The Best Blogs To Follow If You Have Crohn’s Or Colitis. Part 2
Last week on the FindMeCure blog we introduced you to some of the best Crohn’s and colitis blogs out there. If you’ve been following us for a while now, you know that we collaborate with bloggers to bring you quality content that can be both reassuring and useful. By now you’re familiar with The Spoonie Mummy and the kind of content Natalie shares on her blog. You have also probably read Jenna Farmer’s advice on pregnancy with an IBD or checked out her blog A Balanced Belly for more personal stories and insightful tips. Today we share 6 more blogs to follow depending on the kind of content you want to read.
If you’re looking for practical health advice
Alexa Federico, The Girl in Healing, is educated in nutritional therapy and has some sound advice on how to take care of yourself while living with an IBD. You can read her book “Crohn’s Disease And Ulcerative Colitis: A Roadmap To Long-Term Healing” if you like what she has to say on her blog. Full of dietary and lifestyle tips, the book is what she herself needed when she got diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
On her blog, you’ll find suggestions on how to take care of your health during a flare-up, how to travel with an IBD, how to prepare for surgery, as well as some food recipes you’d want to try right away (bacon-wrapped plantains sounds amazing). Alexa’s blog is sure to turn into one of your favourite reads and you’ll find a lot of useful tips and tricks.
If you’re looking for inspiration.
Shawn considers herself an inspiration blogger and she shares a lot about pescetarianism, travel and ostomies. Shawn was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when she was 17 and although she tried a lot of different therapies, including biologics and corticosteroids, she never reached remission. She started her blog during her J-pouch surgeries and she has quite a lot to say about living with active inflammation. Shawn is an activist for patient rights and her blog is so vibrant and varied that you’ll spend hours on it in one sitting.
If you’re looking for nutritional advice.
Greg’s story is as touching as it is inspiring. Greg’s wife Donna battled ulcerative colitis with little success, suffering from fatigue and never able to fully live her life. Greg who is a nutritionist would give her some advice on how she could change her diet but Donna thought nothing could be done. Until one day her condition got dramatically worse and she realised something had to change. Greg’s 5 step approach is what helped Donna improve her health so significantly that after a doctor gave her the heads up, she eventually discontinued her medication.
We’d like to caution you that dietary tips should not be followed blindly. Make sure that your treatment team knows about any dietary changes you’re trying to introduce and never stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor first.
If you’re looking for motivation and a self-confidence pill.
Sam Cleasby will make you believe in your own power to overcome any difficulty, once you read her story. Living with a stoma bag, raising a family and running a hugely successful blog, she truly is an inspiration like all of the other bloggers on our list. Sam blogs about everything health-related and is honest about the less-talked-about realities of living with an autoimmune disease. Sam also offers a way you can become an advocate by sharing your story and reading the stories of others.
#MoreThanMeetsTheEye is a hashtag you can search on Twitter to read about invisible disability and share your own story with the world. By raising awareness, we can hopefully create a kinder, more compassionate social climate for people who live with invisible illnesses. If you live in the UK, you can also attend one of the events where Sam is invited as a speaker – just follow the Events page on her blog.
If you’re looking for empowerment.
Tina is no stranger to hospital stays with over 20 surgeries behind her. Coping with depression and medical PTDS as the result of her Crohn’s disease, she nevertheless has the strength to be grateful for every breath. An IBD advocate, volunteer and blogger Tina will make you see the good in life even when it seems like there’s nothing left to be hopeful for. She blogs about clinical trials, healthcare activism, mental health and surgeries in a relatable, easy to connect way. Tina’s blog will make you question your own limitations and inspire you to live your fullest life, in spite of every circumstance.
If you’re looking for answers to your wanderlust.
IBD shouldn’t stand in the way of you travelling the world if that’s one of your biggest dreams. If you’re not sure how to approach travelling after diagnosis, some advice from people who speak from experience may be helpful. The Crohnie Traveler can help you “prepare for the worst but hope for the best” and turn your trip from a distant dream into an achievable reality. From tips on how to stay healthy on a plane to breakfast secrets from each of her doctors, you’ll find Crohnie Travels not only helpful but hope-inspiring. Maybe not everything will work for you but the blog can definitely make you feel more hopeful and resolved to enjoy the little things in life.
TanyasTummyTalk
If you’re looking for tips from someone with experience
If you are newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and you are not sure what to expect – your doctor’s words are your best source of information but they may not be as reassuring as hearing from someone who has been living with this condition for 35 years. Like Tanya. On her blog she shares her trial-and-error journey with Crohn’s and everything her own experience taught her. Tanya wants to encourage you and give you hope but at the same time motivate you to constantly seek reliable information and get in touch with your emotions.
Whatever your most recent fight, don’t forget that a breakthrough might be just a few more years down the road. Clinical trials are continuously looking for better treatments so that patients can have a better quality of life while researchers ultimately search for a cure. You can help further scientific progress by participating in one of those studies.
More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I can’t believe you’re not popular on internet.