My Journey to Wellness

I was an energetic and healthy girl for the majority of my childhood. However, at twelve years old all that changed. It began with a small shooting pain on the right side of my abdomen. This discomfort persisted and grew until doctors determined that I had developed several cysts on my ovaries, which for a pre-menstrual girl was a rarity.

Luckily, there was an over the counter fix- Motrin- which effectively shrank the cysts. Nevertheless, exactly one year later to the date the same shooting pain reoccurred in my abdomen. Unfortunately, this time there was no easy remedy, as standard medications were not lessening the symptoms. Over the course of a month this pain got progressively worse. My doctors persisted with efforts to shrink the cysts with medication as the least invasive measure, but the pain became excruciating. It worsened to the point where I could not eat as my body rejected anything I put into it.

Via ultrasound my doctors discovered that the pea-sized cyst had ballooned to the size of an eggplant. The cyst had wrapped itself around my right ovary and fallopian tube and cut off the blood supply to the ovary. I was rushed into emergency surgery, as doctors feared the cyst could burst and cause a life -threatening infection. Surgery revealed that the cyst had actually caused necrosis (tissue death) of the ovary due to the lack of blood flow. The toxins being released from this dying tissue were what made me so ill. Since they couldn’t save the ovary, the entire right side of my reproductive system had to be removed (an Oophorectomy).

Post-surgery I had to begin taking birth control pills to control the ovarian cysts and prevent any potential damage to my remaining ovary.  The process of starting birth control at such a young age was very difficult. After months of trial and error I found a tolerable pill and would remain taking it for years.

Like clockwork, exactly one year later, I began to sense a different pain accompanied by fatigue, reduced appetite and difficulty eating. I quickly lost 10-15 pounds and looked pale and sickly. After a series of medical test’s I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease.  Fortunately, it was Moderate Acute and Chronic Active Crohn’s Ileitis, which signified that my inflammatory disease was isolated to the ileal (small intestine), and did not extend to the colon as in more severe cases.

I was immediately put on prednisone, a common and potent steroid medication with many side effects, which stabilized my condition and lessened the symptoms. From there on I saw a pediatric gastroenterologist who started me on a regimen of anti-inflammatory medication. I was put on a liquid diet to give my digestive system a break and followed the suggested dietary plan for Crohn’s patients.

After my diagnosis, I became highly disciplined with my diet and strictly avoided the triggers for Crohn’s-dairy products, fatty foods, red meat, raw vegetables, nuts and sugar. Being diagnosed right before entering high school presented social challenges that would extend through my college years, as I had to highly limit my alcohol intake. Not being able to drink alcohol was at first a very isolating experience as I just wanted to fit in, but I quickly realized after experiencing the adverse effects on my body, that drinking was just not important to me. During college, I regularly cooked meals for myself rather than consuming the standard college diet of pizza and fast food. Healthy cooking became a non-negotiable part of my life and blossomed into a passion.

Although I am very lucky because I haven’t been through as much suffering and pain as the majority of patients with Crohn’s Disease, I credit much of this to my dedication to healthy nutrition. Hallmarks of Crohn’s disease include frequent hospital visits due to bowel obstructions, fissures, inflammation and ulcerations. Severe cases may even require surgery and removal of sections of the digestive tract resulting in the life-long use of a colostomy bag. My typical symptoms have ranged from fatigue, diarrhea, cramping, bloating, iron deficiency, anemia, low vitamin D and psoriasis. Due to my oophorectomy and long- term usage of birth control, I have also experienced years of varying hormonal problems.

Over the years, I changed doctors and tried all variety of medications from anti-inflammatories to corticosteroids and biologics (i.e. Humira), but I never had much of a noticeable change in my symptoms. I logically became skeptical as to whether these medications were doing me any good. I even began to suspect that they may do more harm than good!

My Transformation

After doing my own extensive research, I found people living with Crohn’s Disease who had treated themselves without the use of medication, but rather with varying holistic dietary regimens. I was blown away. Inspired by these stories, I made a decision that was very unpopular with my doctors. In June 2014, I stopped all medication including the birth control that I had been taking since 1999. After 15 years of medications that may not have had any beneficial effects, I decided it was time for a change.

In the last three years off of medications I have seen great improvements in my health, all as a result of making targeted dietary changes.  I have lost over 15 pounds, have higher energy levels, my iron levels have increased and inflammation markers have decreased. Although I have lived with this disease for over 15 years, I am proud to say that today I feel my healthiest and I am medication-free. Since my diagnosis in 2000 I have not had an emergency hospital visit, which is very rare for a Crohn’s patient.

My Mission

My passion for healthy cooking and nutrition inspired me to enroll at Miami Culinary Institute in 2013. With my culinary degree, years of cooking experience and knowledge of health and nutrition, my goal is to help people live healthier lives.I am a firm believer that what works for one person with a digestive disorder, may not work for another. Therefore, my mission is to share my knowledge and journey to health in the hopes that I can not only help those struggling with similar digestive problems, but also inspire a revolution in your own health and wellness. I hope to find more methods and foods that work for me and to share these ideas, strategies and recipes with you to enable you to discover your own path to wellness.