels overwhelmed. She tunes out unnecessary noises and tasks, prioritizes and focuses on issues of most importance
- Christa discusses how these parenting challenges can be rewarding 
-We agree that asking for help can be difficult. A lot of the time we think, "I'll figure it out on my own."
- Dealing with the ups and downs of IBD made Christa realize that she does need to ask for help.

19:00- 28:00
-Christa talks about the postpartum period and how she paces herself and provides herself with more grace and patience.
-Christa talks about raising children and how they are expanding their family to 4 kids!

28:00- 35:00
- Christa talks about IBD during pregnancy- what her experience was like, the treatments she went through, and why she felt like it was worth the difficulties and unknown.
- We remember when Christa first met Ashley.

35:00- 46:37
- ASMR and movie theaters
- Ashley talks about how she loves her noise cancelling headphones because certain sounds really bother her.
- We talk about icebreakers and what we do and don't like about them

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. On this episode we talk about interpreting nutrition recommendations, and why looking at "the how" and the rationale behind these recommendations is so important. We discuss what has improved our outcomes as Ulcerative Colitis patients and how things have changed for us since we were first diagnosed. 

0-12:00:
- we talk about the role of the dietitian and how they help patients with "the how" of implementing new recommendations
-how dietitians can clarify terminology, interpretations and the rationale behind recommendations.
-how beneficial plants are and their powerful properties
-looking at our approach vs. the Mediterranean diet

12:00-18:00:
-nutrition guidelines can be complex and dietitians can bridge the gap and interpret this information
- maintaining a healthy relationship with food 
- we don't want it to be just about restrictions but an overall good balance

18:00-27:00:
- nutrition is very individualized
-when looking at the Mediterranean diet and we see something recommended in "moderate" amounts- what does that even mean? We'd like to see more clear guidelines.
-Ashley likes to understand "the why" of recommendations. She wants to understand the concept and degree of importance and impact on the individual.
- We have fun and talk about how we would approach things if we were each others' dietitian.

27:00-32:00:
-Ashley explains how someone can understand a concept but can only implement it to the degree that you understand the impact of it.
-If we understand what is possible, we are more likely to make positive change and have trust in the process

32:00-38:00:
- Rebecca discusses the process of researching Ulcerative Colitis, especially when she was first diagnosed. 
-Rebecca talks about how implementing plant foods changed how she felt and improved her symptoms. 
-Rebecca emphasizes how her family and support system, therapy and looking for ways to ground herself greatly improved her quality of life and improved her outcome as an Ulcerative Colitis patient. 

38:00-41:00:
- Ashley talks about what has helped her Ulcerative Colitis. She shares that her access to meds, a nutrition plan, connection with others and stability all have helped her tremendously.
-Ashley still struggles sometimes with overdoing it, especially since she enjoys her work so much. She is aware that she surpasses her threshold at times.

41:00-48:00:
-Rebecca discusses how things have changed since her Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis. She has a better awareness of her self and what she is able to handle.
-Rebecca and Ashley explore their social capacity and honoring when they need a break.

48:00- 53:23: 
-We talk about how it's not easy t

Follow us on instagram @crohns_and_colitis_dietitians
Follow us on youtube @thecrohnscolitisdietitians

We love helping provide quality content on IBD nutrition and making it more accessible to all through our podcast, instagram and youtube channel. Creating the resources we provide comes at a significant cost to us. We dream of a day where we can provide even more free education, guidance and support to those with IBD like us.

We need your support to do this. You can help us by liking episodes, sharing them on your social media, subscribing to you tube and telling others about us (your doctors, friends, family, forums/reddit etc). Can you do this for us? In return, I promise to continually level up what we do here.

💜
Ashley

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. On this episode we talk about how we deal with overwhelming feelings and fears that come up with IBD symptoms. We also talk about a conference we were excited to attend, research and communicating needs. 

0-16 minutes: 
-we talk about joint pain and the fear response with flare ups
-we are excited for the DDW (Digestive Disease Week) conference and would love to see more of a focus on nutrition at events like this.
-we would love it if every GI doctor had a dietitian on staff!
-the varying factors in research and how we hope to see more research in nutrition

16-26 minutes:
-The IBD scaries: symptoms that bring up fear and remind us of flares
-how our emotions tie into our gut issues
-what we feel when we have symptoms and how we feel a loss of control
-how we try to take it step by step when experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions
-the fear response can be hard to pause 
-Rebecca talks about how she doesn't make important decisions when feeling these strong emotions

30-44 minutes:
-Rebecca talks about when she was very overwhelmed and in a flare and first reached out to Ashley as a patient to work with her
-giving ourselves space to process and go through what we need to go through
-Rebecca talks about  a recent shopping experience trying on jeans when Ursula (her IBD) reared it's ugly head and started causing her pain. 
-why communicating needs is so important
-Ashley talks about the experience as a HSP- highly sensitive person. She has difficulty with tags in clothes, certain sounds and focusing in noisy environments.

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode, we talk about keeping a balance with our healthy habits and how it can be challenging to incorporate necessary rest. Ashley discusses her days of being a runner and the strategy involved and Rebecca reflects on playing water polo and swimming in college.

We think about the origins of IBD and any illness. It is common to ask ourselves: what is my role in this? What is the cause of my disease? As patients, we want answers but have to remember with IBD it is difficult to pinpoint one specific cause. There are multiple risk factors and sometimes we just don't know exactly why we have IBD. Adding guilt and blame to the mix makes it more challenging. It is important to remember that we didn't cause our IBD but our daily choices and nutrition matter significantly. And those are things that are under our control! 

We also talk about the book The Happiness Trap and the questions you can ask yourself about certain beliefs and thoughts. Asking if these thoughts are true or helpful helps us to keep in mind that we don't have to respond to every fleeting thought. We end our talk today reflecting on how joy and celebrating other's happiness can feel vulnerable but is so rewarding!

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. We cover many topics today, such as our early days as a dietitian, asking good questions and how sharing our vulnerabilities can help others.

Rebecca shares one of Ashley's beliefs that has inspired her: What if it works out in the end? We dive into an interesting conversation about belief vs. feeling and what that means to us. We talk about gratitude, nostalgia and choice.

We bring up how processing the emotions that we feel when dealing with a chronic illness can empower us to make different choices and can influence our beliefs. Also sharing our hardships with others that we trust can help us lead a more authentic life.

0-5 minutes:
-Can we stop calling IBD irritable bowel disease? Also, what is a dietitian really?
-How Ashley learned about what a dietitian does

5-10 minutes:
-Rebecca's journey to become a dietitian
-Rebecca's random deep dive into the urea cycle

15-20 minutes:
-The importance of asking questions
-How talking about IBD can be for those not familiar with it

20-30 minutes:
-How people respond to discussing IBD
-There is room for opportunity for learning in being open to questions
-Teaching Rebecca about the "more you F around" meme
-What is the difference between feeling & believing
-Our missing podcast
-What Ashley taught Rebecca: What if it all works out in the end?
-What it means to validate our feelings but also choosing to believe optimistically

30-40 minutes:
-The difference between feelings & belief:  Belief involves choice and how you interpret your own feelings and thoughts
-A feeling can change, belief is the meaning you attach to the feeling which can impact your actions and choices
-Changes in our company, and our sad feelings or really gratitude for it all
-Greif and gratitude are intertwined

40-50 minutes:
-Accepting all feelings as ok helps us move through them
-Knowing you aren't alone in your IBD can help
-How rebecca felt more freedom when she started working with us
-Connection with others with IBD helps us feel seen

Links:
The more you F💩 around the more you find out: https://www.tiktok.com/@rogerskaer/video/7147844411915783470
 

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related.
**We do have a 3 part webinar series starting this Friday, June 9th- we would love for you to join us! Here is the link to join this informative series on What to Eat with IBD, including group coaching!**

Rebecca talks about a recent experience of gathering with friends that she hasn't seen in a long time and how she feels like a completely different version of herself now. She worked through the feelings of missing the person she was before her diagnosis and realizing how different her lifestyle is now. With chronic illness we can sometimes feel like a part of our identity is lost but we also think there is opportunity there to embrace the new changes. We notice that social events and food can trigger these uncomfortable feelings because food can represent so much: memories, socialization and fun. 

Ashley talks about some recent networking events where it felt a little challenging as an introvert, but she ultimately wants to bring awareness to IBD and educate others. Sometimes talking to people who aren't aware of what IBD is can feel uncomfortable and there is a lot of room for improvement in education and understanding this disease. We always recommend the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCFA) website if you would like to share information about IBD with someone who wants to learn more. 

We find that there is a big knowledge gap about IBD with friends, family and the general community. We have noticed discomfort in others and sometimes their comments can feel dismissive and like they are minimizing our experience with IBD. Please remember you aren't alone and we will always advocate for all of the IBD warriors out there! 

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. We start off this episode talking about some music we have been enjoying that helps to minimize stress. Rebecca talks about how she was recently frustrated about not being able to run like she used to and realized she was being hard on herself. We talk about shifting our perspective and keeping in mind all of the small improvements we've had.

We discuss compassion for our own struggles and to also remember that most people are fighting some sort of battle we may not know about and that everyone deserves compassion. We especially see a lack of compassion in comment sections and some discussions on the internet!

We end this podcast by talking about how we want to show up as professionals and advocate for IBD patients. We discuss the changes we would love to see in the GI field and with education around IBD nutrition. 

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. We start off this episode discussing "if our rectums could talk, what would they say?" We talk about symptoms, enemas, and all kinds of things we experience as IBD patients. We are always keeping it honest and real over here! 

We kick off a discussion about intentions with our mindfulness cards. We talk about disagreements and how we can inject pauses into these discussions and remember the disagreement is usually about deeper issues than the surface thing we are talking about. 

We have a great conversation about the small steps forward that can have a big impact. We ask our audience- what is one small thing you could start doing to improve your life? Sometimes it is about that 1% improvement that makes all of the difference. We also ask ourselves- how am I showing up for myself? In our culture it seems that a constant state of busyness is normalized but we are working on prioritizing rest and self care!

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode, we discuss Ashley's recent experience with covid, our experiences traveling and changing our mindset with new experiences. We also bring up a recent blog post about J-pouches. 

We talk about food options and distracting ourselves when uncomfortable symptoms arise. Rebecca talks about her recent trip to California and Ashley found some interesting differences in Europe in regards to food and bathroom availability. 

Ashley brings up questions she has been asking herself in order to figure out what is fun for her and explore ways to give herself some space. We also talk about how sometimes opening our mind to new experiences can shift our perspective. We love the idea of  welcoming in fun and pausing fears in order to release some control and enjoy ourselves!