Bowel Moments – Details, episodes & analysis

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Ever wondered how someone turns a challenging health diagnosis into a source of artistic inspiration? This week we chat with Kaitlyn Niznik about her microscopic lymphocytic colitis and how is influenced her life and her art! Kaitlyn offers a unique perspective, sharing her journey from diagnosis to becoming an empowered advocate through her art. As an art teacher, Kaitlyn navigates the daily balancing act of managing her classroom and her health, all while creating meaningful art that she shares on Instagram. Discover how her experiences with colitis have ignited a passion for medical illustration and inspired her creative process.

Join us for this episode of Bowel Moments, where we explore the intersection of art and life with Kaitlyn Niznik, all wrapped up in a narrative that's as uplifting as it is insightful.

Links: 

• Kaitlyn's Instagram account- check out her beautiful art! 
• Information on Microscopic Colitis - Mayo Clinic
• Collagenous and Lymphocytic Colitis info- National Institutes of Health

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This week we welcomed back Registered Dietitian, Neha Shah! Neha joined us back in episode 42 where she was interviewed by friend of the show and IBD RD Stacey Collins. Neha specializes in IBD and other GI disorders and has both a private practice and is also part of the Colitis & Crohn's Disease Center at UCSF.  We spent this episode shedding light on the distinctive roles of enteral and parenteral nutrition in combating IBD-related malnutrition. This episode is your gateway to understanding how enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) can transform treatment strategies.

We discuss everything there is to know about enteral nutrition, especially exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN), a potential game-changer for Crohn's disease management. Discover how EEN can stand alongside or even replace corticosteroids, offering an alternative path to remission and mucosal healing. While this approach has shown promise in pediatric cases, we delve into the more complex dynamics of adult treatment where compliance and lifestyle factors bring their own set of challenges. Neha emphasizes the pivotal role of dietitians in crafting personalized nutritional plans, ensuring that patients receive the tailored guidance they need.

From navigating the hurdles of enteral nutrition to transitioning to varied diets, this episode is packed with practical strategies and expert advice. Neha addresses common obstacles like weight fluctuations and gastrointestinal discomfort, offering solutions such as formula adjustments and the integration of partial enteral nutrition (PEN). As patients move from EEN to lifestyle-friendly diets like the Mediterranean or plant-based options, we explore how specific fibers and the Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) can optimize gut health. Whether you're a patient or a caregiver, this episode offers a comprehensive guide to navigating the nutritional complexities of IBD.

Please keep in mind that the views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and should not be considered medical or legal advice. Please consult with your healthcare team on any changes to your disease, diet, or treatment. We want you to stay safe and healthy! ;)

Links: 

• South Asian IBD Alliance- Neha is on the board and super active with SAIA! 
• Nutrition and IBD info- UCSF health 
• Info on Exclusive Enteral Nutrition- Nutritional Therapy for IBD
• Info on Partial Enteral Nutrition- Nutritional Therapy for IBD
• Great overview of therapeutic diets for IBD! - Nutritional Therapy for IBD
• Diet and Nutrition Info- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 
• Diet and Nutriti

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This week we had such a great conversation with Kate Scarlata, MPH, RD! Kate is a Boston-based registered dietitian and New York Times best selling author with 30+ years of digestive health experience. Kate is a world-renowned low FODMAP diet expert and invited speaker on the role of food intolerance in GI disorders at numerous international and national gastrointestinal health conferences from Harvard Medical School to Monash University. She specializes in digestive health including treatment for: IBS, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, mast cell activation syndrome and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

We talked to her about so many things! We discussed patients that have co-occurring IBD and IBS- how frequent that is and how to best treat them. We talked about food intolerances, intolerance testing, and elimination diets. We discussed medical equity and her efforts to highlight the lack of medical diet-friendly- like for celiac- food offered in food pantries. We talked about common myths surrounding gut health that she asks her guests on her podcast called The Gut Health podcast to discuss. Finally we discussed her new book that she co-authored with Dr. Megan Riehl called "Mind Your Gut: The Science-Based, Whole-Body Guide to Living Well with IBD."

Please keep in mind that the views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and should not be considered medical or legal advice. Please consult with your healthcare team on any changes to your disease, diet, or treatment. We want you to stay safe and healthy! ;)

Links:

•  Kate's Blog that she mentions
• Kate and Megan's book
• Dr. Megan Riehl's episode
• Kate and Megan's podcast -The Gut Health Podcast

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This week's episode was SO FUN! Robin and I got to record in the same room after not getting to meet up for more that 2.5 years! AND we had the joy of talking with Eitan Kling-Levine! Eitan is a young professional living with NYC and working in healthcare marketing. After growing up in the theater, he attended NYU for acting, and during senior year, got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This began a long road of intense sickness and treatment. After a year of complications and trying various therapies, he ultimately decided on having a three-part surgery. Following the year-long recovery, he was able to move back to NYC, and thankfully  has been able to live life to the fullest ever since. Most recently, he got engaged, and is excited to marry his life partner in July 2023. We talked about living and dating in NYC (and how hard it may be to find a bathroom!), we talked about his surgery experience, the French healthcare system, his foray into legislative and personal advocacy, his career moves, talking about sexuality with your GI, and our mutual love of Sauvignon Blanc.

Links:
Restroom finder app- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
Get involved in IBD Advocacy- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
Sex, Intimacy, and IBD Factsheet- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 

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This week we talk to Dr. Tim Ritter- Senior Medical Director and lead for Clinical Trials at the GI Alliance.  Dr. Ritter has been treating patients with IBD for more than 30 years and has a special interest in clinical trials. We talk to him about what's happening in the IBD research space, talking to patients about clinical trials, what patients can expect from participating in a trial, and bourbon. 

Links: 

• Information on trials happening at GI Alliance
• Information for patients on clinical trials- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 
• Information on clinical trials for patients- Clinicaltrials.gov site
• Clinical Trials: What Patients Need to Know- FDA
• Video on participating in clinical trials- National Institutes on Aging

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This week we talk to Nicole Williams- Licensed Professional Counselor! Nicole has more than 20 years of experience in providing therapy services and specializes in working with people living with chronic illness. We talk to her about the grief and loss wheel she developed to help her patients understand the emotions that can go along with being diagnosed and living with a chronic illness, we talk about self-advocacy and being the captain of your healthcare team, we talk about resources you can use if you're living with a chronic illness, and we talk about living well and fully with IBD.

Links that Nicole mentions:
- Heartmath
- MyGoodDays.org
- Healingwell.com
- WeAreCapeable.org

Folder with resources Nicole Covers.

Books Nicole Mentions:
- 7 Steps to Living with a Chronic Illness- By Matt Cavallo
- Life Disrupted: Getting Real About Chronic Illness in Your Twenties and Thirties- By Laurie Edwards
- Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired- By Paul Donoghue and Mary Seigel
- Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness: How to Stay Sane and Live One Step Ahead of Your Symptoms- By Ilana Jaqueline
- How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness: A Mindful Guide- By Toni Bernhard
- You Don't LOOK Sick! Living Well With Invisible Chronic Illness- By Joy H. Selak, PhD

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This week we talked to Dr. Tiffany Taft! Dr. Taft founded Oak Park Behavioral Medicine in 2012 and serves in an administrative leadership role. She completed her doctoral degree at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and predoctoral internship at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. Dr. Taft helped launch the first integrated behavioral medicine service in gastroenterology in the United States at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she worked from 2009 to 2023. She is an internationally recognized expert in the psychosocial effects of chronic digestive diseases. Now as a “retired” Associate Professor, Dr. Taft has brought together an excellent team of clinicians dedicated to expanding access to specialty GI psychology services for patients in Illinois communities and across the United States.

Links: 

• cool video about Dr. Taft and what it's like to be a GI psychologist
• Working with a psychologist for IBD video
  
  

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This week we had extra special guests- we welcomed Robin's daughters- Logan and Baylee! We discussed what is was like to grown up with a mom with IBD, how that may or may not have shaped their career choices, how Robin's parenting and their close relationship has shaped the way they live their lives, and we also share some fun childhood memories. This was a fun and heartwarming episode to record- we hope you enjoy! 

Links: 

• An interesting blog on parenting with Crohn's disease- CBC
• IBDMoms- a safe space to talk about parenting with IBD
• Mamas Facing Forward- a group for moms living with chronic illnesses
• A blog on parenting with Crohn's by Natalie Hayden- Lights Camera Crohn's

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This week we talk to Brittany Rogers (formerly Roman-Green)! Brittany is an IBD-focused registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and behavior change specialist. She's the the co-leader of the diet and nutrition national scientific advisory committee for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, the national leader of the Registered Dietitians in IBD practice group for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the founder of Romanwell. She also happens to live with ulcerative colitis! Brittany is a non-diet dietitian and believes in a health at every size (HAES) approach. She's passionate about her work and helping her patients live well.  We sincerely enjoyed our conversation about intuitive eating, IBD and food myths, and where research on diets and IBD are taking us. 

Links: 

• Brittany's company- Romanwell
• Diet and Nutrition Information- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 

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This week we talk to Dr. Smita Mehta, PT, DPT, PRPC! Dr. Mehta is a pelvic floor physical therapist and part of a multidisciplinary team for IBD at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She clarified what pelvic floor PT is, how it can help people living with IBD, how to find your pelvic floor, and so much more. This conversation was absolutely fascinating and a revelation for both of us. And Dr. Mehta is so passionate about her work! In addition to her impressive resume on pelvic floor rehabilitation, she also has certificates in Post Partum Corrective Exercise and Pelvic Oncology Rehabilitation and completed her Ashtanga Yoga Teacher's training.


Links: 

• Image on what and where are your pelvic floor muscles - from Dr. Mehta 
• Article "Gut-Directed Pelvic Floor Behavioral Treatment for Fecal Incontinence and Constipation in Patients with IBD" 
• Article: "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in IBD" 
• Article: "Systematic review: Pelvic floor muscle training for functional bowel symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease"
• Article: "Nonrelaxing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Is an Underestimated Complication of Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis"
• Video explaining pelvic floor muscles- Mayo Clinic
• "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in IBD" - recorded session- Partnership between Own Your Crohn's and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation

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