Crohn’s Fitness Food Stephanie Gish

Dr. Natalie Scheeler, a naturopathic doctor specializing in integrative treatments for gastrointestinal conditions, shares her perspective and valuable insights on gut health. She discusses the difference between naturopathic doctors and traditional MDs, the use of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) and Helminthic therapies in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the impact of food and probiotics on IBD, and trends in flare management and remission. Dr. Scheeler also provides information about her practice, Modrn Med, and offers a final message of hope and encouragement for patients seeking alternative or complementary treatment options.
Takeaways
Naturopathic doctors focus on preventative medicine and finding the root cause through a whole person approach using integrative treatments that can be used alongside conventional therapies.
Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) and Helminthic therapies are alternative treatments for IBD that show promise in inducing remission and maintaining gut health.
Diet plays a significant role in creating a diverse microbiome.
Modrn Med is an integrative and functional medicine practice that offers telehealth consultations and works in collaboration with other healthcare providers.
There are other treatment options available for patients who have not found success with conventional therapies, and it is important to work with a knowledgeable practitioner to explore these options.
Topics covered in the interview
Difference Between Naturopathic Doctors (ND) and traditional doctors (MD or DO)
Integrative Treatments for Gastrointestinal Conditions
Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT)
Impact of Food and Probiotics on IBD
Trends in Flare Management and Remission
Helminthic Therapies
About Modrn Med
From the show
Stephanie: What are some of the trends that you've seen with helping people to get out of a flare and into remission?
Dr. Scheeler: …the dietary aspect is a large trend I'm seeing I think, too, with social media. There's just the ability to spread so much information and so that is oftentimes how people coming into our office and have said, ‘I've tried these diets’ or ‘I've done these diets’ versus us kind of introducing them to that idea. So that's interesting.
The other one is an herb called Qing Dai. It's a Chinese herb…which is an herb that can be really helpful for inducing remission, typically. We usually reserve it for remission induction versus maintenance therapy because there are some safety risks to that…I would always, always recommend working with a provider who's familiar with that herb…something that is important to say is that natural medicine isn't always safer, and it isn't always safe in general. There is risks associated with any treatments that you do. And so knowing those risks, having somebody who is familiar with those risks is important, especially if you are on the kind of quote-unquote conventional medications and add this stuff in, there could be interactions.
Stephanie: Can you talk a little bit about the Modrn Med practice and what types of patients you see?
Dr. Scheeler: Yeah, so ModernMed, we are a practice, we are all naturopathic doctors. There's four of us there. And we do integrative and functional medicine. A large part of our practice is gastrointestinal disease, including inflammatory bowel disease. I personally see patients exclusively via telehealth…but there is a location in LA, too, if people are interested.
With that, since I do telehealth, I'm licensed in California, Arizona, Maryland, Vermont, and Connecticut, as of now. But all of us depending can either see you as patient if we're licensed in that state or do what we consider educational consults. So with patients who live out of state, we can share some of this information with you and help you do things safely or talk with your provider too…it’s very common for us to work with other providers, especially myself working with gastroenterologists. I think when we all work a

Enjoy this interview with Megan Starshak, an ulcerative colitis warrior, adventurer, runner, cyclist, patient advocate and co-founder of The Great Bowel Movement.
In this conversation, Megan shares her journey with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), her advocacy work, and how she balances life with chronic illness. She discusses her diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and the challenges she faced in finding effective treatments. Megan emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community and offers advice for young adults with IBD. She also talks about her involvement with The Great Bowel Movement, an organization that aims to decrease the stigma surrounding IBD. Megan shares her career in marketing and how she uses her skills to support other patient advocates. She closes this interview with a message of empowerment and the importance of not wasting the challenges we face.
Takeaways
Finding a supportive community is crucial for individuals with IBD. Connecting with others who understand the challenges can provide a sense of belonging and empowerment.
It is important for young adults with IBD to be proactive in their healthcare journey. Staying informed about treatment options and advocating for oneself can lead to better outcomes.
The Great Bowel Movement is an organization that aims to decrease the stigma surrounding IBD. They provide resources and support for individuals living with IBD and encourage open conversations about the disease.
Megan's career in marketing allows her to use her skills to support other patient advocates and help them share their stories. She believes in the power of storytelling and connecting ideas with the people who can make a difference.
Living with a chronic illness can be challenging, but it can also lead to personal growth and resilience. Embracing the journey and finding meaning in the struggles can empower individuals to live their lives to the fullest.
Topics covered in the interview
Megan's IBD Story and Diagnosis
Understanding IBD and Treatment
The Impact of IBD on Daily Life
Advice for Young Adults with IBD
Navigating Treatment and Doctor Appointments
Finding Effective Medications
Life in Remission
Navigating Food and Trigger Foods
The Great Bowel Movement
Megan's Career and Supporting Patient Advocates
From the show
Stephanie: Looking back at that time in your life and reflecting on when you were going through this as a college student, what advice would you give to other young adults who are living with a chronic illness?
Megan: Advice for people going through that now would be just to keep yourself informed, and know that it's okay if you don't understand the deep science of what all the treatments are or what they do, but just know that there are options out there. There are so many more options now than I had when I was that age, which is really amazing for people to have just some more things on the table. It's kind of frustrating that you do have to take charge, that we're still in a place where nobody is really going to do this for you, but it's also kind of a good growing up action too. Start by understanding what's going on in your body, what's going on with your treatment, and managing the relationship with your doctor.
Stephanie: What are your biggest takeaways from the lessons you’ve learned throughout your IBD journey?
Megan: Understanding treatments and understanding nutrition and exercise, but also realizing you have to find what works specifically for you and that it might take a little bit of trial and error and working with your doctor to figure out what's going to be best. Also, coming to terms with what you wanted maybe isn't what the reality is; I gave up running, but I found cycling. I found an entire other sport that I love that I have met some really amazing friends through. So it's okay to pivot. It's okay if your best laid plans do not come to life. You're gonna be okay.
Links from the show:
The Great Bowel Movement:
Website - https://thegreatbowe

Enjoy this interview with Leah Crumrine, a businesswoman, mother, and wife of IBD Warrior Logan Crumrine. Logan has been on the show to share his story with Crohn’s disease, but today, his wife Leah shares from her perspective about what it’s been like to walk along IBD with her husband. She shares her experience, insights, and tips for supporting those in your life with IBD.
Summary
Leah Crumrine shares her experience as a caregiver to her husband, Logan, who has Crohn's disease. She discusses the challenges they faced during Logan's flare-up, the changes in roles and responsibilities, and the importance of communication in their relationship. Leah also talks about managing food and family meal planning, communicating with their children about the disease, and the support system they had throughout their journey. She emphasizes the need for caregivers to prioritize self-care and balance, and offers advice for managing day-to-day flare-ups. Leah concludes by discussing the therapeutic aspect of advocacy and sharing their journey with others. This conversation explores the journey of Logan and Leah Crumrine as they navigate life with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It highlights their journey to recovery, reaching remission, finding balance, and hope and perseverance. Leah also offers support to others facing similar challenges and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and love.
Takeaways
Prioritize self-care and balance as a caregiver.
Communicate openly and honestly with your loved one about their needs.
Create a support system of friends, family, or online communities.
Learn as much as you can about IBD and advocate for your loved one's care.
Make a plan for managing flare-ups.
Enjoy moments of normalcy and adventure when your loved one is feeling well. Recovery from IBD is a journey that starts small and progresses over time.
The story of Logan and Leah Crumrine is a testament to hope and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Offering support and being open to conversations about IBD can make a significant difference in someone's life.
Continuously learning and loving each other is essential in navigating the challenges of IBD.
Topics covered in the interview
Introduction to IBD and Logan's Flare
Changes in Roles and Responsibilities
Mourning the Loss of Expectations
Balancing Responsibilities
Self-Care and Finding Balance
The Importance of Communication
Asking Good Questions
Managing Food and Family Meal Planning
Communicating with Children
Managing Day-to-Day Flare-Ups
Advocacy and Sharing the Journey
Importance of Support Systems
Keep Learning and Loving
From the show:
Stephanie: What kind of advice would you give to someone facing a similar situation in becoming the caregiver and provider?
Leah: I don't think that we knew going into it how much [life] would change, but I started having to take on more responsibility for things that we normally share, like cleaning the house, taking our boys to different things, going to different family events for holidays and things like that. Logan couldn't go to those things. And so my role really changed in our home to be the primary income earner, but also kind of the primary parent where, of course, those things were shared between us as well. And it was kind of shocking. I mean, I don't think anybody goes into a relationship or whatever, thinking this could totally get flipped on its head. But it really did. And the advice that I think that I would offer is to keep communicating through it and to be good to each other and yourself as a caregiver.
Of course, I didn't know that's what I was becoming, but I was becoming a caregiver. And I don't think I realized just how significant that was gonna be…it really was kind of a role reversal, role change. So, again, just the advice of keeping communication open. There were times when we would look at each other and sit there and cry and just say the words out loud. Like, ‘I didn't think it was going to be this w

Enjoy this interview with Steve Carver, an IBD warrior, a personal trainer with over 30 years of experience, and the business and product development director at JumpSport. He shares his journey with colitis and dives deep into one of my favorite topics and activities: rebounding!
Summary
Steve Carver shares his journey with colitis and how he found recovery through a holistic approach. He discusses the benefits of rebounding and how it has helped him maintain his health. Steve also provides advice on getting started with rebounding and emphasizes the importance of consistency and discipline in managing IBD. In this conversation, Steve discusses the benefits of rebounding. He shares options for trying rebounding, including gyms and online platforms. Steve emphasizes the fun and versatility of rebounding, highlighting that it is not a boring workout! Steve encourages listeners to put in the work to overcome health challenges and live a peaceful lifestyle. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and learning from setbacks. Steve provides information about JumpSport and invites listeners to reach out with any questions.
Takeaways:
Rebounding on a trampoline can provide numerous health benefits, including increased lymphatic flow, improved mental health, and enhanced balance and stability.
Getting started with rebounding can be as simple as purchasing a personal fitness trampoline or finding a gym that offers rebounding classes. You can use the JumpSport club finder to find a gym near you with classes: www.jumpsport.com/jumpsport-club-studio-locator/
Rebounding is a fun and versatile workout.
Consistency and discipline are keys in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Putting in the work and having a positive attitude can help overcome health challenges.
Topics covered in the interview:
Steve Carver's Journey
Holistic Approach to Treatment
Transition to Rebounding
Health Benefits of Rebounding
Time Spent on the Trampoline
Getting Started with Rebounding
Options for Trying Rebounding
The Fun and Versatility of Rebounding
Accessing Rebounding Programming
Maintaining a Positive Attitude
Finding Information about JumpSport
Additional Questions and Contact Information
From the show:
Stephanie: What are some of the things that you have found to help control stress levels?
Steve Carver: Here's the thing about stress, I think it's really important that you have other tools at your disposal to help you de-stress yourself. Whenever a stress happens in your life…there’s about a 90 second chemical reaction that happens in your brain. So it's okay to be angry, it's okay to be sad, it's okay to be upset, scared, whatever caused the stress in the first place. That chemical reaction lasts about 90 seconds. Anything longer than that is you staying on the hamster wheel and continuing to perpetuate those feelings.
So how do I stop that? So some people say, well, I can't get off the hamster wheel. So I need to distract my mind. For me, I'll do 10 deep breaths. And the first five, I'm like, doesn't seem to be doing anything, right? And then I get deeper and I exhale more and by number 10, I'm thinking only about breathing. And then I realized that I'm not as at DEFCON 5 anymore. I'm still trying to deal with whatever it was that caused me to be stressed, but now I have a clearer mind to come up with a solution that's going to be beneficial to solve the problem or if it's something that I just can't control and there's nothing I can do about it at this moment, me being worked up about it is not helping the problem. So find a way that works for you to distract your mind from the thing that caused you to be stressed in the moment.
I know that there are some monumental things that happen in life and in the moment it's very upsetting. But I always take a moment and think, okay, what can I do about it right here, right now in this moment? And too many of us regress to some other trauma in our life where we were a child and we

Enjoy this interview with Logan Crumrine, a Crohn’s disease warrior of more than 30 years, advocate, and writer.
Logan was first diagnosed in 1990. For years he fluctuated between states of flares, semi-remission, clinical trials and surgeries, and then went into complete remission for over 15 years! But remission came to an end in 2012 and he spent the next few years fighting for his life and eventually filed for disability. Today, he’s now in his second year of remission and living life to the fullest. 
Some of you will remember Logan as one of my repeat guests. He shared the first part of his story in episode 29 of this podcast in July 2019, and came back a year later in 2020 to talk about his experience and knowledge about going through the process of filing for disability. 
Today, he’s back to update us on his journey and share what it’s like to now live in remission.
From the show:
Stephanie: What kind of tips do you have for other people who are finding themselves newly in remission and still afraid to let go of the habits that they've held onto for so many years as their safety net?
Logan: I think the best advice would be that you've kind of got to do your own walk in that. You've got to kind of let go of those things as you feel comfortable. I still carry supplies in my backpack, but I don't carry as many. I don't carry an extra change of clothes, so my backpack has gotten down to just some undergarments in there and some stuff to clean up if I need to.
It's a much smaller kit, but again, I'm still learning. It's still automatic for me to put all that stuff on when I'm going out. And I think it's just, you just kind of have to challenge yourself and push yourself. It helps too that I have Leah with me, who's an incredible partner who reminds me, ‘hey, you know, you made this trip a couple of times without anything. Why don't you try it again?’
Or I'll be able to share with her that I didn't even get ready like I normally do for a trip. And then it's kind of an epiphany almost to say, ‘oh wow, we don't need that stuff all the time anymore.’
Stephanie: You've shared on social media a few times about struggling with Crohn's and depression. Can you talk about how you've coped through some of the hardest times and how has remission affected your overall mental health?
Logan: I think remission has helped my mental health and has benefited it. I still struggle with depression and sometimes, some days, it's absolutely debilitating. Right now, my depression seems to be presenting itself with insomnia. So I can be tired at seven o'clock and think, okay, I'm going to head to bed around nine and then I'm up till two. So it seems to be presenting that way.
I think being in a place with more sunlight has helped. Seasonal depression affected me really bad in Washington because where I lived in Washington, from about October to March, it's very dark and very gray. It's nice to be able to look out the window and see blue skies and sun, I'm trying to get back to exercising because that's so vital to mental health.
Stephanie: You have shared on social media about your fitness journey and just getting to a place of better overall health, what were some of the baby steps or the ways that you started to get back into that as you were feeling better?
Logan: I think that, and for the record, my hiking and walking come and go, like any kind of fitness thing, I do really good for a while and kind of back off for a little while. I think that one thing that I had to do is realize that I have to start with what I can do, even if it's five minutes of getting outside and taking a walk. I started when I was starting to get my health back. I was just literally doing laps around the cul-de-sac. And that's all I could do, just walk around the cul-de-sac very slow with a cane. It was very difficult for me to even get out and do anything. And now, I mean, where I was at the height that's kind of dropped off since we moved, but I'm tr

Enjoy this interview with Abigail Marie the Chef With IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2014, halfway through culinary school. Throughout her journey, she’s navigated various medications, been hospitalized during severe flares, and even adjusted her career path as chronic illness was consuming her life.
Unable to find relief, she began experimenting with diet and eventually found the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). Since then, she’s improved her health and discovered a new dream: to help others with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) live better lives through healing and flavorful foods.
In this podcast episode, she share’s her story, perspective, and tips for fellow IBD patients.
From the show:
Stephanie: What advice would you give to other IBD patients who might be in a similar position where they're having to face making a career change?
Abigail: You know, I was so set on my dream of being a chef, but that's not the path that life took. And you know, you'll find another dream. Now my dream is working on my blog, doing SCD recipes and sharing with the community — sharing my story and advocating and raising awareness.
You will find something else. I know it seems so devastating, but just trust that you're on the right path and that you'll find a new dream.
Stephanie: What are some of the things you've found in your life to help manage stress?
Abigail: I keep a gratitude journal. I do that first thing in the morning and right before I go to bed, and it really helps me get the right mindset for the day. I also do a daily meditation. It's not long, it's 10 to 12 minutes, but just having those 10 to 12 minutes to myself in the morning before my day starts has been really helpful for me.
And then just practicing mindfulness, just trying to be in the moment. Chronic illness can be really scary, you don't always know what's around the corner, but you have this moment right now. So just trying to take yourself out of that worrying about the big picture. I also practice Qigong, it’s similar to Tai Chi, it's like mindfulness movement.
I do that a few times a week for 15 or 20 minutes and that really helps me move stress through my body. Whereas the meditation and the gratitude journal are more for my mind. The mindfulness movement is more for the body. So balancing both of those, mind and body.
Links from the show:
Website - abigailmariethechefwithibd.com
Contact - abigailmariethechefwithibd.com/contact/
Instagram - www.instagram.com/chefwithibd
Facebook - www.facebook.com/abigailmariethechefwithibd
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