About IBD (Amber J Tresca)
Explore every episode of About IBD
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 2024 | Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month With Dan "Dry Dock" Shockley | 00:32:51 | |
Diagnosed with attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP), retired Navy veteran Dan "Dry Dock" Shockley shares his remarkable journey of service, diagnosis, and advocacy. Following his diagnosis, Shockley became a passionate advocate for early detection and reducing the stigma associated with living with an ostomy. He emphasizes the importance of proactive medical care and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity. Through his advocacy work and personal journey, Shockley serves as an inspiration, demonstrating resilience, determination, and a commitment to making a difference for others. Find Dan "Dry Dock" Shockley at: Twitter: @Dryshockley Instagram: @DanDryDock LinkedIn: @Dan Dry Dock Shockley Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD149 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 21 Feb 2021 | Living With Crohn's Disease and a Rare Disease | 00:37:35 | |
Living with one disease is bad enough, but living with two adds more than two times the complexity. As a young man, Aaron Blocker was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after years of coping with strange and seemingly disconnected signs and symptoms. He continued to have problems which resulted in two hip replacements that were blamed on prednisone. However, after one of those hip replacements became dislocated, Aaron went looking for more answers and wound up suspecting that he also had an ultra-rare condition called hypophosphatasia. Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Aaron Blocker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 18 Dec 2020 | Dr David Rubin Answers COVID-19 Vaccine Questions | 00:32:57 | |
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have had many questions. Now that vaccines against the virus are becoming available, people living with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis need even more information in order to make decisions. I asked Dr David Rubin, Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition and the Co-Director of the Digestive Diseases Center at The University of Chicago Medicine to answer some of these initial questions about the first COVID-19 vaccines (manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna). Topics discussed on this episode include:
Key Quotes:
Dr Rubin's Tweets and Tweetorials:
Further Reading:
Scholarly Publications:
Find David T. Rubin, MD at The University of Chicago Medicine, Twitter, Rubin Lab, Rubin's Reflections (Blog), and Cornerstones Health. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 29 Oct 2024 | Finding the Balance - Honoring Veteran's Day With Stephanie Gish | 00:59:18 | |
Stephanie Gish, host of the Crohn's Fitness Food podcast, gives the details of her journey with Crohn's disease and IGA nephropathy. Stephanie's Crohn's symptoms began in 2003, but she was initially misdiagnosed with an anal fissure. After being discharged from the Army for medical reasons unrelated to IBD, she went through years of fragmented care, and finally received a Crohn's diagnosis in 2009. Stephanie brought her knowledge of health and fitness to bear in managing Crohn's, but the diagnosis of IGA nephropathy had her changing course and rethinking her approach. Buy "Crohn's, Fitness, Food and My Rock Road to Health" at Amazon: Find Stephanie Gish at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD161 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 06 Nov 2018 | I Just Kept Living With Bad Pain | 00:41:35 | |
Even when you’re knowledgeable about IBD, it can still sneak up on you and skew your perception of how much control the disease has over your life. Angelica Catalano, Director of Media Partnerships at The Mighty, describes how ulcerative colitis has affected her since her diagnosis at the age of 6, and how she was living with symptoms on a daily basis. Emergency surgery shook her world, prompting her to make a change in her treatment program to prevent future IBD-related complications. Through her work at The Mighty, Angelica pursues her passion of helping people with chronic illness improve their quality of life by bringing them together with the nonprofits that provide support and resources. IBD topic areas on The Mighty: Crohn’s disease: https://themighty.com/topic/crohns-disease/ Ulcerative colitis: https://themighty.com/topic/ulcerative-colitis/ Find The Mighty at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 11 Jun 2019 | Princesses Poop Too | 00:38:37 | |
Does having inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) make you feel like a princess? Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are not only painful, serious conditions, but they also carry stigma which leads to patients feeling isolated. Sophia Vicari, the founder of The Princess Promise, is creating a community that challenges the perception society has about digestive disease. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis while in college, it didn’t take long before Sophia decided she needed to work to help others in the IBD community become more comfortable talking about poop. Hear Sophia’s disease journey, what it was like for her to be Miss Camden County, NJ, while living with ulcerative colitis, and how she plans to help women with IBD find their inner princess. Find Sophia Vicari and the Princess Promise at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Additional sound engineering and editing courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" ©Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 18 Apr 2022 | How to Be Happy & Healthy With IBD: Common Misconceptions About IBD | 00:39:41 | |
Myths and misconceptions about IBD are common. Even amongst patients, there’s things that take time and education to understand because the things that swirl around in the public consciousness are not always true. To help understand why we can’t get rid of some of these common misconceptions, Amber Tresca is joined by gastroenterologist and IBDologist Siobhan Proksell, MD, and ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patient advocate Molly Dunham-Friel, MPH of Better Bellies By Molly. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Siobhan Proksell, MD on Twitter, and at University of Miami. Find Molly Dunham-Friel, MPH at Better Bellies By Molly, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. Episode transcript and more information at https:/bit.ly/AIBD114 | |||
| 16 Jul 2019 | Summer of Activism: Attending a Town Hall | 00:13:31 | |
Working with our local elected officials is important to having our voices heard. But attending local town hall meetings held by state or federal congressional representatives is daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. Shawntel Bethea of Chronically Strong describes her journey from sending an email to asking for support from her Congresswoman at a meeting in her district. She gives her tips on how you can make an impact in your community for people living with IBD. Find Shawntel Bethea of Chronically Strong, at:
Find Amber J Tresca of About IBD at:
Credits:
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| 16 Jan 2024 | IBD Connect With Lisa Fournier | 00:36:26 | |
A diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBD) affects the entire family. When it’s a child that’s diagnosed, it changes so many things and brings a host of challenges. Families experience many unmet needs related to IBD. My guest is Lisa Fournier of IBD Connect. Lisa is the mother of two children who live with IBD. Her experiences in helping them manage IBD at different stages in life compelled her to be a support for others. She worked with her local hospital to start a support group and eventually founded IBD Connect. Learn about the programs IBD Connect offers and how the community can support their important mission. Concepts on this episode: Find IBD Connect at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD146 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 11 Mar 2025 | Declutter Your Life While Living with Chronic Illness | 01:04:57 | |
Do you find it difficult to find the time and energy to deal with mental or physical clutter? Lisa Zawrotny, a productivity coach and founder of Positively Productive Systems, helps us learn how to manage clutter, even when flaring. We discuss practical strategies for decluttering both your physical space and mental load, and how to celebrate even the smallest victories in your day-to-day life. Plus, Lisa reveals her insights on creating systems that work for you, no matter your circumstances. If you’ve ever felt weighed down by expectations or struggled to find balance, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways that can help you reclaim your time and energy. Key points:
Episode sponsored by Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis. Find Lisa Zawrotny of Positively Productive Systems at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD170 These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 31 Jan 2023 | The Plant-Based Crohn’s and Colitis Cookbook | 00:37:33 | |
For years we were told that diet doesn’t matter in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We know now that diet is important in IBD. What’s still not clear is how we should be thinking about it in terms of management. Helena Murphy is a photographer, yoga teacher, and Crohn’s disease patient who brought her skills and experience to writing a book entitled, "The Plant-Based Crohn’s and Colitis Cookbook." She shares her secret to publishing her book, as well as how her life has changed since being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Find Helena Murphy at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD127 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 12 Nov 2024 | The Hosts of Bowel Moments | 00:36:11 | |
Alicia and Robin, co-hosts of the "Bowel Moments" podcast, join Amber for a discussion about podcasting in the IBD community. Robin shares her IBD journey, including her diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, the complications that led to an ileal anal anastomosis, the later diagnosis of Crohn's disease, and evebtyak J-pouch surgery. They also talk about the challenges of producing the podcast, the importance of therapy, and keeping up a social media presence. The conversation highlights the emotional and logistical aspects of creating a podcast about IBD. Select episodes of Bowel Moments:
Find Robin and Alicia on Bowel Moments at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD162 These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 05 Dec 2023 | IBD in the Hispanic Community With Oriana Damas, MD | 00:39:19 | |
As an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and the Director of Translational Studies for the Crohn’s and Colitis Center, Dr. Damas sheds light on the misconception that IBD only affects certain ethnicities. Her extensive research explores the connection between of environment and genetics in the development of IBD, with a special focus on its impact on immigrants from Latin America. Dr. Damas shares insights into the challenges of studying the role of diet in IBD, revealing key findings from her research and explaining how her work is reshaping our understanding of these diseases. Find Oriana Damas, MD at:
Dr Damas' Research:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD143 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 23 Mar 2021 | Derek Mari of Crohnie: It's Not Impossible | 00:30:11 | |
Have you ever seen a person who lives with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a movie or TV show? If so: was the depiction positive or negative? My guest is actor, writer, and filmmaker Derek Mari. Derek lives with Crohn's disease and his IBD journey inspired him to create a story that explores the way people cope with living with a chronic illness. He has already filmed a short film, entitled "Crohnie," which was positively received at several film festivals (before the pandemic shut everything down). Derek's next project is a full-length feature film with a main character who lives with Crohn's disease. Loosely autobiographical, it will examine the journey to acceptance of life with a chronic illness, and show how that life can be full and filled with success. Learn more about Derek and his Crohn's story, as well as how you can get involved in the crowdfunding program to get this film made. Find Crohnie Movie on Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Derek Mari on Vimeo, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 06 Jun 2022 | Cannabis and IBD | 00:48:44 | |
There are significant unmet needs for IBD patients that include pain control, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression. Some patients turn to medical cannabis for these symptoms. But is that a good idea, does it work, and what should patients and their doctors know about medical cannabis? To answer these questions and more, Amber talks to cannabis and IBD expert Dr Jami Kinnucan, who is a Senior Associate Consultant in the Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Get lots more information and a transcript at https://bit.ly/AIBD118 Find Jami A. Kinnucan, MD at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Credits:
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| 08 Aug 2023 | Where to Invest Money: Healthcare Disparities in IBD | 00:21:11 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects people from all ethnic and cultural groups. In this limited series, we'll explore how inequalities in the healthcare system affect people from diverse backgrounds. One of the barriers to addressing disparities is money. It's an unfortunate fact that the healthcare system in the United States is intertwined with money. In some cases, access to care and other equity issues might be solved by putting some funding towards the problems. That's why I asked my guests a really broad question: If you received grant money, where would you allocate it in order to address disparities? You'll hear from Dr Aline Charabaty, Melodie Narain-Blackwell, Dr Cedric Pulliam, Dr Fasika Shimeles Teferra, and Brooke Abbott to find out what this panel says about where we should be focusing our efforts in combating healthcare disparities in the IBD space. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca. Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio. | |||
| 27 Sep 2021 | Every Mom Matters: The MELODY Trial | 00:21:05 | |
What should people who live with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) eat? What diet plans are available? Barbara Olendzki, the Director of the Center for Applied Nutrition and an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, helped developed the inflammatory bowel disease anti-inflammatory diet (IBD-AID). The IBD-AID is currently being studied in pregnant people in the MELODY Trial. Barbara gives the lowdown on the IBD-AID, the MELODY Trial, and how and why she got started in the nutrition field. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Center for Applied Nutrition on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 09 Aug 2020 | About IBD Preview - Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis | 00:01:39 | |
While everyone who lives with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis), or IBD, has their own story, there are major themes. Finding someone whose story is similar to yours is both validating and empowering. This is why Amber Tresca, who lives with ulcerative colitis and a j-pouch, developed the About IBD Podcast. IBD is not only isolating but it also affects every aspect of the lives of those who live with these diseases. It touches relationships, finances, and careers. On About IBD, Amber talks to caregivers and people living with IBD to get their stories so that they can share what they’ve learned from their journey. She also talks to healthcare providers and other experts to get their perspective on a wide variety of topics including research about IBD, improving relationships with physicians, becoming a critical thinker, and how to get involved with healthcare activism. Amber wants to give people touched by IBD the information they need to live a better life, as well as feel less alone while navigating the ups and downs of the patient journey. Subscribe to About IBD on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 25 Oct 2021 | J-Pouch Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis With Vikram B. Reddy, MD, PhD | 00:33:43 | |
Ulcerative colitis surgery is sometimes viewed as the last stop for treatment but it can be a good option to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Dr. Vikram Reddy, Division Chief of Yale Medicine, Colon and Rectal Surgery, answers questions about j-pouch surgery including how patients feel about it, how he manages his patients after surgery, what complications might occur, and why surgery for ulcerative colitis is complicated and nuanced. Transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD103 Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Vikram B. Reddy, MD, PhD at Yale Colon and Rectal Surgery. Find Yale New Haven Hospital at Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and Yale New Haven Hospital. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 07 Nov 2021 | Living With Ulcerative Colitis as an Air Force Pilot | 00:28:29 | |
Did you know that being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease is a disqualifying condition to serve in the United States military? However, it seems that it’s not always an automatic reason for discharge. Lt Colonel Joshua Nelson was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and needed to have ileostomy surgery. It cast into question his future as a pilot in the Air Force Reserve. Learn his story of how he worked with his medical team in order to keep doing the job he loves, his advice for others like him, and tips on flying that any ostomate can use. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 23 Jul 2019 | Summer of Activism: Getting Kids Involved in Advocacy | 00:25:07 | |
How young is "too young" to get kids involved in activism? Gastroenterologist and activist Dr Meenakshi Bewtra started her kids on their activism journey at birth and continues by bringing them to marches, voter registration events, and postcard writing parties. Dr Bewtra shares her tips on how you can involve your kids in activism, why you should, and how it might make your life as a parent — and activist — a bit easier. Find Meenakshi Bewtra, MD, MPH at:
Find Amber J Tresca of About IBD at:
Credits: Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney "About IBD with Amber Tresca" ©Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 11 Feb 2020 | Health Insurance, Accommodations, and IBD at Work | 00:28:21 | |
People who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis have more to consider when it comes to the workplace. The cost of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) means that a comprehensive insurance plan is a must, which may limit job choices. A flare-up or complication that results in absences can lead to poor performance reviews or difficulties with supervisors or co-workers. How can people with IBD cope? Three women who live with IBD, Megan Starshak, Mary Elizabeth Ulliman, and Tina Aswani Omprakash, tell their stories about missing work, being underinsured, and changing jobs while managing IBD. Information discussed in this episode includes Clostridium difficile (C diff), pouchitis, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Help Center, IBD and the Americans With Disabilities Act, The Family and Medical Leave Act, and Financial Help for People with IBD. Select pharmaceutical company assistance programs:
Find Megan Starshak on MeganStarshak.com, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Tina Aswani Omprakash on Own Your Crohn’s, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Mary Elizabeth Ulliman on Instagram. Find The Great Bowel Movement on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 02 Dec 2019 | Managing IBD Is a Team Sport With Dr Aline Charabaty | 00:29:45 | |
This episode is sponsored by AbbVie. How do you think about your connection with your gastroenterologist? The patient/physician relationship is important in managing inflammatory bowel disease. I talk with Dr. Aline Charabaty, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of the IBD Center at Johns Hopkins Sibley Memorial Hospital, and winner of the 2019 Healio Gastroenterology Social Media Influencer Award, about how patients and doctors can better understand one another and better communicate about managing your disease. Find out how doctors can help patients in addition to finding the appropriate treatment for them, including what kinds of questions both groups should be asking, and how we can all move beyond “how many bowel movements” to discuss other issues important in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Want to get ahead of preparations for your next appointment? Try out the Doctor Discussion Guide at crohnsandcolitis.com/podcast Find Aline Charabaty, MD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at Monday Night IBD. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 30 Jul 2024 | IBD and Accommodations at Work With Katie Connelly | 00:51:53 | |
Amber Tresca and Katie Connelly discuss the challenges and importance of workplace accommodations for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Katie has been through the process of asking for accommodations with different employers and shares her personal experience, emphasizing the need for understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She relates her experience and gives advice to both employers and employees on how to manage the accommodation journey. Plus, she gives the resources that she found most helpful to help her learn about her rights as an employee. Find Katie Connelly at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD156 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 29 Dec 2020 | Amber's Reflections on 2020 | 00:06:21 | |
What does it mean to act with intention? The pandemic altered the course of our year and divorced us from our intentions. However, there were learnings that we can build on to create a better, more inclusive, and informed IBD community. In this mini-episode, I share my thoughts on how the year affected me and how I plan to move forward in 2021 by getting back to my intentions. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 13 Aug 2019 | Summer of Activism: Have Your Voice Heard on the Hill | 00:17:16 | |
The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can make people feel powerless and isolated. Participating in day on the Hill events in Washington DC with patient advocacy groups are one way to take back control and have your voice heard by those who can help affect change. Hear from Jaime Holland of Pretty Rotten Guts, who describes her experiences in lobbying on Capital Hill including why it’s important to her, how she navigates the day with mobility issues, and why the experience is empowering. Download your FREE copy of the new single, "IBD Dance Party," by signing up for the About IBD newsletter here: http://aibdnewsletter.aboutibd.com/music Find Jaime Holland of Pretty Rotten Guts at:
Find Amber J Tresca of About IBD at:
Credits: Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney | |||
| 15 Oct 2024 | Parenting With IBD (With Alison McGauley) | 00:34:36 | |
Amber interviews Alison McGauley, a teacher and author of "Kenzie's Little Tree," a children's book about a girl whose mother lives with chronic illness. Alison shares her journey with ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and ankylosing spondylitis, and how her hospitalization impacted her two daughters. She emphasizes the importance of talking about illness with children to help them process their emotions. Alison’s book, set to release in March 2025, aims to provide a narrative for families dealing with chronic illness. Pre-orders are available, with proceeds donated to Crohn's and Colitis Canada and the Arthritis Society. Buy Alison's book: https://www.alisonmcgauley.com/books/my-books Find Alison McGauley at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD160 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 28 Feb 2023 | Living with IBD: How Caitlin McGinnis, LCSW Supports Mental Health | 00:28:37 | |
Caitlin McGinnis, LCSW was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 22 and had her entire colon removed. This experience prompted her to become a social worker and specialize in providing mental health support for patients with various digestive health issues. Through her own experiences and connecting with support groups, Caitlin has learned the importance of creating communities, bringing awareness, and being a source of support for those going through similar struggles. She strives to provide her patients with the support she did not have when she was diagnosed. Find Caitlin McGinnis, LCSW on: Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD129 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 26 Nov 2024 | "3 Kidneys, No Colon" With Dave Piontkowski | 00:40:06 | |
For people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the path to pursuing our dreams can look different from that of our peers. Stand-up comedian Dave Piontkowski, lives with not only ulcerative colitis, but also chronic kidney disease. He developed a one-man show called "Three Kidneys, No Colon," which describes his journey with both of these conditions. Dave talks about how and why his comedy actually improved while he was fighting for his life with kidney disease. He also tells us how his comedy is connecting the chronic illness community, but there are some audience members who find it can be too much. Find Dave Piontkowski at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD163 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 23 May 2022 | How Physical Therapy Can Help People With IBD | 00:37:35 | |
When you think of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, you might not think of physical therapy. But physical therapy and pelvic floor therapy can be integral to helping with function, pain, and having better bowel movements. To learn more, I connected with Nancy Cullinane, who is a Board-Certified Women’s Health Clinical Specialist at Overlake Hospital and Clinics Outpatient Rehab in Washington State, and Christine Morgan, who is a Board-Certified Sports Clinical Specialist and the Director of Clinical Education at the Florida Southern College School of Physical Therapy. They describe the ways in which a physical therapist can help with some of the issues that crop up with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and how you can find a physical therapist to help you. Concepts discussed on this episode include: Athletic Greens — AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/ibdpod The Sherman Prize: https://shermanprize.org/ Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy: https://aptapelvichealth.org American Physical Therapy Association: https://www.choosept.com/ Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute: https://hermanwallace.com/ Social Media: Nancy Cullinane, PT, MHS, DPT, WCS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-cullinane-pt-mhs-dpt-wcs-405866b1/ FSC School of Physical Therapy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fsc.dpt/ Overlake Medical Center & Clinics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/overlakemedicalcenter Find Amber J Tresca at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aboutIBD Twitter: https://twitter.com/aboutIBD Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/aboutibd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/about_IBD/ Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney: https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney Theme music, IBD Dance Party, is from Cooney Studio: https://michaelandrewcooney.bandcamp.com/track/ibd-dance-party-single Episode transcript and more information at: https:/bit.ly/AIBD117 | |||
| 11 Jan 2021 | Double Baggin' It With Joe and Danielle | 00:44:03 | |
Did an IBD diagnosis change the direction of your life? For Danielle Golden and Joe Teeters, being diagnosed as a young adult had a profound influence on their lives. The plans they had for their lives were derailed, but they only met, formed a strong friendship, and founded Double Baggin' It because of their IBD. Learn more about their disease journeys, how they met, and how they use humor to raise awareness of IBD and ostomy life both inside and outside the IBD community. Further Reading:
Find Double Baggin' It at Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 05 Nov 2019 | Don't Stop the Things That You Love | 00:31:55 | |
Being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as a child and undergoing j-pouch surgery in high school hasn’t slowed Sneha Dave down at all. In fact, it spurred her to found two groups that are focused on bringing young people into the patient advocacy space: the Crohn's and Colitis Young Adults Network (CCYA) and the Health Advocacy Summit (HAS). Learn how Sneha grew the CCYA from its humble start as a newsletter, the opportunities that CCYA and HAS offer to young patients, and Sneha's secret to managing a work/life balance. Find the Crohn's and Colitis Young Adults Network at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Credits: | |||
| 16 Nov 2020 | Am I Forgiven? | 00:33:45 | |
Do you worry that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) will get in the way of finding a romantic partner? Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can make dating challenging but they can also simplify it. It becomes clear pretty quickly if a potential partner is going to struggle to cope with chronic illness. This episode focuses on communication, as Amber and her husband, Mike, discuss how he reacted to his first introduction to ulcerative colitis and why it's important to check in with your partner before discussing IBD outside of the relationship. After more than 20 years, they finally put an incident of miscommunication to bed, and Mike gives his tips on being a supportive partner. Concepts discussed in this episode:
Find Michael Tresca on Facebook, Twitter, and Patreon. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Find IBDMoms on IBDMoms.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 21 Mar 2022 | How to Be Happy & Healthy With IBD: Discussing IBD With Family and Friends | 00:42:35 | |
People who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis don’t want to feel like a burden. They may feel guilty about changing or canceling plans. Sometimes, people with IBD may not even want to make plans in the first place. A strong support system can help overcome these issues and help patients manage their new normal. Dr Alexandra Fuss, a clinical health psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and Brooke Abbott, ulcerative colitis patient, founder of The Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles, and co-founder of IBDMoms tell me how they have productive conversations with friends and family surrounding IBD. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Alexandra Fuss, PhD on Instagram, LinkedIn and at Yale School of Medicine. Find Brooke Abbott at The Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. Episode transcript and more information at https:/bit.ly/AIBD112 | |||
| 11 Oct 2021 | Finding Success with Nutrition Therapy | 00:32:39 | |
IBD is not a condition that is easy to diagnose or treat. People who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis have needs that include guidance on nutrition. Diet is notoriously difficult to study but some research is starting to be done. Dannielle Jascot, MS, CNS, CDN, certified nutritionist and IBD patient talks over the recent results of the DINE-CD study, which compared the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and the Mediterranean Diet. Episode page and transcript: https://bit.ly/2YIaZXk Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Dannielle Jascot on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 04 Jun 2024 | "Boo Can't Poo!" With Iris Wang, MD | 00:32:50 | |
Dr Iris Wang, assistant professor in the division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and the Associate Program Director of the GI fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Amber Tresca discuss the stigma surrounding gut health and poop. Dr Wang shares the experience of writing a children's book focused on preventing and managing constipation titled "Boo Can't Poo!" They also discuss the challenges of publishing a book on gut health and the potential benefits of talking about poop and toileting, emphasizing the importance of open communication and personalized treatment. Listen to learn about where you can get "Boo Can't Poo!" and how parents with IBD can manage their anxiety around the idea of their kids developing IBD. Order "Boo Can't Poo!" ISBN 9798887701431: Find Xiao Jing "Iris" Wang, MD at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD153 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 12 Sep 2023 | Managing IBD Diet and Lifestyle With Clemmie Oliver | 00:51:30 | |
Diet does matter in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Not only in how it affects the digestive system, but also in overall health. Adults with IBD have greater incidences of heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, liver disease, and ulcers than do people without IBD. For those reasons and more: thinking about diet and how it affects all these other body systems, as well as the IBD, is important. To discuss how diet relates to IBD, Amber talks to Clemmie Oliver, IBD Specialist Registered Associate Nutritionist and Nutritional Therapist (MSc, ANutr, Dip ION, mBANT, CNHC). Clemmie shares her personal journey of living with ulcerative colitis from the age of 9, undergoing surgery, and ultimately receiving a j-pouch. She covers the impact of her condition on her family, particularly her parents and siblings. Clemmie also emphasizes the importance of nutrition in maintaining health and how dietary choices can influence j-pouch function. She provides practical advice for navigating social situations, such as parties and work dinners, where dietary restrictions may apply. She encourages open communication with healthcare professionals and offers thoughts on adapting food textures to better suit those with stomas or internal pouches. Find Clemmie Oliver and the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic Ltd at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD137 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 22 Jun 2020 | You've Got to Find the Humor in Things | 00:28:15 | |
Do you have a sense of humor about your IBD? Jenna Ziegler of The Comical Colon found that keeping her sense of humor has helped her through the challenges she faced after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in college. After fighting her way back to health after severe flare-ups and carving out the life she wanted for herself, Jenna received another stunning diagnosis: a rare liver condition called primary sclerosing cholangitis, or PSC. Over the years she has done the hard work to learn how to be an empowered patient and she shares her 5 tips on how you can learn to advocate for yourself. Concepts discussed in this episode: Learn about Gali Health and download the app (affiliate link). Find Jenna Ziegler at TheComicalColon.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 27 Jul 2020 | The Footprints Program with Arielle Radin of Gali Health | 00:40:49 | |
What’s in your microbiome and how does it interact with your IBD? The bacteria that’s in the gut of someone that lives with IBD is different from the bacteria in the the gut of someone that doesn’t have IBD. This is a major area of study because it may help researchers not only in developing new treatments but also in better understanding IBD. That’s why I asked Arielle Radin, Director of Clinical Research for Gali Health, to talk to me about the Footprints Program. The Footprints Program is an ambitious research project that is going to sequence poop and saliva from IBD patients. It’s being used in conjunction with the Gali Health app, which is made especially for IBD patients to track their symptoms and connect with other people who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Participants in the Footprints Program will get access to some information about their microbiome. They can then look at the changes over time and see if there are any trends with the symptoms that are kept in the Gali app. It sounds pretty amazing, which is why I signed up for the program. Arielle Radin, who answers my questions about Gali Health and the Footprints Program, and on a personal note, tells us about getting married during the pandemic. Concepts discussed in this episode:
Find Gali Health at GaliHealth.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 27 Jun 2018 | You Have to Have Joy With Sara Ringer | 00:45:14 | |
With an invisible illness such as IBD, it can be challenging to protect your quality of life. Patient influencers often push themselves in the service of others and that may seem strange to those that follow along on social media. How can someone be so sick and yet be able to attend a medical conference? Sara Ringer of Inflamed and Untamed explains how what you see online can be misleading and how she manages two difficult digestive diseases, all while striving to live a fulfilling life that includes being a resource for other patients seeking information and support. Concepts and ideas shared on this episode:
Find Sara Ringer at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
"About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 03 Jul 2020 | The Sherman Prize With Dr Dermot McGovern | 00:23:27 | |
The Sherman Prize is an award created by Bruce and Cynthia Sherman to recognize those who are making great contributions to the field of research and care in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Sherman family has been touched by IBD and their goal is to create a ripple effect that spreads awareness, fosters innovation, and provides inspiration in the hope that in the future, other families won’t have to contend with IBD in the way that theirs has. Dr Dermot McGovern, Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles and the 2020 Committee Chair for The Sherman Prize talks more about the value of the Prize to the IBD community, who can make a nomination, and how to nominate a great candidate. He also talks about his research on the genetics of IBD and why it might help in leading to new treatments. Make your nominations for the 2020 Sherman Prize 2020 by July 17th! You can learn more and do so at ShermanPrize.org. Find The Sherman Prize at ShermanPrize.org, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Find Dermot P. B. McGovern, MD, PhD, FRCP at Cedars-Sinai and Twitter. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 25 Jun 2024 | Men's Health and IBD | 00:38:54 | |
There tend to be more women than men who share their journey with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis). The reasons are challenging to uncover, but what's clear is that more can be done to raise the visibility of men living with an IBD, ostomy, or other digestive condition. My guest is Jordan William Henry Aggen, also known as Crohn's Trooper. Jordan emphasizes the importance of open communication, pre-planning, and finding support from friends, family, and social media to cope with the disease. Concepts discussed on this episode: Find Jordan William Henry Aggen at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD154 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 24 Jun 2019 | Where Do We Go From Here? | 00:25:49 | |
What’s new in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatments and what’s next on the horizon? Dr Peter Higgins, a gastroenterologist, IBD specialist, and researcher at the University of Michigan discusses what’s new in IBD from the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress meeting in 2019. We talk fecal transplants, healing strictures in the intestines, and the feasibility of custom ostomy products. It’s a conversation about cutting edge research on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis mixed with the practicality of using these treatments in the real world. Concepts and ideas discussed:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Credits: Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" ©Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 11 Jul 2023 | I'm Letting You In With Cedric Pulliam, PhD: Healthcare Disparities in IBD | 00:40:05 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects people from all ethnic and cultural groups. In this limited series, we'll explore how inequalities in the healthcare system affect people from diverse backgrounds. What is it like to not have anyone on your medical team that looks like you or understands your concerns? The diversity of the human experience is often not reflected in the healthcare system. In fact, there's little research into some areas of IBD, including the experience of LGBTQIA+ patients. Dr Cedric Pulliam, Senior Public Health Advisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had a long journey to a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, punctuated by less than helpful advice from specialists. His experiences as a public health advocate, a patient, and a gay male have brought him to be an open advocate for those in the LGBTQ community. Dr Pulliam has advice on how the IBD community can learn from other disease states in how to truly meet the needs of patients. Find Dr Pulliam on LinkedIn and Twitter. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca. Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio. | |||
| 11 Jul 2022 | IBD and Biomarkers: What You Need to Know With Andres Hurtado-Lorenzo, PhD | 00:29:17 | |
What if we knew which patients would have severe Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis? And which wouldn’t? How about if we could tell which drug would work best in which patient? Knowing these things would change how inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is diagnosed and treated. Plus, more importantly: it would improve lives. Dr Andres Hurtado-Lorenzo, Vice President of Translational research and IBD Ventures at the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation explains biomarkers and how they may play into the future of how IBD is diagnosed, managed, and treated. Resources:
Research:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Credits:
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| 07 Feb 2022 | Colitis Conversations: Treating to Target | 00:44:35 | |
Setting goals is an important part of managing IBD. But after controlling symptoms: what other goals do patients have? They can be anything from being able to go up and down the stairs, to cooking a meal, to going back to an exercise program. Treating to target is a concept that helps in goal-setting. But patients might not be using this method with their clinicians. Dr Neilanjan Nandi, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and IBD specialist at the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine and Jacklyn Green, ulcerative colitis patient, writer, and IBDMom, dig deeper into the idea of treat to target from both sides of the equation. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Neilanjan Nandi, MD at FITWITMD.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Find Jacklyn Green at www.jacklynhopes.com, Instagram, and Twitter. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. Episode transcript and more information at https://bit.ly/AIBD109 | |||
| 17 Aug 2020 | Sending Chronically Ill Kids to School, Featuring Dr Brad Jerson | 00:25:55 | |
Kids with chronic illness face special issues when going back to school because they’re at risk of their accommodations becoming eroded. In particular, children who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, might be in danger of not being granted appropriate bathroom access. I speak with Dr Brad Jerson, a Pediatric Psychologist in the Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Connecticut Children’s and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. We discuss the worrying behaviors that parents should watch out for in their kids and how we can help kids who feel scared to go back to school. Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/AIBD78 Concepts discussed in this episode:
IBD Patient Advocacy Organizations
IBD Apps Find Dr Brad Jerson on Twitter and at Connecticut Children’s. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 10 Jan 2022 | Colitis Conversations: Getting an Accurate Diagnosis | 00:44:57 | |
Once people understand that symptoms like ongoing diarrhea and bloody stools are not normal, they need a way to overcome embarrassment and talk their symptoms over with a health care provider. Having an open and honest conversation will help ensure a quicker diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and getting the right treatment. On this episode, Rasheed Clarke, ulcerative colitis and j-pouch patient and author of Three Tablets Twice Daily and Dr Christina Ha, an IBDologist at the IBD Center at Cedars Sinai, provide support and guidance to patients with IBD symptoms, newly diagnosed patients, and anyone who is looking for a new way to speak with their health care providers about IBD treatments. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Dr Christina Ha at Cedars-Sinai, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Find Rasheed Clarke at RasheedClarke.com, LinkedIn, and read Three Tablets Twice Daily. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. Transcript available: https://bit.ly/AIBD107 | |||
| 30 Jul 2019 | Summer of Activism: Attending Day on the Hill | 00:16:38 | |
How does an IBD patient attend Day on the Hill events and meet with the offices of congressional representatives in Washington DC? What is it like to go to these events? In this episode I describe how I got involved in hill day meetings, why I do it, and what the process is like to attend. I also offer you my tips on how to make the best of the time spent in the capital in order to make the biggest impact on the people who can affect change in the lives of IBD patients. How to Get Involved:
Find Amber J Tresca of About IBD at:
Credits: Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney "About IBD with Amber Tresca" ©Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 30 Jan 2024 | Amber's Year in Books 2023 | 00:25:54 | |
What did you read over the past year? If you made a reading goal: did you hit it? The books I read in 2023 included biographies, fantasy, fiction, and romance. Plus, I had several authors who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis on the show this year, so I read their books as well. Hear more about some of the books I enjoyed in 2023, how you can hear more from authors with IBD, and ways that you can hit those reading goals this year. IBD Author Episodes: Books mentioned in this episode: Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 25 Feb 2025 | Embracing Life with an Ostomy Featuring Danielle Barlieb | 00:31:37 | |
Danielle Barlieb was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in childhood. She discusses her experiences with diagnosis, surgeries, and becoming a mother, including the challenges of a permanent ileostomy. Danielle emphasizes the importance of mental health, sharing her struggles and the support she received from her family. She also talks about dating with an ostomy, encouraging others not to let fear hold them back. Finally, she highlights her son's interests and the joy he brings to her life, along with resources for women with inflammatory bowel disease. Information and resources discussed on this episode include: Find Danielle Barlieb at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD169 These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 07 Aug 2018 | Why Didn't I Do This Sooner? | 00:53:44 | |
What happens when a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease stands between you and your chosen career? This is exactly the barrier that veteran journalist and news anchor Natalie Hayden faced in the early days after her IBD diagnosis. Her decision was to gather her support system around her and get camera ready. Find out how she made it as a morning news anchor, found the love of her life, started her family, and founded Lights, Camera, Crohn’s. Find Natalie Hayden at:
Concepts, ideas, and advocates discussed on this episode:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
"About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 01 Aug 2023 | We Have to Invest in the Health Wealth of Our Nation With Brooke Abbott: Healthcare Disparities in IBD | 00:43:33 | |
Healthcare is political. That's why it's important to push legislators to ensure care is available and accessible to all patients, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Brooke Abbott, of the Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles and co-founder of IBDMoms helps illustrate the aspects of public policy that are important in achieving equity in healthcare. In this discussion you'll learn how lack of access to educational opportunities affects the healthcare space, how some provisions in the Affordable Care Act help reduce disparities, and why access to technology is an important part of healthcare. Find Brooke Abbott on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca. Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio. | |||
| 14 Nov 2023 | Designer $hit: A Microbiome Love Story With Saffron Cassaday | 00:27:51 | |
What options are you wiling to try to manage your ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease? How about putting someone else’s stool into your own colon? Fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) — using stool from a donor to repopulate bacteria in the colon — are being studied for use in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Filmmaker Saffron Cassady decided to try do-it-yourself FMT to treat her ulcerative colitis, using stool from the healthiest person she could find: her husband. The journey is captured in her film, Designer $hit, which explores both the science and potential behind FMT. Learn about why she decided to take a chance on FMT, how it has impacted her life, and where you can see Designer $hit. Learn where you can attend a screening: https://designershit.eventive.org/schedule Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD142 Find Saffron Cassaday and Designer $hit at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 19 Jun 2022 | The Restroom Access Act | 00:30:39 | |
Have you ever been out in public and needed a toilet — but there wasn’t one available? This has happened to everyone who lives with an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), which is why so many of us have “bathroom accident” stories. Needing to use the bathroom is a basic human need, but it’s treated like an afterthought. That’s where the Restroom Access Act comes into play: a law passed in several states that allows people to request access to a toilet when they live with certain conditions. There is no such law currently in California. That’s hopefully going to change thanks to the efforts of Ashlyn Saltzburg and Kelly Silk. Ashlyn is a teenager living with IBD and Kelly is her mom. Their effort to get a law passed in California is nothing short of heroic. Learn about how they got started on this journey to have the Restroom Access Act passed in California, and how you can help. More information and a transcript: https://bit.ly/AIBD119 Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Credits:
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| 01 Apr 2020 | Tips on Getting An Infusion During the Pandemic | 00:20:35 | |
We’re living through an usual time and people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis have many questions about how the pandemic may affect them. IBD experts agree that it’s important to continue receiving medications during this time to avoid a flare-up. That might mean traveling to an infusion center, hospital, or doctor’s office for treatment. Julie Kennedy of The Semicolon Girl recounts her experience in receiving her infusion of her Crohn’s disease medication in the era of COVID-19, including how the procedure was different, and gives her tips on how to make the process go as smoothly as possible.
Find Julie Kennedy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on her web site, The Sick Adventures of a Semi Colon Girl. Read her blog post about her infusion, Adventures in Pandemics. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 24 Mar 2020 | I Just Needed Something to Change | 00:29:27 | |
This is the second episode of my series talking to people who live with a permanent ostomy and exploring why they share their stories publicly and what it means to the ostomy community. I connected with Austin Powers on Twitter where he goes by Ostomy Guy. He has a podcast of the same name where he interviews people who live with an ostomy or who have other serious medical conditions. His path to becoming public about his ostomy started unexpectedly when he sat down to write about his disease journey. What started as a vague idea about writing a blog turned into a book, The Ostomy Guy Story: Memoirs of a Bagman, which is available on Amazon. Listen all the way to end to hear one of the many letters Austin receives from his readers, who are inspired by his story. Find the Ostomy Guy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on his site, theostomyguy.com. You can also buy his book, The Ostomy Guy Story: Memoirs of a Bagman, on Amazon. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 09 Jul 2024 | Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis With Stacy Dylan | 00:53:09 | |
Amber is joined by Stacy Dylan, co-founder and executive director of Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis (CtoC). CtoC is a patient advocacy group focused on addressing unmet needs in the IBD community. Stacy founded CtoC to help other families after her son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. CtoC offers support groups, mentorship programs, and gut-friendly workouts. Stacy offers advice to parents of children with IBD, encouraging them to take things one step at a time and not be overwhelmed by information from the internet. Follow Connecting to Cure:
Follow Stacy’s Medium page at: https://stacyjdylan.medium.com. Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD155 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 07 Jan 2025 | Navigating Hernia Surgery Featuring Mike Tresca | 01:22:35 | |
Amber is joined by her husband, Mike, who recently underwent robotic hernia surgery. In this candid conversation, they explore the entire experience—from the initial discovery of the hernia to the surgery itself and the recovery process that followed. Mike shares his insights on the challenges he faced, including unexpected pain, dietary adjustments, and the importance of having a supportive caregiver. They also discuss the nuances of patient-provider communication and how to navigate the complexities of post-surgery life. Whether you’re considering surgery or simply curious about the process, this episode offers valuable lessons and firsthand experiences that might resonate with you. Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD166 Find Michael Tresca at World of Welstar:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 04 May 2020 | I'm Not Doing This By Myself | 00:23:31 | |
How would you answer these questions about your inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?
Amber answers these questions, posed by Shawntel Bethea of Crohn's & Stuff, for fun and also to get the conversation started about how Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect our lives. Find Shawntel Bethea of Crohn’s & Stuff on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Answer the 5 questions, tag her on social media, and use #IBDTag. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 12 Feb 2019 | We Are Only 1% Human With Dr Sarina Pasricha | 00:34:40 | |
What is the microbiome, how might it be connected to IBD and other conditions, and how can it affect health when it's pushed out of balance? Dr Sarina Pasricha of the Christiana Care Health System gives me the scoop on how the microbiome is created when we are young and how it changes with our activities and diet, as well as why we should not try fecal transplants at home, and how a little bit of dirt is good for our kids. Concepts and ideas discussed in this episode:
Find Sarina Pasricha, MD, MSCR at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
"About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ After completing her undergraduate training in biological anthropology and nutrition from Harvard University, Dr. Pasricha attended Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine for medical school. She subsequently completed her residency and fellowship at the University of North Carolina where she also received a Masters of Science in Clinical Research. She has published extensively in the most respected gastroenterology journals and has given more than 30 national presentations. In addition to receiving numerous teaching awards, she has received prestigious awards from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Pasricha’s research background will allow her to best use evidence-based medicine to individually treat her patients. Dr. Pasricha’s clinical interests include, but are not limited to, prevention of colon cancer, evaluation and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophageal cancer, and women’s wellness and health with a focus on integrative gastroenterology. She has completed additional subspecialty training in motility disorders with a focus on esophageal motility, constipation, fecal incontinence, and prevention and non-surgical treatment of hemorrhoids. Dr. Pasricha is a native of Delaware and is an alumnus of Sanford School. She resides in Delaware with her husband and two daughters. | |||
| 14 Feb 2023 | CDPATH: A Prognostic Tool for Crohn's Disease | 00:26:05 | |
Are we getting close to predicting how Crohn's disease might change over time? Dr. Corey Siegel, co-director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Jessica Caron, a patient key opinion leader who lives with Crohn's, discuss a prognostic tool called CDPATH. This tool may help patient and healthcare providers understand how the disease may change over the next few years, and better inform a discussion of treatment options. Find Corey Siegel, MD on:
Find Jessica Caron at:
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Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD128 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 11 Jun 2018 | I Have Power With Megan Johnson | 00:54:49 | |
How can we help new ostomates better adjust to their stoma? Megan Johnson, who you might better know as The Front Butt YouTuber, had a unique journey on the way to becoming a permanent ileostomate due to Crohn’s disease. Her experiences with the abysmal patient education material in the hospital after ostomy surgery sparked her desire to make accessible content that helps people adjust after surgery and “be comfortable in their own skin.” This episode was recorded on location at HealtheVoices in Chicago, under challenging conditions, which is why the audio is less than pristine, but the content is extraordinarily compelling. Stick with it, and you’ll be glad you did! Megan Johnson, The Front Butt YouTuber at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
"About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ Additional audio engineering courtesy Mac Cooney https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ | |||
| 28 Jan 2019 | It’s a Pain I Invite Into My Life | 00:24:25 | |
A diagnosis of IBD can take away the thing that you feel defines you as a person. This is how it felt for Megan Starshak of The Great Bowel Movement, who describes how her ulcerative colitis diagnosis at age 18 stole her passion for running. The process of losing and then regaining her identity as a runner fueled her desire to help people live well with a diagnosis of IBD. Her foundation seeks to educate those outside the IBD community through the use of a simple conversation prompt: Ask Me About My IBD. Find The Great Bowel Movement at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 20 Jun 2021 | Fatherhood and IBD With Jordan McConnell | 00:39:55 | |
The patient advocacy space is lacking the voices of men and especially men of color. The result is that the IBD community is not diverse enough to provide the kind of support that they need. Jordan McConnell, the founder of Crohn’s Veteran, is looking to change the dynamics of the online IBD space. Jordan served in the military and was eventually discharged due to his Crohn’s disease. It was a shock and changed his career plans unexpectedly. His disease journey showed him that he needed to be the change and he developed his podcast and his brand to support men and the larger IBD community. Concepts discussed in this episode:
Find Jordan McConnell on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Find Crohn’s Veteran on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Twitch, and on their web site, Crohn’s Veteran. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 21 Nov 2021 | What Remission Means to a Teen With Ulcerative Colitis | 00:26:35 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis) is being diagnosed in young people with greater frequency. Research on how to treat pediatric patients, and indeed how to prevent IBD in the first place, is still lacking. What’s not in short supply is the strength and resilience shown by pediatric IBD patients and their families. Meet Brooke, a pediatric patient at Connecticut Children’s Hospital who credits her dedicated IBD team with her ability to live a life filled with summer camp, dance, and tennis lessons, without the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. Transcript and more information available at: https://bit.ly/AIBD105 | |||
| 25 Jan 2021 | COVID-19 Vaccination With UC Patient Rosanne Mottola | 00:35:25 | |
People with IBD and other chronic conditions have questions about receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. Rosanne Mottola works at a hospital and was therefore eligible to receive a vaccination through her employer. Rosanne gives her experiences and takeaways as a "mild to moderate" ulcerative colitis patient and how she made the decision to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. She offers some great advice about how the internet may skew our perception of what IBD life is like, and because of her background, she's a wonderful resource for people living with IBD. Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Rosanne Mottola on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 24 Jul 2018 | You're 40 Something Years Old | 00:26:11 | |
How does IBD impact the family? Couples who are thinking about having children when one or both of them have IBD often have questions about how the disease will affect their family. Amber interviews her 8-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son about how IBD does — and doesn’t — affect their lives. Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find IBD Moms at:
"About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 13 Dec 2022 | Recovering from Medical Catatonia | 00:37:01 | |
For some people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, the disease puts roadblocks in the way when it comes to going to school, having a career, and participating in sports. For Lauren Thibodeau, a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis led to a complication of medical catatonia, which derailed her life and her career as a college golfer. However, with her family, her medical team, and her teammates around her, she made her way back to the golf course and in fact, wound up playing better than ever. Lauren shares what kept her motivated during the long and difficult recovery and how it changed her perspective on her golf game as well as her outlook on life. Find Lauren Thibodeau at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https:/bit.ly/AIBD124 | |||
| 17 Oct 2023 | IBD and Menopause | 00:14:46 | |
Menopause is a topic that's not well understood in general and there's even less information when it comes to menopause and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). October is World menopause Awareness Month. World Menopause Day is on October 18 every year. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of menopause and the support options available for improving health and well being. Learn more about how IBD may affect perimenopause and menopause, as well as the reverse. Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD139 Sources: 1. Rolston VS, Boroujerdi L, Long MD, et al. The influence of hormonal fluctuation on inflammatory bowel disease symptom severity—a cross-sectional cohort study. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2018;24:387–393. doi:10.1093/ibd/izx004 2. Lichtarowicz A, Norman C, Calcraft B, Morris JS, Rhodes J, Mayberry J. A study of the menopause, smoking, and contraception in women with Crohn's disease. Quarterly Journal of Medicine. 1989;72:623–631. 3. Kane SV, Reddy D. Hormonal replacement therapy after menopause is protective of disease activity in women with inflammatory bowel disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2008;103:1193–1196. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2007.01700.x 4. “The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society” Advisory Panel. The 2022 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2022;29(7):767-794. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000002028 5. Lungaro L, Costanzini A, Manza F, et al. Impact of Female Gender in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Narrative Review. J Pers Med. 2023;13(2):165. Published 2023 Jan 17. doi:10.3390/jpm13020165 6. Lewandowski K, Kaniewska M, Więcek M, et al. Risk Factors for Osteoporosis among Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Do We Already Know Everything?. Nutrients. 2023;15(5):1151. Published 2023 Feb 24. doi:10.3390/nu15051151 7. Schüle S, Rossel JB, Frey D, et al. Widely differing screening and treatment practice for osteoporosis in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases in the Swiss IBD cohort study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(22):e6788. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000006788 8. Hidalgo DF, Boonpheng B, Phemister J, Hidalgo J, Young M. Inflammatory bowel disease and risk of osteoporotic fractures: A meta-analysis. Cureus. 2019;11:e5810. doi:10.7759/cureus.5810 9. Palomba S, Manguso F, Orio F Jr, et al. Effectiveness of risedronate in osteoporotic postmenopausal women with inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective, parallel, open-label, two-year extension study. Menopause. 2008;15(4 Pt 1):730-736. doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e318159f190 Additional Sources:
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| 14 Jan 2020 | Reporting from Advances in IBD 2019 | 00:15:23 | |
In December 2019 I went to Advances in IBD, which is a medical meeting that's focused entirely on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The understanding that IBD is more than a "bathroom disease" has finally hit home, and attendees (which include healthcare professionals such as nurses, dietitians, gastroenterologists, GI psychologists, and colorectal surgeons) were educated on a variety of topics. In this episode I provide some of the highlights of the meeting including sessions on diet, medication risks, and pregnancy. Articles and information discussed in this episode include a discussion of absolute risk, "Don't Forget that 5-ASAs Also Have Side Effects: Recognizing Complications", "Diet, the Microbiome, and IBD: 'Doctor, what should I eat for my IBD?'," "Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Pregnancy Clinical Care Pathway: A Report From the American Gastroenterological Association IBD Parenthood Project Working Group," and "Episode 48: Summer of Activism - Getting Kids Involved in Activism." Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 25 Jul 2023 | I Wanted People to Know That They're Not Alone With Fasika Shimeles Teferra, MD: Healthcare Disparities in IBD | 00:29:13 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects people from all ethnic and cultural groups. In this limited series, we'll explore how inequalities in the healthcare system affect people from diverse backgrounds. IBD is still considered rare in some parts of the world, but incidence is increasing. Fasika Shimeles Teferra, MD of Ethiopia describes her journey to a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. Being a medical doctor, she has been able to make connections in order to help other IBD patients in her country. Patients face stigma, less than optimal care, and a lack of educational resources for themselves and their friends and family members. Dr Teferra was helping patients as best she could but discovered she needed a bigger platform. She founded a nonprofit, Crohn’s and Colitis Ethiopia, in order to better support Ethiopian patients with IBD. Find Dr Teferra on LinkedIn and Twitter and Crohn’s and Colitis Ethiopia on Facebook and their web site. More about Dr Teferra and IBD in Ethiopia:
Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca. Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio. | |||
| 30 Oct 2018 | I'm Sick and Nobody Will Help Me | 00:45:41 | |
What have you done when you couldn’t get anyone to take the symptoms of IBD seriously and you found yourself out of options? For Meredith, the road to a Crohn’s disease diagnosis was long and so frustrating that she wound up pleading for help from a specialist she’d never met. Going online to connect with other patients also took Meredith to places both light and dark, and she, Jaime, and I sort through our various experiences with social media as well as how we can work towards creating more hopeful content for new IBD patients in the future. Concepts mentioned on this episode: What Are Mast Cells?: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-mast-cells-1944889 What Is Gastroparesis?: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-gastroparesis-1741788 Find Meredith Smolen at:
Find Jaime Weinstein at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 22 Oct 2019 | This Is Still Better Than Surgery | 00:28:55 | |
A diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and an ileostomy hasn’t stopped Ryan Stevens from competing in triathlon races. He swam through high school and college and was sidelined by Crohn’s just after falling in love with triathlon. He’s worked his way back twice from devastating flare-ups to get back to swim, bike, run, and now to the ultimate race: the IRONMAN. Come with us as we relive the IRONMAN Triathlon in Madison, Wisconsin and discuss how Ryan prepared and competed while living with IBD and a permanent ostomy. Find Ryan Stevens of IBD Swimming & Me, at:
Find Amber J Tresca of About IBD at:
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| 09 May 2023 | An Ostomy Is a Beginning With Brad Watson-Davelaar | 00:43:30 | |
Brad Watson-Davelaar, founder of Gaming for Guts, shares his experiences in living with Crohn’s disease and how he found support and community through his IBD journey. He talks about his ostomy surgery and how for him, it is a beginning rather than an end. Brad describes the upcoming fundraising event sponsored by Gaming for Guts to celebrate World IBD Day on May 19th. It will feature Canadian-themed activities in support of Crohn's and Colitis Canada. The IBD and gaming communities are encouraged to get involved with the fun. Brad also shares his thoughts on how the gaming community helps people with IBD connect to form meaningful relationships. Find Brad Watson-Davelaar at:
Find Gaming4Guts at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD134 These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 08 Nov 2023 | Coping With IBD While in Military Service With Dr Anish Patel | 00:44:43 | |
What do all the new oral drugs available for treating IBD have to do with military service? Being diagnosed with IBD might mean leaving the military for some service members. Part of the reason is that it’s not possible to be deployed while receiving a drug that’s an injection or an infusion. But when a medication works well and happens to be in pill form: that’s a game-changer. Dr Anish Patel, the Medical Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Brooke Army Medical Center gives an update on how IBD is treated in the military, what he sees on the horizon for IBD, and his best advice for every patient living with a chronic illness. Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD141 Find Anish Patel, DO, LTC, FACG, FAGA at:
Resources:
Research:
Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney:
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| 04 Jul 2023 | I Want Someone Who's Going to Understand Where I'm Coming From With Selvi Vasudevan, MD: Healthcare Disparities in IBD | 00:33:51 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects people from all ethnic and cultural groups. In this limited series, we'll explore how inequalities in the healthcare system affect people from diverse backgrounds. Nutrition is a major component of managing digestive disease. Yet people living with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or indeterminate colitis may not be offered access to help managing their diet. Dr Selvi Vasudevan, founder of Dr Selvi's Keys to Ease Crohn's, discusses her Crohn's disease journey and how it led her to pursue the role diet and nutrition play in wellness as well as the cultural influence on our food choices. A child of immigrants from southern India to the United States, she is discovering how best to integrate family life, her culture, and her needs as a person with IBD. Find Dr Selvi on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on DrSelvi.com. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca. Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio. | |||
| 28 Nov 2023 | Positivity Beats IBD With Josef Miller | 00:39:19 | |
What is it like to be a teen living with Crohn’s disease? If you’re like Josef Miller, you channel the challenges of the diagnosis and management of IBD into action. Josef has written a book about his experiences, entitled "The Purple Rose," and created an initiative called "Positivity Beats IBD," which creates inspirational cards for people living with IBD and other conditions. Learn about Josef's journey with Crohn's, his multicultural background, and how and why he decided to write a book. Find Josef Miller at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD143 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 14 Jun 2021 | Kelly Owens: Vagus Nerve Girl | 00:38:39 | |
What is the next innovation in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? Is it the microbiome? Stem cells? Or, is it the emerging field of bioelectric medicine? IBD is a complicated disease to treat and can bring complications and other, related conditions. The problem is the immune-mediated nature of the disease and how it affects the entire body. For Kelly Owens, who lives with Crohn’s disease, bioelectric medicine has bumped her into remission and changed her life in several ways. Today she goes by "Vagus Nerve Girl” because she had a device implanted in her chest that stimulates her vagus nerve. For her, this treatment has been a resounding success. Episode page and transcript can be found at: https://aboutibd.com/?p=1984 Concepts discussed in this episode:
Find Kelly Owens on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and on her blog, Vagus Nerve Girl. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 17 Mar 2020 | I'm Going to Make the Best of This | 00:24:11 | |
Ostomy surgery is a life-saving procedure that can improve quality of life, but that doesn’t mean it is always easy to accept. Stephanie Hughes founded The Stolen Colon after having surgery to place an ileostomy to treat her Crohn’s disease. She’s an ostomate, but she’s also a writer, a woman, a wife, a mother, and a resource for people in the IBD and the ostomy community. She shares her journey through Crohn’s disease and acceptance of her ostomy with me, including what her kids think of her stoma, how she manages issues around privacy, and what happened when a person who didn’t know she had an ileostomy told her that ostomies were smelly. Listen all the way to the end to hear how Stephanie's advocacy in the ostomy community touched one family and gave them hope. Information for topics discussed in this episode includes protectomy surgery, colectomy surgery, ileostomy surgery, changing an ostomy appliance, Enterostomal Therapy (ET) nurses, ostomy tips, and what’s normal with a stoma. Find Stephanie Hughes on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and on her blog, The Stolen Colon. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 08 Feb 2021 | Leaning Into Pleasure With Passion by Kait | 00:42:51 | |
During times of stress, our personal relationships may suffer. In the pandemic, we are finding ourselves spending a lot of time with those in our households, and for couples, that can start to take a toll. Certified sex educator Kait Scalisi, founder of Passion By Kait, shares her knowledge and experience as a neuroscientist, public health professional, and couples' counselor to help us understand how to better manage our relationships during the pandemic and beyond. Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Kait Scalisi, founder of Passion By Kait, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 07 May 2019 | I Just Said Yes | 00:35:55 | |
Living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis may have a significant affect on intimate relationships. The reasons for this are as individual as we are but can include pain, fatigue, medication side effects, and problems with body image. Kait Scalisi, an NYC-based sex educator who founded Passion by Kait, has devoted her professional life to helping women and couples learn to reconnect with themselves and their partner in order to enhance intimacy and reconnect with pleasure. Kait lives with Crohn’s disease and ankylosing spondylitis, and therefore has a deep understanding of how chronic conditions can affect intimate relationships (both with oneself and with a partner). Hear Kait’s Crohn’s disease journey and learn how she helps people find their way back to enjoying their spark, both in the bedroom and outside of it. Find Kait Scalisi at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 06 Jun 2023 | Pregnancy and IBD: The PIANO Study With Uma Mahadevan, MD | 00:25:18 | |
Pregnancy while living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) feels scary. But thanks to the groundbreaking Pregnancy Inflammatory bowel disease And Neonatal Outcomes (PIANO) study, there is now so much more data and information to help moms and their doctors make decisions. Dr Mahadevan began the PIANO registry in 2007, which followed women and their babies through pregnancy and after. What was learned from this registry was how IBD medications, and especially biologics, affected pregnancy, birth, and infants. Learn how Dr Mahadevan has grown PIANO over the years, the most important findings so far, and how pregnant women can join the study and help the next generation of moms with IBD and their babies. Find the PIANO Study at:
Find Uma Mahadevan, MD at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD136 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 18 May 2020 | I Evaluated What Was Really Important to Me | 00:36:17 | |
How does being diagnosed with a chronic illness affect your path in life? For Mariah Leach, a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis came out of the blue and put her at a crossroads. She decided to take the road towards patient advocacy. What started as a way to process her feelings and keep family and friends updated about her condition through her writing has evolved into a calling. Today, she has become a tireless advocate for people living with rheumatoid arthritis and as a resource for parents with chronic illness. It’s Mariah’s goal to ensure no one feels alone in their parenting journey. To that end, she has developed Mamas Facing Forward to support parents and foster the connections she was missing in her first years as a mom. Looking for ideas to keep kids occupied this summer? Learn about the Mamas Facing Forward Stay Home Summer Camp! Find Mariah Leach at From This Point. Forward., Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Mamas Facing Forward on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "IBD Dance Party" ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 09 Jul 2019 | Summer of Activism: Going to Medical Meetings | 00:09:47 | |
For this first episode of my limited series, Summer of Activism, I’m answering a question that I hear regularly: how it is that I go to medical meetings such as Digestive Disease Week, Advances in IBD, or Crohn’s and Colitis Congress. I give you the answer as well as tips on how patients, bloggers, podcasters, and vloggers can work towards attending these, and other, scientific meetings. Here’s a spoiler: it takes dedication to improving the lives of people with IBD, commitment to doing the work consistently, and some professional networking. Find Amber J Tresca at:
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| 04 Apr 2022 | How to Be Happy & Healthy With IBD: Tips for Navigating Health Insurance | 00:41:39 | |
People who live with chronic illness don’t get training on how to deal with health insurance. Yet it is a major part of living with conditions such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Plus, it not only affects patients living with IBD, but our doctors and other healthcare providers are also frustrated and overburdened with dealing with red tape such as prior authorizations. Dr Shubha Bhat, a gastroenterology clinical pharmacist at the Cleveland Clinic and Jaime Holland, who is a healthcare activist and Crohn’s disease patient tell me how they handle health insurance complications and what we can do to change the system. Concepts discussed on this episode include:
Find Shubha Bhat, PharmD on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Cleveland Clinic. Find Jaime Holland at Pretty Rotten Guts, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio. Episode transcript and more information at https:/bit.ly/AIBD113 | |||
| 27 Jun 2023 | You Have to Genuinely and Authentically Connect With Leaders in This Space With Melodie Narain-Blackwell: Healthcare Disparities in IBD | 00:35:51 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects people from all ethnic and cultural groups. In this limited series, we'll explore how inequalities in the healthcare system affect people from diverse backgrounds. Why do women of color encounter so many barriers when accessing care? Where are the spaces for black and brown patients to share their knowledge, experiences, and support around Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and other immune-mediated and autoimmune conditions? Melodie Narain-Blackwell, founder of Color of Crohn's and Chronic Illness, discusses her Crohn's disease journey and how it led her to become a voice for the IBD community. She tells us why outreach to minority groups sometimes fails, how she approaches patient education, her ideas on giving patients improved access to care, and how motherhood affects her disease journey. Find Color of Crohn's and Chronic Illness at COCCI.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Melodie Narain-Blackwell at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca. Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio. | |||
| 26 Oct 2020 | The Girl That Was Missing | 00:31:01 | |
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects more than the digestive system. Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can also affect the eyes, joints, and skin. Jordan Ditty was diagnosed with IBD as a child, though her diagnosis floated between Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis and she had j-pouch surgery due to a colonic perforation. Recently, she had her j-pouch removed and a permanent ileostomy placed. Surgery gave her with a better quality of life but also a new diagnosis of a skin condition related to IBD, called pyoderma gangrenosum. Learn how Jordan remains hopeful through her long journey with IBD and a host of complications. Concepts discussed in this episode:
Find Jordan Ditty on Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 21 May 2019 | We Still Don't Know What Happened | 00:37:05 | |
Every person that lives with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis in the United States knows the challenges of dealing with health insurance companies. Denials of service are common, particularly when diagnostic tests are ordered or when a new drug is prescribed. A change in insurance carrier, which can come after a life event (such as getting married or changing jobs) or at the start of the calendar year is another time when patients may find themselves in the appeal process in order to get needed tests or medication. For Jaime Holland, a life change, an insurance change, a calendar year change, and a change in gastroenterologist culminated in her being in danger of not receiving her biologic medication on time. Hear Jaime tell the story of how the problem started, why she had to look to someone outside her physicians office and her insurance carrier to get it solved, and her tips to help you avoid similar insurance snafus. This episode is perfect not only for anyone living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but also anyone who cares for those living with these diseases. Find Jaime Weinstein at: *Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaimeEditor *Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slightlyjaided/ *YouTube: http://po.st/prKAKf Find Amber J Tresca at: *Blog: http://aboutibd.com/ *Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibdcrohns/ *Twitter: https://twitter.com/aboutIBD *Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/aboutibd/ *Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/about_IBD/ Additional sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney, https://www.facebook.com/michaelandrewcooney/ "About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 24 Sep 2019 | I Would Have Missed the Window for a Child | 00:24:45 | |
People with IBD are often faced with unexpected challenges that are outside of those being experienced by their peer group. Jen Mcgregor of Crohnie Clothing found herself grappling with questions about her fertility while still in her early 20s. She had to act quickly in order to preserve her ability to have a biological child. Jen tells her personal story of working through the emotional, physical, financial, and even legal aspects of planning for her future fertility.
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| 26 Nov 2020 | If I Take Care of Myself, I'm Also Taking Care of You | 00:20:13 | |
After hearing from my 10-year-old daughter, it’s now time to hear from my 13-year-old son. My kids are in hybrid school, and for my 8th grader, this means he goes to school in person two full days a week, with 3 days of distance learning at home. We are managing it as well as I think we can expect. However, my son brings up a small wrinkle in regards to the "return to normal" to which we are all looking forward. It is going to be challenging for us to go back to our prior pace and there will be new struggles along the way. Be sure to listen to the end to hear my son’s tips for parents on how to talk to their kids. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Find IBDMoms on IBDMoms.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 13 Aug 2024 | IBD and the Patient-Physician Relationship | 00:25:32 | |
The relationship between patient and physician in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) is so critical to the success of the management of the disease. Both the patient and the physician have roles to play in developing and maintaining a good working relationship. One such example of a truly special and inspirational patient-physician relationship is illustrated here between Dr Julie Spivack, a gastroenterologist with Connecticut GI, and Rosa, her patient. Rosa and Dr Spivack discuss their close bond and how the listening, empathy, honesty, and open-mindedness work to build trust and achieve successful outcomes in patient-physician relationships Find Julie Spivack, MD at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD157 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 16 Oct 2018 | I Am Beyond Thankful | 00:45:02 | |
Is it possible to take the diagnosis that turned your world upside down and turn it into a positive force in your life? My guest on About IBD is Lilly Stairs, Head of Patient Advocacy at Clara Health who lives with Crohn’s disease did exactly that. First diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, it was only after Lilly’s symptoms weren’t improving and she was in and out of the hospital that healthcare providers finally discovered a Crohn’s disease flare-up in her small bowel. Lilly found the right mix of treatments to get her Crohn’s under control and now works with her team at Clara to connect patients to clinical trials. Find Lilly Stairs at
Find Clara Health at:
"About IBD with Amber Tresca" © Cooney Studio http://cooneystudio.com/ | |||
| 14 Dec 2020 | Find the Pony With Justin Baker | 00:35:37 | |
For many of us who live with a form of IBD, being a performer seems like it would be impossible. Some of the problems include needing a job that provides health insurance, the stress of auditions, and being healthy enough to perform onstage. Justin Baker, however, has found a way to make it work for him as he lives with Crohn's disease and ankylosing spondylitis (a form of degenerative arthritis that's associated with IBD). Justin is an actor, a photographer, and a clown. He tells me how he manages stress, how empathy informs his work and his life, and how not having health insurance led to emergency surgery for his Crohn's disease. Concepts discussed in this episode: Find Justin Baker, actor, on Acts4Food, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Find Justin Baker, photographer, on Photo-Baker.com and Instagram. Find "You Don't Look Sick: A Documentary Series," on Facebook and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 08 Mar 2021 | Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 | 00:20:27 | |
Telling your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis story is powerful. It can be freeing but it can also come with some unexpected side effects. Welcome back Rosanne Mottola, who originally intended to talk over receiving her second dose of the Pfizer BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine. She told her ulcerative colitis story and about receiving her first dose on Episode 87, "COVID-19 Vaccination With UC Patient Rosanne Mottola." She gives her experience on her second dose, how it affected her, and what her family's plans are now that she's vaccinated. Additionally, Rosanne had another part of her journey that she wanted to share. She listened to her first About IBD episode (something a lot of guests don't actually do), as did her family. Reflecting on her ulcerative colitis journey brought things back in a fresh way. She tells me how revisiting some parts of her life in this way was both troubling and healing. It's an important part of the disease journey, especially for those who tell their story publicly, that doesn't often get discussed. Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Rosanne Mottola on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 26 Sep 2023 | Having a Screening Colonoscopy | 00:39:21 | |
Colon cancer is being diagnosed more frequently in younger people. It’s now recommended that most people get a screening colonoscopy at the age of 45. For people who have a family history of colon cancer, the first screening should be when they are 10 years younger than the family member was when they were diagnosed. My guest is my husband, Michael Tresca, who recently had a screening colonoscopy after turning 50. He details his experiences in using a newer prep and how he managed the process. If there is a person in your life that is due for their screening, I hope you’ll share this with them. And if you’re someone who is involved in administering screening colonoscopies, I hope you’ll listen to get an unfiltered perspective. Find Michael Tresca at World of Welstar:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD138 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 19 Aug 2019 | Summer of Activism: It's Now or Never | 00:28:39 | |
If you have the chance to speak on behalf of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) community: would you take it? At first, volunteer and Crohn’s disease advocate Keri Flaccomio wondered if she had a right to attend a day on the hill event with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and lobby in Washington DC on behalf of the IBD community. Her experiences while she was on the hill helped her to understand that not only did she have the right, but she also had a responsibility to tell her story — and the stories of others living with IBD. Learn how Keri made her hill meetings more effective and how they helped her to become empowered as an activist. Find Keri Ann Flaccomio at:
Find Amber J Tresca of About IBD at:
Credits:
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| 01 Oct 2024 | Choosing Ostomy Surgery With Hannah Martin-Spencer | 00:58:46 | |
Is it surprising to learn that some people living with IBD choose to have ostomy surgery? Hannah, a 24-year-old woman, shares her journey through the initial symptoms of IBD at the age of 15, to getting a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. She describes how her symptoms worsened after diagnosis, including bleeding, bowel urgency, and fatigue, which led to multiple hospitalizations. Hannah advocated for surgery to treat her pancolitis, despite an initial difference of opinion with her medical team. After surgery, Hannah's symptoms were significantly improved and she regained a sense of normalcy in her life. Hannah discusses the pros and cons of choosing an ostomy over a J-pouch, the importance of quality of life, and how surgery could impact her future fertility. Concepts discussed on this episode:
Find Hannah Martin-Spencer on:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD159 These show notes contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. | |||
| 29 Jun 2020 | Find Those Things That Make You Happy | 00:31:21 | |
Being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) can upend your entire life. Then being diagnosed with a rare liver disease? It could truly leave you feeling hopeless. But that’s not what happened to Jenna Ziegler of The Comical Colon. Not long after her ulcerative colitis diagnosis, her doctor was concerned about her liver test levels. With more testing and a lot of patient empowerment, Jenna now has a presumed diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis, or PSC. She tells how she has fought to get the tests she needed to understand her level of risk, and the treatment that can help prevent PSC from progressing and causing more damage to her liver. Concepts discussed in this episode:
Learn about Gali Health and download the app (affiliate link). Find Jenna Ziegler at TheComicalColon.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio. | |||
| 20 Nov 2018 | Community Doesn’t Just Create Itself | 00:30:38 | |
What are your traditions around Thanksgiving? What we eat and how we celebrate Thanksgiving depends on where we live, our ethnicity, and our family traditions. What matters is coming together and remembering to be thankful. Brooke Abbott of The Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles and IBD Moms tells me about some of her family’s Thanksgiving traditions and how she talks about being grateful with her son. We discuss some of the ways we try to support the IBD community and what we can do better, especially during the hectic and stressful holiday season. Plus, see the end of the show notes for some of Brooke's recipes! Find Brooke Abbott, The Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles at:
Find IBD Moms at:
Find Amber J Tresca at:
Brooke’s Jambalaya Recipe I cook my rice separately than the meat & broth. Then combine them together. This is the non-spicy version of cajun jambalaya. If you want it spicy you can add crushed red pepper or andouille sausage.
Directions: Use a large stewing pot to cook in and another pot for rice. Season the chicken and shrimp separately with lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt, and Tony’s Chachere Creole Seasoning. Dice onion, garlic, and bell pepper together. Cover the bottom of the pot in a layer of olive oil. Place chicken in and brown on all sides. Remove chicken, dice, and set aside. Add the trifecta of garlic, onions, and peppers to the pot and brown. Add diced ham and sliced smoked sausage. Mix in a can of diced tomatoes and a bay leaf. Add salt and black pepper. Add chicken back in. Simmer. Stir in shrimp. Simmer again for 20 minutes. Add cooked rice and mix together. Garnish with sliced green onion and chopped parsley. Brooke’s Christmas Spaghetti You can use any kind of pasta with the sauce.
Directions: In a large stew pot brown the ground meat. Once cooked through, add the onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Add ham and smoked sausage. *If adding a spicy sausage like Pete’s Sausage or andouille, brown those in separate pan and then add to the mixture* Add canned peeled tomato and mash into large pieces. Mix in the tomato sauce. Add a teaspoon of Better than Bouillon Chicken. Season with Oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix all together and simmer. Pour over your choice of pasta. | |||