People who live with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis experience stigma because of their inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The taboo topic of bowel disease can permeate all aspects of a person's life, especially when there are cultural influences also at play.Tina Aswani Omprakash, who lives with Crohn's disease and a permanent ileostomy, shares her story of personal empowerment and how she is working to help other people with IBD live their lives with confidence. Tina describes how IBD has profoundly affected her family as well as why she decided to become an outspoken advocate for the IBD and ostomy communities and start her blog, Own Your Crohn's.

Concepts discussed on this episode:

• Pouchitis: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-pouchitis-in-a-jpouch-1942974
• Rectovaginal fistula: https://www.verywellhealth.com/rectovaginal-fistula-overview-4587356
• Perianal disease: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-the-perianal-area-1942412
• J-pouch: https://www.verywellhealth.com/before-during-and-after-j-pouch-surgery-4137938
• Ileostomy: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-ileostomy-surgery-1942936
• Step therapy: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/get-involved/be-an-advocate/steptherapy/
• Abscess: https://www.verywellhealth.com/perirectal-abscess-2328821
• Pyoderma gangrenosum: https://www.verywellhealth.com/pyoderma-gangrenosum-skin-disorder-1943016
• Erythema nodosum: https://www.verywellhealth.com/erythema-nodosum-1943012

Find Tina Aswani Omprakash at:

• Blog:http://ownyourcrohns.com/
• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ownyourcrohns/
• Twitter:https://twitter.com/ownyourcrohns
• Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ownyourcrohns/

Find Amber J Tresca at:

• Verywell:https://www.verywell.com/ibd-crohns-colitis-4014703
• Blog:http://aboutibd.com/
• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/aboutibd
• Twitter:https://twitter.com/aboutIBD
• Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/aboutibd/
• Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/about_IBD/

Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/