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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 how memories can trigger deep feelings and fears. Our bodies can hold memories and trauma and sometimes our fears can be a way for our bodies to try to protect us from perceived harm. Rebecca talks about a recent experience and how she was reliving pain and revisiting fears from the past. She discusses how she accepted what was happening in the moment, without judging, let herself feel the waves of emotions and fear, and moved through it. She then talked to a trusted person who helped her reframe the situation. 

We talk about ways to cope with overwhelming feelings and fear, such as remembering positive core memories that feel comforting or joyful to us. We also agree that gratitude plays a huge role in changing our perspective. Sometimes just focusing on the next right thing and taking small steps helps us to move out of scary and difficult times. 

We wrap up this episode by talking about what regulates us and helps us to have space in our life. 

Thanks for listening!

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode, Rebecca talks about her recent colonoscopy and a few things she learned about Ulcerative Colitis during that experience. We also talk about a Microscopic Colitis study and some interesting findings from that. 

We discuss a large long term study that was done on the risk factors of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis.  This study looked at many risk factors including smoking, exercise, family history, NSAID use, and what types of foods people eat. We were surprised to learn that there were many associations found with certain risk factors and Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's but they did not have statistical significance in the research study. This highlights that there are many factors involved in the disease process. We talk about the importance in having individualized treatment because there are so many complex factors and disease develops differently in different people. 

We end this podcast discussing how we are currently prioritizing our self care and health!

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode Ashley and Rebecca discuss how IBD affects every facet of life including basic necessities such as sleeping and eating. We talk about what good quality of life means to us and that often the goal is that IBD is not at the forefront of every single thing so we can have some ease in our day to day lives. We think that the answer to what good quality of life means will change because IBD is unpredictable. In a flare, we may just want to feel better and get through the tough moments. 

We discuss how there is an increased rate of anxiety in IBD patients and it is reported that 1 in 3 IBD patients have anxiety. We discuss root causes of anxiety and some strategies for dealing with anxiety such as having a team to rely on, acknowledging our fears and choosing to take care of ourselves even when it feels difficult.  Having providers who we trust and can give us answers, guidance and a plan can also alleviate the stress of googling and confusion over what information to trust. 

We talk about the black and white claims we sometimes see made by health gurus or popular influencers online and how sometimes people can be misled and not see the whole picture. Sometimes the dramatic story or eye catching claim can grab our attention and we talk about how our brains gravitate toward certainty and that looking at a more balanced view doesn't always seem as interesting. We talk about how research can have a lot of gray area because of the multiple factors involved and it can be good to allow ourselves to be comfortable with that. 

We end this podcast by coming back to a point that we bring up a lot. That we all want to be seen, heard and feel connected. Ashley discusses her connections with people on Instagram and how meaningful those are to her. She truly enjoys helping others figure out the next step, especially when they feel alone and are confused about how to proceed. You don't have to suffer alone! You can reach out to us anytime and share your struggles and concerns; we welcome that connection and are here for you!

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode Ashley and Rebecca talk about their early days of IBD and also challenges with disordered eating. 

Ashley starts off the episode talking about how when she was a runner in college she would often push her body beyond it's limits and through injuries, IBD and asthma. She realized that she needed to be paying more attention to her body's signals that it was overtaxed. 

Rebecca talks about the pressures of diet culture, how she also struggled with disordered eating in college and how she was being very hard on herself with over exercising and restricting calories. One day she knew she had to make changes when she felt like she would pass out from the the over exertion.  

Ashley says that she has worked through disordered eating through therapy and finding ways to process pain and struggles. She has decided to make peace with her body and also appreciates her body more. Ashley also talks about a self compassion exercise that has helped her to acknowledge her fears but remember that the fears don't have to control her. 

Rebecca and Ashley both agree that supportive relationships are so important because those that support us can help us to reframe our experiences and encourage self acceptance so that we can focus on healing. 

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode Ashley and Rebecca talk about the question of: Who am I? So often we identify with our job, our diagnosis and other titles and labels. We talk about how this can limit your perspective of yourself and it can be beneficial to be curious about our authentic selves.  

Rebecca talks about how she has been putting herself out there more and trying to be friendly and connect with strangers and neighbors. She acknowledges that she can't control their reaction and talks about a time that someone wasn't  responsive to her attempt to connect and she tried not to take it personally. We ask each other: Who are you, outside of your IBD and your roles? Rebecca said that she is focused on her relationships with others, views herself as an advocate and that she is passionate about speaking up for herself and others. Ashley talks about how she has always enjoyed the simple things in life, such as cooking, enjoying nature, and spending time with her family, who all have a great sense of humor. Ashley also mentions that while she is an introvert, she is very focused on her purpose of supporting those with IBD, so she steps out of her comfort zone often in order to connect with others. Ashley talks about how sharing her own personal struggles, though difficult,  can help others feel more supported and not alone. 

Being in tune with our authentic selves can allow us to have better connections with others. We have found that investigating the question of who we are, finding what works for ourselves and being ok with the fact that other people may operate differently, have all been helpful.

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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 moving through the discomfort of changes in our treatment, such as new medication. We also share what we value in friendships and how IBD can make socializing challenging. We discuss how sometimes we can face judgment, insensitivity and a lack of understanding from others when we tell them about our IBD. 

Rebecca and Ashley talk about the challenge of going out to eat and talking to friends about our challenges with IBD and how sometimes they may not understand or empathize with what we're going through. Ashley tells a story about how she felt discriminated against by someone because she has Ulcerative Colitis and how by voicing her concerns about it, she feels she is speaking up for everyone with IBD. 

We discuss how the best way to provide support to someone with IBD, as a friend or family member, is to be openminded, curious and ask questions. Sometimes well-meaning family and friends give us advice, such as what we should be eating, and it may not be helpful. 

Rebecca talks about how dealing with the challenges of IBD has made her more determined and has made her value her relationships even more, especially those that are supportive. Ashley discusses how after so many hard days with IBD she has more appreciation for the good days and when she is feeling well. Disadvantages can help us understand the depth of others' struggles as well. 

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode we dive into a lot of different topics: what it means to truly be heard, being in denial about what is going on with our body and creating a community of connection and safety. 

Rebecca starts off the episode talking about the fact that her GI doctor will be changing her medication and how those type of changes can be difficult. We also talk about how we can evaluate if new treatments are working. We bring up what it means to truly be heard vs. just someone listening to you. Sometimes patients don't feel like they are really listened to or seen, especially when appointments can be over so quickly. Being heard is important because we feel more supported, respected and that what we are going through matters. 

Rebecca talks about what her favorite topic is: understanding how people connect and relationships. Ashley and Rebecca talk about how they strive to create a friendly community here that is accepting of our difficulties and where everyone feels comfortable to connect. It is important to normalize conversations about things that we may at first feel shame about, such as our IBD symptoms and poop. Sometimes it is easier as patients to ignore reality and just push through and not really look at what is going on with our bodies because we may feel embarrassed or may be scared of what certain symptoms mean.  There can be a disconnection from the body with a lot of different experiences, such as trauma, disordered eating and illness. We talk about finding a safe place where we are not judged, we feel comfort, and a sense of community and inclusion. 

We talk about how we can find peace and alignment with ourselves and our bodies when we don't live in denial. Facing taboo topics or challenging symptoms can be hard but they can point us in the direction of how we're really doing. 

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What is a flare and how does it pertain to us?  Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians take a deep dive into understanding what the literature says according to The Manitoba Living with IBD study in the IBD Journal from Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. This study followed people for one year and evaluated their self reported symptoms and their fecal calprotectin, which indicates if there is active inflammation in the bowel. This study looks at a question we get a lot in our practice: how do we know if it's a flare/inflammation and how do we know if it's a symptom?  Interestingly, the study showed half of the patients who felt like they were in a flare did not have inflammation and some people who had no symptoms had inflammation. 
 
We discuss how this can provide some relief because although our symptoms and how we feel is valid, they may not always be a complete measure of how we're actually doing. If patients are feeling symptoms, such as urgency or cramping, this doesn't always indicate that we should panic and think we are going into a flare. Even though symptoms can be valuable indicators and we want to listen to our bodies, we have found that when we aren't hyperfocusing on symptoms, it is easier to take action and have a clear mind about what step to take next. 

We also discuss the four types of remission in this episode and discuss how everyone is different and there is no clear cut answer as to how symptoms relate to IBD. We hope this study gives patients a little permission to ease up and remember we're doing the best we can.

A big takeaway is that there are so many variables in assessing IBD and mucosal healing is the goal, so we need to be proactive about our health and get the labs and the scopes done because only looking at symptoms does not give us the complete picture of how we are doing. 

This also highlights that healing takes time and improving our nutrition has a longer term outcome. 

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians get honest and real about living with IBD and today we talk about colonoscopies. 

Ashley discusses her recent colonoscopy in which inflammation was found even though she has been feeling good. She talks about how it's important to keep up with colonoscopies even if we're symptom free and even though they are not fun! Ashley talks about an easier prep she did this time and how she tried to not have resistance with the procedure, even though she had a difficult experience before. This colonoscopy went much smoother and having that good experience can change fears we may have about it. 

Rebecca also talks about her colonoscopy experience and how the fear of the unknown and not having control is challenging for her.  She talks about how she let herself experience all of the emotions in a cathartic way and that allowed her to have some more acceptance around the procedure. 

We also talk about how sharing these struggles shows patients that we understand and that practitioners aren't perfect and know what it is like to feel overwhelmed and confused by symptoms. Talking about these difficult things resonates with others and gives support and connection to the IBD community. It also shows that we can be effective practitioners and still have our own struggles. Rebecca also touched on how sometimes we grow up with the idea that the harder we work, the better the results will be but this is not always the case with IBD. Sometimes you can do everything right and still have symptoms.

We are here to support you and are honored to be a voice in the IBD community!

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Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related.  From getting diagnosed to navigating our health-care system. We also discuss a study that showed IBD patients had a higher amount of microplastics in their stool vs. non IBD patients. 

We are back and of course we are discussing everything about IBD in an honest and direct way! And that includes a conversation about poop! Even though IBD can be a serious challenge it can help to be lighthearted about these topics. When we don't feel comfortable talking to our GI doctors about issues, like our poop, it can feel really isolating and our doctors aren't getting important information about us that they need. So we encourage everyone to be aware of their body's processes which can make conversations with our doctor much more effective when they know the whole picture of what is going on with us.

Sometimes people feel disconnected from their body when stressed or experiencing symptoms because the awareness of these issues can feel overwhelming . Rebecca talks about ways she tunes into her body, which include journaling and just writing in an unstructured way. You can write about anything such as: what you ate and how it made you feel or about the thoughts you're having that day about your condition or anything else. Also,  just talking things through, either out loud or to yourself can also help you to be honest and understand yourself better.

Ashley talks about how her IBD, though so difficult, has been a filter that has allowed her to focus on what is really important in life. Rebecca says that IBD has taught her how to  take care of her body well and has also shown her what really matters in her life. 

We talk about how we questioned ourselves when we were first diagnosed and were told, "it's all in your head" or "it's not that serious".  Sometimes that can lead to disconnection, losing trust in ourselves, ignoring our issues and that delays people from getting help. We would love to see more support in healthcare for IBD patients! And we hope everyone can find a doctor that really listens to them so we can be confident discussing these challenging issues.