All About Telehealth for Crohn's Disease Telehealth allows doctors to care for people virtually over a phone call, text message, or most commonly, video chat. Although some situations require an in-person visit, telehealth is a great option when you can't get to the doctor's office for your Crohn's disease. If you're new to telehealth, here's what you need to know. Medicare will cover telehealth visits just like in-person visits, but state Medicaid programs and private insurers vary, so confirm your coverage in advance. With telehealth, even though you're not in the doctor's office, your private health information is still covered by HIPAA, so it will remain confidential and secure. Although your gastroenterologist can't give you a physical exam via telehealth, they can write you prescriptions and offer quality care, especially if you prepare in advance. Before your telehealth appointment:- Ask if there's anything you should do ahead of time, like adjust your diet- List any Crohn's disease symptoms, including dates and severity- Report any pain or changes in stool- Note any side effects from your Crohn's disease medications- Document any new stresses or recent life changes- Keep track of what you've been eating and drinking- Compile a list of your health conditions and medications, including any supplements- Record your weight, as well as your vital signs if you own a thermometer, blood pressure monitor, or another device- Charge your computer or phone- Make sure your internet is reliable- Download any telehealth apps your specific provider may require- Write down any questions you have for your gastroenterologist- Find a quiet, private space to conduct the call- Be prepared with pen and paper or a note-taking app Turn to Healthgrades to connect with the right gastroenterologist to treat Crohn's disease via telehealth. And share this video to help spread the word!

All About Telehealth for Ulcerative Colitis Telehealth allows doctors to care for people virtually over a phone call, text message, or most commonly, video chat. Although some situations require an in-person visit, telehealth is a great option when you can't get to the doctor's office for your ulcerative colitis. If you're new to telehealth, here's what you need to know. Medicare will cover telehealth visits just like in-person visits, but state Medicaid programs and private insurers vary, so confirm your coverage in advance. With telehealth, even though you're not in the doctor's office, your private health information is still covered by HIPAA, so it will remain confidential and secure. Although your gastroenterologist can't give you a physical exam via telehealth, they can write prescriptions and offer quality care, especially if you prepare in advance. Before your telehealth appointment:- Ask if there's anything you should do ahead of time, like adjust your diet- List any ulcerative colitis symptoms, including dates and severity- Report any pain, changes in stool, rectal bleeding, fever, or fatigue- Note any side effects from your ulcerative colitis medications- Document any new stresses or recent life changes- Keep track of what you've been eating and drinking- Compile a list of your health conditions and medications, including herbs and supplements- Record your weight, as well as your vital signs if you own a thermometer, blood pressure monitor, or another device- Charge your computer or phone- Make sure your internet is reliable- Download any telehealth apps your specific provider may require- Write down questions you have for your gastroenterologist- Find a quiet, private space to conduct the call- Be prepared with pen and paper or a note-taking app Turn to Healthgrades to connect with the right gastroenterologist to treat your ulcerative colitis via telehealth. And share this video to spread the word!

Mick: It feels like being stabbed or something. Cody: Like someone was stabbing me in the guts and dragging the knife across. Lisa: You feel like knives are going in your stomach. John: It reached to a point where one day the pain was so bad that I went to the emergency room. Lisa: I was on a trip in the Caribbean. I ate something, and I thought that it just upset my stomach. Cody: I was actually training to be a circus performer in Vermont, and I started having pretty intense stomach cramping. Mick: Diarrhea, urgency, and eventually bloody diarrhea. Dana: I had to wear diapers. I couldn't leave my house going more than a five-mile radius. I was walking around scared. Cody: I would be in rehearsals and just hoping that I wouldn't, all of a sudden, have an urge to use the restroom. Or, I would not eat for a day if I had to perform because I was worried of what might happen if I did. John: You're hurting, and you can't put your finger on it. For me, it would get so severe that I would have to take days off of work. Lisa: I was losing weight. I was bleeding. I started to become incontinent where I couldn't keep my bowels together. I was having accidents in the car, and things like that. Dana: I was going to the bathroom about 20 to 30 times a day. Mick: I actually had to be hospitalized because I had lost a lot of blood. Lisa: It was probably maybe two months in that I decided that this was not just something bad I ate on vacation. Dana: I finally went to the doctor. Lisa: They had suggested that I get a colonoscopy right away. Mick: After doing a few tests, ruling out some things, they pretty quickly came to the conclusion that it was ulcerative colitis. Cody: Be hopeful. There's so much research going on right now. There's constantly new treatments coming out. Lisa: The mental part of the disease is sometimes a lot worse than the physical part of the disease. The number one thing I would say is, you have to be positive. Mick: I feel almost like I'm maybe kind of lucky, even, that I don't have a worse condition. Cody: I like to have some humor with this sort of thing. John: Because the last thing you want to do is die from a pain in the butt. Dana: I know it sounds silly, but sometimes I feel to myself like maybe I was the person who was meant to get this because I found a way to be able to manage it, control it my way, and still put a smile on my face, and still be able to live my life, because you can still live your life even with the ulcerative colitis.

Dr. Hunt: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects primarily the colon and the rectum. Dr. Wolff: But it can also cause symptoms outside of the gut. We call these extra-intestinal manifestations of ulcerative colitis, and so it can involve the eyes, the spine, the liver. Dr. Vrabie: We don't really know what causes ulcerative colitis. Currently, we think it's a combination of genetic predisposition, the micro environment that lives inside your GI tract, and maybe some environmental triggers. Dr. Wolff: This disease can certainly take you down and you can have debilitating symptoms with ulcerative colitis: rectal bleeding, weight loss, abdominal pain, fatigue. Dr. Vrabie: The gold standard for diagnosing ulcerative colitis is a biopsy. Dr. Wolff: There is typically blood work and stool analysis to look for infection and maybe look for clues of inflammation, and typically a gastroenterologist will perform a colonoscopy, which is an exam of the large intestine where we look for signs that would indicate inflammation in the colon. Dr. Hunt: The goals of treatment are to manage the disease, improve your lifestyle, to maintain remission and to minimize the risk of cancer. So most patients can be managed successfully without the need for surgery. Dr. Wolff: For patients with mild or limited disease, there is a category of medications called mesalamines, or 5-ASA preparations. Dr. Vrabie: The next iteration up would be immunomodulators, which are somewhat immunosuppressant and come with several side effects which require some monitoring. Dr. Wolff: Another category are biologics, which act as a laser beam on certain inflammatory molecules in the body and are generally used for more moderate to severe cases of ulcerative colitis. We talk about the risk of infection, hypersensitivity, potentially the risk of some very rare forms of cancer with those medications, but we're weighing those risks against the risks of untreated or undertreated ulcerative colitis. It can lead to hospitalization and may increase the risk of colon cancer. Dr. Vrabie: I want to make sure that a patient feels that they have, in their provider team, an ally. Dr. Wolff: I think it's really important to be positive. Many patients can achieve a state of remission where they're not thinking about their symptoms and their colon all day long, and that's really the goal.

Cody: Food is an interesting topic for me. I've run the gamut. Name a diet, I've probably tried it to manage my ulcerative colitis. Lisa: There is no set regimen of food that you can eat. You have to find out what's good for you. Dr. Wolff: I tell my patients to just live a healthy, balanced life. It's more about what to avoid, so avoid processed meat. Red meat consumption has been linked to, potentially, inflammation and colon cancer risk. Avoid certain additives to food, processed foods, refined sugars. John: Use a lot of ginger and coconut oil because it helps with the inflammation. Cody: Humans are really individual, and what causes inflammation for one person could not for another person. So there are certain things that I've discovered throughout the years that I really don't do well with--gluten, dairy, sugar. Dana: But it was trial and error. I had to learn. I had to teach myself and learn what foods were okay for me and what foods were not okay for me. Lisa: Alcohol, I completely avoid. Spicy foods, I avoid. Vegetables that don't break down easily, I avoid. Dana: When I'm having a flare-up, the best foods that I could eat would be breads, carbs. Simple starches would help bind me. Cody: No raw foods and no salads. No cheese. Lisa: Unfortunately, I don't think there is any food that will prevent the flare-up, but it's better to get some nutrition in than none at all. John: So I'd eat a lot of oatmeal throughout the day. Cody: Just trying to stick with soups and stews and potatoes and things that are mushy. Dr. Vrabie: The management of a flare is very individualized, so I have patients that will automatically switch to a liquid diet. For other people, that only makes the stool more liquid and increases their symptoms. Cody: It's a very, very, very individualized process of just really paying attention to your body and learning what works for you and what doesn't work for you.

Dana: Having ulcerative colitis is very much trial and error. You go from certain times that you feel amazing and then when you have flare-ups, it's just... It's the worst. Lisa: You become a prisoner of your own home. Linda: Everywhere you go, you make sure you know where the bathroom is. And people think you look great and you're fine, but you're not and you make believe you are. Cody: First and foremost, engage with other people that have this disease. Dana: People who have UC always feel like they're alone because it's a stigma. You don't talk about that type of sickness. So support that we get is so important. John: Sharing is how I heal. I talk about what I'm going through. Mick: You're going to get times when you can't really help yourself just because you're in pain and you don't want to move around. It's great to have people who could help do things for you. John: When I go through a flare-up, I look at, "What have I been doing wrong?" It's usually a sign that I'm slipping in my diet and I will actually go through a fast. Start heavy again with the detox waters and I'll even take a dose of coconut oil down and usually in about two days, the irritation is gone. Cody: Specific foods and drinks that I avoid in flares would be... All foods. I'm sort of joking, but you know, anything harsh. Lisa: So alcohol, I completely avoid. Spicy foods, I avoid. Vegetables that don't break down easily, I avoid. Dana: The best foods that I could eat would be breads, carbs. Simple starches would help bind me. Linda: If it's very bad, I have quite a few medications that I can use. Mick: If you're going out somewhere, make sure you bring some kind of toilet paper with you. Cody: Just a nitty-gritty tip. There's a couple of different products that are all natural wipes that can help relieve any soreness. Lisa: Stress plays such a role with the flare-ups that I think that it's important to try to manage it the best way you can by taking some time out for yourself. Linda: Going to the gym does relax me. Cody: Making sure I meditate every morning. Making sure I get enough sleep when I can. Lisa: Maybe even taking some anti-anxiety medication. That's really helped me tremendously. Dana: You can do this. You can live with this. It is not a death sentence. John: It does get better. Lisa: Eventually the flare will end and you'll be able to go about your life.

Crohn's disease is a chronic disease of the intestines that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. For those with Crohn's, following a healthy diet is especially important, because symptoms can prevent you from getting vital nutrition. Plus, certain foods can make Crohn's worse or better, so paying attention to your diet is key to limiting the impact Crohn's can have on your good health. 1. Common symptoms of Crohn's disease, like poor vitamin and mineral absorption, decreased appetite, and bouts of diarrhea, prevent your body from getting the nutrients it needs. Figuring out which nutrient-rich foods keep your symptoms at bay can help you get the vitamins and minerals essential to healthy living. 2. Specific foods groups can wreak havoc on your digestive system, so it's important to avoid them, especially during a Crohn's flare-up. Bulky grains, high fiber foods, hot spices, fried or greasy foods, alcohol, and dairy products may increase stomach pain and diarrhea in someone with Crohn's disease. 3. You may not feel like you want to eat anything when your Crohn's flares up, but try foods that go easy on your tummy. Although everyone's body is different, low fiber foods like cooked vegetables, white breads, and lean meats can be easily digested and slow down bowel movements. And protein-rich foods like fish and eggs, plus fermented items like kimchi, pickled cabbage, are generally easy to digest and high in nutrition. 4. It's important to have the best health care team for you and your Crohn's disease. By using Healthgrades' Guided Physician Search, it's easy to find a doctor who's the right fit. 5. Instead of eating the usual three means, try eating five small dishes a day to help your body digest better. Eating small meals every three to four hours can prevent abdominal cramping and discomfort. Everyone with Crohn's is different, so your diet should be tailored just for you. Talk to your doctor about how to find the best eating strategy for you and your condition. You can find the right doctor to treat your Crohn's disease at Healthgrades.

I jumped to the doctor pretty quickly. You see blood floating in the toilet, that'll get you to the doctor's office pretty quick. And that's what I did. I went and did a colonoscopy and at that point is when they discovered the Crohn's disease. There were the bathroom episodes and there was the classic symptoms that you feel, stomach cramping, feeling bloated, having an urge to use the bathroom but not being able to use the bathroom. A signature moment for me where I knew that there was no turning back and that I was in a bad place, quite frankly, I was in horrific pain and very, very sick, watching my kids from above the steps, watching me get carried out by these guys that were throwing me into an ambulance. I chose, at that point, to have what they refer to as a full colectomy. That was removal of your large intestine. For a couple years I felt much, much better. I would occasionally have a flare-up and we would treat it with a real quick dose of medication. And then I started feeling lousy again, same type of symptoms. I had no choice, but I went to an ostomy. And candidly, the ostomy's changed my life. It has created normalcy and it's allowed me to have the quality of life that we all search for. I've been married 25 years. My bride was my greatest advocate. We talked extensively about how this might affect the spontaneity of our intimacy and so forth. And we've handled things just fine. I have a great wife, great parents, great in-laws, great children, and just a supportive network of family and friends. A lot of people have things that they've got going on that you can't see. Nobody knows I have an ostomy until I talk about it. People meet me, they think I'm as normal as could be. And you know what? I am.

In seventh grade is when I first noticed my stomach pain. I got real constipated. It probably lasted four or five days and you'd go to the bathroom, and it hurt. It was something I really hadn't experienced before. Stomachaches started happening, bottom pain kicked in. I eventually went to the doctor, and the doctor diagnosed me with Crohn's disease. I used to hate going to the bathroom. I used to hate eating even, just because I knew, inevitably, if you eat, then you have to go to the bathroom, and I associated that with pain, and that kind of all drove me downhill because when you don't eat, you don't hydrate, and eventually all that just builds on each other, and you just get sicker and sicker. Going into high school, I was 80 pounds walking in. I was like five foot, 80 pounds, real small. I begged my mom not to make me go. I sat in the car, and I cried, and I was like, "Don't make me go." And eventually I just did it. Sophomore year in high school, I remember being real healthy. I started playing golf, occupy my time. I started working out again. I looked pretty healthy. Inevitably, like as soon as I'm healthy, eventually it's a downturn again. And so I'd be back in the hospital and just repeat the process over and over again. I got the [ostomy] bag summer before my senior year in high school, and that was when things were at its worst. I was in the bathroom nine, 10 times a day. I wasn't going to school because I couldn't make it. I'd wake up, I'd go to the bathroom. I'm in pain. I go back, lay in my bed. I was just throwing up everything, pooping it out. I mean water wasn't even staying down. So I got so dehydrated. Doctor took one look at me and it was like, "You need to go to the hospital." And I mean, at that point, I had no choice. I'd been putting off the surgery for years and years because I didn't want to do it. Before I know it, I'm getting surgery. Wake up. I have it. Part of my intestines just sticking out of my stomach. Just an inch. Not much at all. And poop actually flows out of it, just at a constant daily, all the time, and that's why you have the bag because the bag just collects all the poop, and then when it gets full, like sometimes it's puffing out of my stomach a little bit, and I'll get self-conscious. I'll think people can see it. So I have to go the bathroom and empty it, and it's just another thing. It's like, okay, instead of flossing, floss, Listerine, brush your teeth, change the bag. It's just another step. I started playing golf again. At first, I really didn't like it too much. I'd just do it to occupy my time, but eventually it grew into a love and a passion for it. I can go out there by myself and have a blast. I wish someone told me to just pick your head up and keep walking, keep going because yes, this disease, it brings you down. It's hard. But really I feel like I'm tougher and stronger and more confident than anybody out there just because I know I've been through pain. People complain about a stubbed toe. It's just a stubbed toe, you know? It's nothing bad. The pain you go through on a daily basis, it makes you who you are.

I started having pain in my side and so I started going to the emergency room, trying to figure out what it was. And it turns out my appendix had ruptured and I ended up needing surgery for that and they did a biopsy, and that's when they found the Crohn's. I was in such shock, I don't know if I really understood how much of an impact it would have and how serious the symptoms could be. I started just having severe pain out of the blue and then it kind of dawned on me--okay, so this is what Crohn's is. This is what it really feels like to have a flare. You'll find that most Crohn's disease patients has diarrhea when they're going to the bathroom 20 or 30 times a day. I don't really have that. I usually just have the severe pain, I have a lot of fatigue and I have ulcers. So sometimes I get the burning from my ulcers. But other then that, I usually don't have signs unless I'm in pain. The sharp pains can get pretty strong and there have been times where I would say I couldn't function because I would be in the bed, laying down, balled up and unable to stretch out because it hurts. When you're actually having a flare and it's affecting everything you do, you don't feel like going to work, you don't feel like being a mom, you don't feel like being a spouse. I had insomnia, mood swings where you're depressed and just all over the place emotionally. So for me, it's been a mental thing of just forcing myself to get through the day. You have to do it. You have to get up, you can't let yourself get so tired and depressed that you can't function. So even with family support, friends, if they don't have the disease and they still don't always get it. Support groups and stuff like that is the only outlet you have sometimes. When I get really stressed out, that will bring a flare on. So I have to find ways to reduce stress. So my favorite thing to do is read. I read anything from vampire novels to mysteries. And so I always take time, if only 30 minutes a day, to read something that relaxes me. So I think right now, I'd say I'm in a good place and hopefully it will get better.

I remember Phillip's brother, who is a doctor, said what he's going through would put a grown man on the floor in tears. People get stomachaches when they're worried about something, so we really looked into things like that first, and then realized it was something more. All of a sudden we were at the pediatrician every other week, stomach pain, stomachaches, and constipation. Now, people have heard of Crohn's disease, but when Matt was diagnosed, we had never heard of it, and I think most people hadn't heard of it back then. It's an autoimmune disease that has flare-ups. The frustrating thing and challenging thing about going through treatments is to know whether your treatment is working, or whether you've just ended your flare. Maybe you've just gone in the other side of a flare-up. When Matt was sick, it would affect everybody, because you know, when your child is sick, it never leaves your mind. It affects every aspect of you. They're upset, they're ornery, they're crying because they're hungry but they can't eat. You want your kid to be normal, but you want your kid to be healthy. It's tough, as a mom, to balance that. You have two sides of you. You have your nurse mom, and then your loving and caring mom. Sometimes you have to wear both hats. Because it's such an awkward disease, you don't talk about it. But there's so many people that have it, or know someone that has it, that if you just talk about it, you can get a lot of ideas, and a lot of help. I think the most important advice to a mom going through it at this age is letting go, because if you don't let go, they are never going to take charge, and eventually they've got to. They've got to grow up. You can't spend so many hours and days and weeks in the hospital, or grow up through your high school days being the sick kid, and being different, and it not affect you. It's made him into the person that he is now. He's pretty amazing.

Neal Maziar: I jumped to the doctor pretty quickly. You see blood floating in the toilet? That'll get you to the doctor's office pretty quick. Robyn Diamond: I had no energy. I felt really sick, always cramping. Matthew Miles: Stomach aches started happening. Bottom pain kicked in. Neal Maziar: Stomach cramping, feeling bloated, having an urge to use the bathroom but not being able to use the bathroom. Robyn Diamond: I finally got a colonoscopy, and they said, “Oh, you have Crohn's.” Matthew Miles: The doctor diagnosed me with Crohn's disease. Robyn Diamond: I couldn't eat anything. I couldn't drink anything. I could barely move. I had no energy at all. Matthew Miles: I'd wake up, I'd go to the bathroom. I'm in pain. I go back, lay in my bed. I mean, water wasn't even staying down so I got so dehydrated. Neal Maziar: I was in horrific pain and very, very sick. I was in a bad place, quite frankly. Matthew Miles: Before I know it, I'm getting surgery. Wake up. I have it. Neal Maziar: I had no choice but I had went to an ostomy. And candidly, the ostomy has changed my life. Matthew Miles: I wish someone told me to just pick your head up and keep walking, keep going, because the pain you go through on a daily basis, it makes you who you are. Robyn Diamond: You just have to appreciate those little moments like, “Oh, okay. That was a good moment. Alright.” I could smile in that moment. I could breathe in that moment. Neal Maziar: A lot of people have things that they've got going on that you can't see. Nobody knows I have an ostomy until I talk about it. People meet me and they think I'm as normal as could be. And you know what? I am.

Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that results in an overactive immune system of the gut that results in destruction and inflammation of the lining of the intestines. As far as the exact cause of Crohn's disease, nobody really knows what exactly that is, but one theory is that there is some abnormal immune response in the gut that leads to an overactive inflammatory burden in the lining of the intestines that results in increased migration of white cells to the gut. We get concerned when patients have diarrhea lasting for more than three weeks, if the diarrhea's associated with abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. We're also concerned if the patient starts losing weight for an unknown reason or if they have a loss of appetite. Those type of symptoms should alert the patient that something is wrong, and they should seek the care of a healthcare provider. When a patient presents with these symptoms, there are important questions that a patient should ask their healthcare provider. Number one should be: what appropriate tests are needed in order to be able to identify the disease? Number two: what treatments are available if I do become diagnosed with Crohn's disease? The third question that most patients tend to ask are related to nutrition: is there a specific diet that I should be following to help manage my symptoms? During a flare, there are certain foods that most patients will find offending, and some of these include things like raw fiber, fruits that have a lot of peel, as well as dairy products. It's important for a patient to keep a food journal to identify what their triggers may be as far as exacerbating their underlying symptoms. There are a few things that patients can do to help minimize their symptoms when they're flaring. Number one, most importantly, is to seek medical counseling and make sure that you're on the appropriate medical therapy. Diet certainly plays a large role in helping to minimize symptoms. We also know that stress can exacerbate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, and it's important for a patient to do their best to hold a stress-free lifestyle. Despite our best medical treatments, still over 60% of our patients with Crohn's disease will end up having to have surgery at some point in their lifetime. The most common indication for patients to undergo surgery is due to an obstruction related to a stricture. A stricture is a result of long-standing inflammation, which results in scarring, and unfortunately medications cannot treat the underlying scarring and surgery may be required to correct these areas. As far as a cure for the disease, we hope that that is on the horizon, and through groups including the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, we anticipate that in the future we will be able to find a cure for Crohn's.

I had no energy. I felt really sick, always cramping, and I got really, really sick. It turned out weeks later that I finally got a colonoscopy and they said, "Oh, you have Crohn's." I was in bed for a good three months. I was really sick. I lost I don't know how much weight, but I was skin and bones. I couldn't eat anything. I couldn't drink anything. I could barely move. I had no energy at all. When Bob and I were talking about having a family and thinking about Crohn's, my disease was not bad enough to me to think, "Oh, I'd rather not have kids." The doctor told me that it was really important when I conceived to not be in a flare-up, to make sure I was feeling the best that I could when I conceived, and I did that because at the time, everything could be controlled through the medication was taking. I had my daughter two and a half years later and I was not planning to get pregnant. And I was in a full-fledged flare-up when I conceived. I was in a flare-up for the full nine months. I think that really took a toll on my body because as the doctors say, every time you have a flare-up, then you have scar tissue. It's a sore. I was not letting the sore heal, so the sore was just getting worse and worse and worse. My children are seven and 10. It's very, very hard on them. My son, he keeps it all inside. My daughter is way overly caring and emotional and she's seven years old. She shouldn't be taking care of Mommy, so that's very, very hard. I'm sure that all this is very hard on my husband. He is an amazing caregiver. He really worries about my health but also worries about just the logistics of running a family when one family member is out. It's really, really hard. One of the best parts, I think, of me is my laughter and my sense of humor and I was not able to laugh or smile. I started studying laughter yoga and it really did help me. It really lightened my mood and made me realize how important positive thinking is. You just have to appreciate those little moments. Like, "Oh, okay, that was a good moment. Alright, I could smile in that moment. I could breathe in that moment." I heard this great quote the other day, "Measure your success in inches and not miles." That is something that I'm really, really working on because it's a nonstop journey and I'm flowing with it.

Bob LaBarge: She needed to go to the bathroom a lot, and once in a while, her stomach would hurt. Robyn was going to have a colonoscopy, and I was clueless, because I had never had one. Bob LaBarge: The doctor comes in after the colonoscopy. Robyn's still under sedation. And she shows me in the scope where there is all of these open sores that are right at the ilium. And that's a very dangerous place for it to be. Bob LaBarge: And so, that just shocked me, because it was the first time I'm actually seeing the disease. It was the first time that I really realized that Robyn had a major problem and a major disease. Bob LaBarge: We decided to have children. And then she had Hudson, and actually the disease was in remission, and we had another child. And Robyn got really sick with Bailey. So unlike with Hudson, where it went away, it actually got worse during the pregnancy. Bob LaBarge: She had ulcers over 80% of her colon. That's often a time when we would think about surgery, but Robyn said, "No, I'm going to figure out how to do this myself." Bob LaBarge: She tried a lot of alternative medicine. Acupuncture, massage... She tried herbs versus taking medicine, taking steroids. All I knew was what I couldn't do. Not what I could do. And what I could do is just support Robyn when she decided to try alternative things. Bob LaBarge: You have to trust the person who has the disease and they have to know that you trust them, as well. Continue to be the person you are and allow the person with the disease to do what they need to do to be healthy and to be happy. Because it can be a very unhappy disease.

If you suffer from conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome, it's key to focus on foods that are easily digestible and provide high quality nutrition to the body. This smoothie recipe is easy on the belly and delivers energizing and awesome ingredients that will help you conquer the day. So, get your high-speed blender ready. Starting off with a banana, what's great about the banana is that it has a ton of nutrients in it. It has vitamin C, it has magnesium, and potassium. What I like to do is I'll cut the banana and I'll freeze it. And then, I'll use these little cute banana cubes instead of ice cubes. I'm going to grab my reusable bag. I'm going to throw some banana coins in here and freeze them so there'll be ready for my smoothie. I like using a high-speed blender because it makes the smoothie even more liquified. One cup of oat milk. And oat milk is a great alternative for those that can't tolerate dairy milk. And now, I'm going to be adding two tablespoons of rolled oats. And these are fantastic because they absorb that extra liquid in the smoothie that helps it become even creamier. Next, I'm adding a quarter cup of cubed cantaloupe, and this is high in vitamin A, which is great for the immune system, helping those with digestive or inflammatory conditions. Into the blender. Now, it's time for the frozen bananas. And this is one of my favorite parts of the smoothie because it keeps it cold, it keeps it creamy, and it's packed with nutrients. The final awesome nutrition powerhouse ingredient. This is flax seeds. I'm adding two tablespoons of flax seeds, which is great for digestive relief, cholesterol, and weight management. And they also have some calcium, which is great for bone health. And now, it's time to blend this baby up. A couple of pulses will incorporate all the ingredients together. Now, it's completely incorporated. All the ingredients are nice and liquified. All right, I'm going to go grab a glass. It is going to be so refreshing, so delicious. To top it off, I have to grab a refreshing little sprig of mint. What a beautiful color, a nice aroma to smell as well. And cantaloupe. Cheers.

Inflammation can wreak havoc on the body, but thankfully, good nutrition and a good diet can help reduce those symptoms. This tahini miso salmon recipe may sound intimidating, but I promise it's way easier than you think. I suggest prepping the rice or soba noodles in advance to get that out of the way. We're going to start off with making the glaze. And here we have miso paste, which is made from fermented soybeans, so it has a ton of good-for-you probiotics. This is tahini paste, which is basically ground-up sesame seeds. So it's packed with a ton of antioxidants and vitamin E. Next, we have rice wine vinegar, which is fermented, so it's also good for your gut. And this is coconut aminos and coconut aminos are a healthier alternative to soy sauce. So it's also lower in sodium and it's also gluten-free. And finally, my favorite, we have ginger. And ginger is so good for you, but it's also great for digestion. So let's whisk this all together. If you're wondering where to get the miso and the tahini, you can check out the international aisle at your local grocery store or simply shop online. All right. So now we're going to glaze the salmon. So what you're going to do is just brush these delicately. You could put on as much or as little as you'd like. I like to add a lot for more flavor, but also for more nutrition. So now we can broil the salmon for six to eight minutes. Now our salmon is ready, so let's take one of these. Oh, see how beautiful that is. And I'm going to put it on the plate over here. And as you can see, we have the soba noodles, which is made of buckwheat, which is a great source of plant-based protein. What I love about salmon is that it's packed with energizing vitamin B12 and vitamin B6. And it also has anti-inflammatory fatty acids, which are great for our heart health and also can help reduce cholesterol and can even boost our memory. All right, I'm excited to dig into this, but before that, we have to garnish it, of course. To make this even more gorgeous, we're going to add some sesame seeds to the top. And sesame seeds are packed with vitamin E, which is great for immunity. And then we're going to add a little bit of these scallions, which also have a ton of antioxidants. And then we're going to finish with a touch of cilantro. And cilantro is great if you want to freshen your breath. The salmon looks gorgeous and you are going to love it. This dish is overpowered with anti-inflammatory ingredients, so it's great for your heart and great for your health.