The Ongoing DINE-CD Trial to Study Whether Diet Might Help Manage Mild to Moderate Crohn’s Disease

Dine-CD

With an estimated 1.6 million people living with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis in the United States, there is increasing need to research safe and effective ways to manage debilitating symptoms that–pardon the expression–hit patients right in the gut. Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis are considered the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and they manifest differently … [Read more...]

Reconsidering Healing As An Ongoing Journey, Not A Final Destination

The Storm Before The Calm

When dystonia dares to once again rear its twisted head after an extended remission of all but the most benign symptoms, it can sometimes feel like a personal failing on my healing journey. I chastise myself for the lapses in judgment that led to making unwise choices. I berate myself for knowing better than to behave in such foolish ways: I shouldn’t have had a cheat day (or three) of so many … [Read more...]

The Unexpected Gift of Community While Living With Chronic Illness

The unexpected gift of community while living with chronic illness

It would be an unequivocal understatement to say that the month of January has been a momentous one for me in my health journey. It was during the second week of January some 17 years ago, when I got into the bike-car accident that resulted in muscle tears, bone bruises and a vicious cycle of chronic pain, insomnia and stress that eventually triggered the full-blown manifestation of autoimmune, … [Read more...]

Kill Your Cold With Super Spicy Veggie Soup

Kill Your Cold With Super Spicy Veggie Soup

As winter-like weather made its way into the Northeast a few weeks ago, temperatures dropped and my immune system took a beating. I first developed the telltale scratchy throat and sore back of the mouth. Then, a runny nose transformed into a full-blown cold. A week or two later, I had a raging sinus infection with the barking threat of bronchitis. Determined to avoid antibiotics this time … [Read more...]

Healing the Body and Soul With Heartfelt Food From “My Fat Dad”

My Fat Dad recipes

Dawn Lerman learned early on in life that cooking delicious meals was the secret to earning the affection of her emotionally distant father. Constantly battling high numbers on the bathroom scale and a voracious appetite for flavor-rich foods, her obese dad’s struggles inspire Dawn to positively support him in his endless experimentation with diets. Aided by the culinary genius of her grandmother, … [Read more...]

Succulent, Seasonal Eating For Summer

Cooked Sugar Snap Peas

When I was a child, the carefree months of summer meant long, leisurely days of play with my brothers and my friends—and my siblings were the dearest of my friends.  School vacations were also a time for sports camps, cultural excursions and, especially, family adventures. Both my parents were from North Carolina, so my brothers and I packed into the back of our Volkswagen Rabbit for long, road … [Read more...]

Heat Up To Better Health With Hearty Hemp Hearts Porridge

Hearty Hemp Hearts Porridge

Here in Connecticut, the first days of spring have meant a return to freezing temperatures, replete with dashes of snow and sleet. To warm up from the inside out, I’ve been making this Hearty Hemp Hearts Porridge that may tantalize your taste buds, while also helping to better your health. This warm, grain-free porridge is packed with fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants, healthy fats and … [Read more...]

Five Reasons to Add Turmeric to Your Daily Diet

Src: HomeRemediesWeb.com

Turmeric has quickly become one of my favorite spices to use in the kitchen, and it’s not just because of its cheerful color (it makes curry and mustard yellow) and earthy flavor that hints of mustard and ginger. It has also been regarded as a versatile, medicinal herb in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. The major ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has been demonstrated to have … [Read more...]

The True Power of Fully Living Your Own Truth

Elizabeth Gilbert on Living Your Truth

This morning, bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert, who wrote the much beloved memoir Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, asked a favor of her readers on Facebook. Almost daily, she shares inspiration and wisdom that I and countless others feel called to share with friends. Today was no different. Glibert shared a candid, unpolished photo of … [Read more...]

How New Moms Can Find Their Way Back to Nutrition and Being Fit

Fit Moms

New mothers face a number of challenges to maintaining healthy balance in their lives, with increased stress, reduced sleep and less time to get everything done. As baby takes the majority of focus and attention, self-care often falls by the wayside, and many mothers neglect to pay attention to their own diet and fitness. Modeling and fitness expert—and fellow mom—Dale Noelle, … [Read more...]