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| Photo courtesy of Laura McNally |
My experience is rooted in having managed an autoimmune disease for the past two decades. I have a form of inflammatory bowel disease, most likely a combination of Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis (diagnosis still TBD).
My experience and dedication to understanding the roles of food and lifestyle compounded intensely when my child was diagnosed with a similar disease three years ago. What's that saying about nothing being more fierce than a mother investigating something for her kids? Well, for the past year, I have devoted at least 20 hours per week to researching and cooking in support of my son’s health. The investment has paid off exponentially. Since starting the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) last spring, my son's blood work has become normal and he has successfully stopped receiving intravenous infusions of a severe immunosuppressant. He is truly thriving!
Not only do I have a vested interest in doing what I can to bolster my own family's health, but I am also passionate about helping others who want to make choices to nourish their own bodies. Though not a clinician, here’s some of what I do bring to the blogging table:
- I have nearly twenty years of experience interacting with multiple doctors, nutritionists, functional medicine specialists, and surgeons from several well-respected facilities including Stanford Hospital, Mayo Clinic, UCSF, and Kaiser Permanente.
- I have been an active participant in my own care from day one. I ask questions, research, take responsibility, and work hard to do the best I can to promote my health.
- I attend conferences and participate in groups to learn about current research and to offer support to others managing similar diseases.
- I have and continue to research the connections between food and chronic illness extensively. I draw from my graduate school experience as I cull through loads of available information, discern the difference between valuable ideas and baseless hype, and communicate it to people wanting help.
- I have done lots of experimenting and trial and error over the years to find what works.
- Last, but definitely not least, I genuinely care about this subject. What started out as something I felt I needed to do for my own health years ago has transformed into a genuine passion and desire to help others.
