Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Healthy Fall Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew

This week, my husband and I made the perfect healthy, fall, crockpot chicken stew with a side of baked french bread. We even ate it at the table with a pumpkin as the center piece just to envelop us in the season of fall.

Click this link to find the recipe and try it yourself. Healthy Fall Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew

This recipe is perfect for someone with tummy troubles like inflammatory bowel disease. Very low fat. Instead of regular bacon for flavor, I used turkey bacon. All the veggies were soft as baby food and easy to digest. And the meat was extra lean. Pair your hot bowl of stew with some french bread, and you have a calm, satisfied tummy.

Two years ago when I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, I was not smooth in the kitchen. Actually, my version of cooking was whipping up some Kraft mac-n-cheese. ha. When I realized that I could help my Crohn's symptoms and my health by drastically adjusting my diet and learning to cook Crohn's- friendly foods, I jumped right in.

However, learning to change my diet and learning to cook has been a process. It is a process I have had to be patient with. At times, my meals just plain stink. They don't turn out how I envisioned or how the photo looked online. And sometimes, I succeed - like this week with my chicken stew. Learning how to cook for my stomach is a long process of trial and error. I don't usually like trial and error, because I am impatient and want good food now. But that's not reality.

I may never be a master chef in the kitchen, but I do know that with some patience and an open-mind, anyone can learn to cook delicious, healthy meals that keep the stomach happy. :)




Friday, October 25, 2013

I'll Buy You Rogaine When You Start Losing All Your Hair


In Ingrid Michaelson's song "The Way I Am," she sings about growing old with your spouse. When she sings the line "I'll buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair," most envision an older woman buying her balding husband Rogaine. So sweet huh? 

Last week, my sweet, young husband bought ME, his young wife, Rogaine for my hair! Never would have thought this day would come...and so soon. 

Last month, I wrote about experiencing hair loss and speculating that my Crohn's drugs were the reason. However, I decided to go see a dermatologist a few weeks ago about my increasing hair loss, and she revealed some interesting findings. 

I have been losing handfuls (way too many) of hair in the shower and when I brush or run my fingers through my hair. My husband also had noticed that my hairline seemed to be receding. On the sides, my hairline appeared to be balding. Ugh! I could feel a significant different in the thickness of my ponytail as well. Very depressing and very worrisome for a young woman like myself. 

Sidenote: Don't ever tell a women that hair loss is no big deal or that she still looks beautiful. It IS a big deal - especially to a woman.

I have been taking hair vitamins (Biotin) and started using Nioxin shampoo, which helps hair grow back. I didn't seem to notice much of an improvement yet. 

When I saw the dermatologist, she looked over my medications and ask how my health has been these last few months. When I told her about my horrid Steven Johnson reaction three months ago that led to a 3-week-long fever, she said, "that's it!." 

When the body goes through a high-stress event, like a high fever for many weeks, the scalp can shed quite a bit of hair for the three to six months following the stressful event. Other physical stressors that cause this can be pregnancy/giving birth, switching medications, birth control, pneumonia or other health illnesses. For more information visit, http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-health-11/hair-stress-effect?page=1

So, it all makes sense now. I had a strong allergic reaction to a drug three months ago which led to a high-fever for nearly three weeks which ultimately led to intense hair loss for these last three months. This is hopeful for me! The doctor told me that within three to six months, my hair should stop falling out so much, and within six months to a year, it should all grow back. 

She also encouraged me to continue taking my hair vitamins and to try using Rogaine near my hairline in the balding spots. Good news is my co-worker noticed that I have many baby hairs growing back in my hairline! 

It's crazy how that one antibiotic I took back in July (Sulfameth) can have such an affect. And honestly, I'm a lucky one. It really could have been so much worse. Steven Johnson syndrome can kill people and cause so much more damage that just a fever and temporary hair loss. I'm very grateful and blessed. 







Tuesday, October 15, 2013

The Great Crohn's Pain

The Great Crohn's Pain. It comes when you least expect it. It creeps in during the night suddenly wrapping around the sufferer's midsection and lower back. The Crohn's Pain leaves behind an achey abdomen for days. The Crohn's Pain is one of my most hated symptoms.

I woke up in in the middle of the night Saturday night to this achey, burning pain that wrapped around my midsection like a band. This is just part of having Crohn's disease. All I could do was curl up in a ball in bed and patiently wait for it to subside and fall asleep again. I spent more time in the restroom this weekend, and I've just been achey ever since.

Isaac and I spend the weekend in Tulsa, OK at a cozy bed and breakfast. I'm not sure if these symptom flares are due to food I was eating, the homemade cookies that the B&B offered us each day or just because, well, I do have a chronic illness. When I look back on the weekend, I did not eat bad. I actually always eat pretty good. Sometimes, however, it could be the smallest thing that might set me off....like a sauce on a sandwich.

But, I do not think it was necessarily all diet related. I think I just had a small flare. Plain and simple. Cannot control that. Now, I will purposefully eat very bland for the next week just to keep my insides calmer. Small set backs are normal. I will get back on track to feeling better, I just know it. And honestly, this really wasn't as bad as I have have it in the past. Thank God.

These are the times when I love pulling out my trusty heating pad. Love that thing.

Now, Isaac, Izzy and I are sprawled out on our new sectional sofa watching The Hobbit with my new candle, "Leaves," from Bath and Body Works is burning. Mmmm. the smell of fall is filling our cozy home on this rainy day. These are the kind of days I live for. I love having relaxing days before I go back to work. I'll wake up in the morning ready to face the work week.

Happy Monday everyone!


Friday, October 4, 2013

Feeling Good for Fall!

It is officially Fall, and this is the first Fall season that I have not had a flare since diagnoses, which was just over two years ago. It feels amazing. I am feeling good, and I am loving it. "Good" to me is also learning to live with my new normal, which does include fatigue, some achey joints and hair loss. But those things are livable. An adjustment, but very do-able. As long as I only visit the restroom a few times a day for short periods of time, I'm happy.

Recently, Isaac and I visited San Francisco for a week vacation. It was a lot of fun and very busy. It was not the type of relaxing beach vacation, but the kind of sight-seeing trip that you need a vacation to recover from the original vacation. We really enjoyed it, and it was good for us as a couple to travel in that way. It is challenging to "go,go,go" all day long while trying to figure out where you are even going. There is something about navigating a strange, crowded city together that can bring you closer.

Did we argue or get snippy at times? Yes, of course. Traveling can be stressful and tiring. Don't be a fool to believe that vacations are always smooth sailing for a traveling couple. :) Every person travels in a different ways. Some plan, and some are spontaneous. Some start packing a week before, and some pack the night before right before bedtime (my husband :)).

We both realized that we did not enjoy large touristy masses of people. It seemed to stress us out and irritated us both. We preferred the less crowded areas of town like Ocean Beach, Napa wine country, Muir Woods, driving in a rental car across Golden Gate Bridge and not on the public bus, and Golden Gate Park. But you can't go to San Fran and not see the tourism sites! I loved seeing the Painted Ladies, THE Full House house, Lombard Street (one of the most crooked streets in the world), and of course, Alcatraz.

Shortly before we left for our trip, I had an infected abscess. Thankfully, I was able to get the infection under control with the correct antibiotic and thoroughly enjoyed my trip. I was very worried about that getting in the way.

Many have asked me how I eat when I am on vacation, especially when we are on-the-go like we were in SF. Since I was not flaring, I was able to easily find something to eat most places. I am able to handle more foods and not be as picky when I am not flaring either. I always stay away from rich lactose foods, large amounts of highly greasy foods, and fatty meat, like ground beef, steak or bacon. Last year when we drove to Winter Park, CO, I had to be more careful. It was difficult finding meals that would sit well in my stomach when we were on the road for 10 hours during the day. We had to stop and use Urban Spoon to search for sandwich places that were off the highway sometimes.

I hope everyone is enjoy their Fall season! Our leaves have not started changing colors yet, but I can tell they are about to. We need to mow our grass one more time, then I believe we will be done till next year. Very exciting! This weekend, we are going to pick some pumpkins and purchase mums for the front porch. I love doing family, home activities :)