Barre3 has been a huge part of my healing journey. Early 2017 I was starting to have worsening GI symptoms. Around that same time I also discovered the amazing work out classes Barre3 Druid Hills has to offer. I signed up and became hooked very quickly. The classes are challenging, empowering and balancing. I loved that even if I wasn't having the best gut health day I could still make it through a barre3 class because I knew I wouldn't have to do any gut stimulating movements leaving me running to the loo. I could use the power of my breath to get me through the 60 minute core work out designed to strengthen my body and mind. I always leave class feeling calmer, more centered and stronger. Not only have I lost about 17 lbs since starting at barre3 but I feel and am so much stronger. I love it so much I work at the front desk in addition to my full time job!  

One last unique piece is community. The community of women that enter the doors have been so supportive of my journey and have become my friends. This is powerful and healing in and of itself. Find a B3 near you by clicking here! 

Sometimes I refer to myself as the "cookie monster" as a joke for how much I love cookies. I truly do love cookies. Since changing my diet and lifestyle for gut healing I have had to change the type of cookies I eat. I love the Simple Mills crunchy chocolate chip cookies that come in a box ready to eat. It is so so so hard not to eat then entire box. They are bite size and truly amazing and I am not even a crunchy cookie kind of girl. Check them out...truly amazing. The cookies above I made with the Simple Mills Chocolate chips cookie mix. These are also quite delicious! 

I am so amazed at what cashews can do these days. I made waffles out of cashews the other day and am floored every time I take a bite and this amazing dessert is made out of them as well. This is a vegan dessert I found at a local bakery in Vermont last week. It was made out of cashews and maple syrup for a sweeter taste. I was amazed not only by the beauty of this dessert but the taste. I ate the entire thing with the exception of the two bites I allowed my mom and boyfriend to have. No tummy trouble resulted so I was pretty darn happy. It almost reminded me of eating cheesecake and has inspired me to look into making a cashew cheesecake!

Green beans are my favorite vegetable and I am so thankful for that. They are not only delicious in my opinion but they are low FODMAP and fall on the legal list of almost all diets I come across. I eat these all the time and with almost every meal every week. I try to change it up once and a while but they are the best bet for my belly. I also love grilled food. I love that its cooked outdoors, has great flavor and less clean up! I hate doing dishes. The image above shows my favorite green beans a grilled swordfish. I can't eat swordfish often its very high in mercury but its so delicious so when I am home in Vermont I have this as a treat. Like my last post keeping simple meals can help my gut heal and they tend to give me the best results. Thank goodness for my love of green beans. I add some grass fed ghee on top and sprinkle with sea salt! 

Some of my meals are so crazy simple. However, I find simple meals with clean ingredients can really help my gut calm down. Pictured above is a grass fed beef burger grilled with sea salt and black pepper. When I don't have time to create something new or follow a recipe for something more exquisite I go back to basic foods that my gut can tolerate. What are your go to meals for a calm tummy?  

As my 30th birthday nears the one wish I have is for good health and particularly gut health. A healed GI tract and no ulcerative colitis would be the worlds best gift as I turn the corner on this coming of age moment. While most birthdays are full of splurging on cake and pizza this year I will be sticking as close as possible to a paleo-ish diet so that I can actually enjoy the time with my friends and loved ones. I want to bring in 30 in the most healthy way possible. What's on tap for the celebration? A relaxing getaway to a resort for the three day weekend, a fun gathering in Atlanta with friends and puppy yoga to round it out. I can't think of anything sweeter. 

Traveling with an uneasy digestive system can be quite worrisome. Today I am flying home to Vermont and I could not be more excited. However, like always preparation is key. I have to make sure I bring all of my medicine, supplements, probiotics and some snacks for the trip. I never rely on eating out while in the midst of travel. I prefer to take it easy with what I am eating the day before and day of travel. I always keep some snacks on hand and even bring some of my homemade muffins with me. I double check my bags to make sure I have extra medicine. When I get to my destination if I haven't brought enough food with me I hit the grocery store when I can to make sure I have some gut friendly foods I can rely on when everyone else is indulging. Going home is great because my parents are amazing and cook amazing meals for me that I can tolerate! Stay tuned for pictures from Vermont and some delicious foodie pics! 

Some items I bring with me: 
Simple Mills Crackers
Siete Chips
Homemade Muffins 
Simple Mills Muffins

Other items not to forget:
Your medication
Your supplements
Your medical foods if you have any 
Medical supplies if you need them
Emergency restroom card

Traveling during a flare up. If you have to travel during a flare it is important to pack all of the above items plus flushable wipes and a change of clothes just in case you can't make it to a restroom fast enough. If you don't have to travel during a flare I would suggest staying home if possible. However, life must go on! All the best to ya! 

Having muffins like these on hand during a busy week really helps me get by. I can grab one as I walk out the door for breakfast or use as a healthy snack. I think next time I will add some fresh blueberries or Enjoy Life chocolate chips!

These are grain free, soy free, dairy free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly! Gut check: they don't cause any GI symptoms for me! 

Try them out and let me know what you think by clicking on the comment button! 

 

During my first visit with my naturopath's office I learned about Frequency-Specific Microcurrent (FSM). I was advised to give it a try to help with my irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, TMJ and overall healing. What I love about FSM is how relaxing and noninvasive it is. I lay on a comfy, heated table with fluffy pillows while microcurrents that I CANNOT even feel go into my body to help me heal. Many times I get acupuncture done at the same time but I will save that for another post. While I lay there I listen to the soothing music playing or take a little nap. When it is done I get up and go on with my day! The Cleveland Clinic has a great outline of the benefits of FSM along with the health center I go to Longevity Health Center. 

One thing to keep in mind is that this type of therapy is considered supportive meaning it goes well in tandem with other natural or conventional treatments. I still work on my gut healing by eating healing foods, taking healing supplements and my pharmaceuticals. This treatment is to support the process of healing and hopefully speed it up! 

I don't currently do this treatment any more. It was getting too expensive and not giving me enough improvement to justify the cost. 

Wow! I am so amazed as how tasty these waffles are. I was able to turn raw cashews into delicious waffles. I didn't even use syrup I ate them fresh off the iron with my hands. What is better then eating with your hands? 

I highly recommend you give these a try! They didn't even take long to make and were so delicious I ended up making three batches. I plan on putting them in the freezer for when I am in need of a snack or on the go breakfast, which is common for me!

​These are also grain free, soy free, dairy free, refined sugar free and could be egg free if you use a substitute!

The recipe is from Against All Grain! 

Gut check: no GI symptoms after eating several of these waffles. I ate them plain!