Crohn's Disease Relief

BBC News - The second brain in our stomachs

Our own stomachs may be something of a dark mystery to most of us, but new research is revealing the surprising ways in which our guts exert control over our mood and appetite.

via www.bbc.co.uk

This is a really interesting article about how the over 100 million neurons in the gut act like a "little brain." I have also read that a large portion of the immune system is within the digestive system as well. No wonder Crohn's disease has so many different kinds of symptoms.

Dire Need Dog

Source = Quickmeme

 

Free DASH diet booklet from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

You can download or order this handy booklet on the DASH diet. DASH stands for Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This is a diet plan devised for lowering your blood pressure.  Since I have high blood pressure, I downloaded it.  It has a 7 day diet plan, a food diary page for keeping track, and a nice little nutrition guide.  There are recipes including Turkey Meat loaf, chicken and spanish rice, scallion rice, salad dressings, etc.  All in all a very handy guide and a good diet for just about anyone, whethere you are trying to lose weight, lower your BP, or just eat healthy foods.

Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH

 

Hey There - Checking In

What have you been up to this summer?  I've been rooting for Olympic Atheletes, working, entertaining my kids, and trying to cook healthy food.

My Crohn's is in the category of slightly flaring" right now.  I am just hanging in there but doing ok.  It could be worse, right?

I am eagerly awaiting the next issue of Crohn's Advocate Magazine, where I will be featured along with author Michael Weiss of HospitalPatient.com. I will let you know when it comes out.  Here's a link to subscribe if you would like the print copy of the magizine.  It's a good magazine with a lot of great stories of folks with Crohn's. Subscribe to Crohn's Advocate.

Here is also a link to Michael's book on Amazon.  I haven't read it yet, but he's a great guy - very serious and funny at the same time.

Have ypu ever seen his Late Night Crohn's Commercial Parody - it is hysterical!

Drug Interactions and Warnings App on CNN Health

I found this great feauture on CNN Health where you can add all your medications to a "medicine cabinet" and it tells you all of the interactions and warnings.  Considering the amount of meds that the average Crohn's patient is taking... this is a good resource.

What's in your medicine cabinet?

It states on the page that the information content is provided by:

 

 

Atlanta Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis Walk is June 9th

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is having their Atlanta Chapter's annual fund raising walk on June 9th at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Thegroup has a Atlanta Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis Walk web page.

 

 

Today is World IBD Awareness Day

Today is World IBS Day.  Post to Facebook, Twitter or just tell your friends. The Twitter hash tag we want to get trending is #WorldIBDDay. Worldwide, five million people live with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, conditions known as inflammatory bowel disease. 

Let's get more awareness!

Here's a great way - the company that makes GoodBelly probiotic juices is donating $1 to the CCFA (Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America) for every share on Facebook or Twitter.  They have a little program so all you have to do is a few of mouse clicks.

 

 

How Do I Find Pleasure and Self Soothe

On a web forum I frequent, a user asked the rest of the group - "How do you get plreasure?" (not the sexy kind, LOL) and another user asked how the group "self-soothes."  This was my answer which I thought I would share here as well.

First of all, zoloft.  I am a bit of a contradiction because I have depression but I am a very happy person in general.  The depression can zap me if I am not careful.  I am very careful to take care of myself.  My favorite way to soothe and get enjoyment is to lay down in my comfy bed and read.  Yes - very boring.

I love to look around and just observe the beautiful things around me.  Birds, trees, flowers, clouds, rainbows - I see all these as messages for me from the my idea of God to hang in there and that there is beauty here if I can only stop and look at it.

Hugging my kids and watching their innocent joy in playing.  Petting my dog.  Seeing my husband by my side a and knowing that we are a team.

I love knitting too - especially very meditative "zen" type simple knitting.  Also taking pictures and blogging.

We've been selected as a top Crohn's Disease Blog by Healthline

Healthline.com has selected Crohn's Disease Relief as one of the 11 best Crohn's Blogs on the web.  Look - I even get a badge to put on my site.  :-)  It really means a lot to me when I get feedback on my essays and posts.  Of all the blogging I do, this one means the most to me because I feel like I might be helping someone have a better day.  Even if it's just a laugh or the feeling that someone else is going through the struggle.  When we stick together we are more powerful, informed, and empowered - and to me that is what health blogging is all about.

Healthline

 

26 Quotes on Awkwardness from Psychology Today

It's only awkward if you let it be. - Silvia Donahue

via www.psychologytoday.com

This is a nice list of quotes about awkwardness. Having Crohn's Disease is totally awkward. You are always looking for a bathroom to begin with! It doesn't get any more awkward than that.

Then there's trying to explain to people what you have. It has an ugly name, an ugly set of symptoms... and just goes from there. LOL! I guess we just have to laugh and embrace the awkward.