Because it’s Autoimmune Awareness Month
"You don’t have to shout. But you do have to speak. Because your story can open doors—to healing, understanding, and community. Your voice might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today."
Prioritizing Dental Health When You Have IBD
Living with IBD doesn’t just affect the gut—it can take a toll on dental health, too. From brittle teeth and gum disease to bone loss, the impact of chronic inflammation and medication side effects is significant. That’s why prioritizing oral care is essential. In this post, I share my experience navigating dental health with IBD, the importance of investing in comprehensive dental care, and tips to make treatments more affordable. If you’ve been putting off a visit, consider this your reminder—your health is worth it! 🦷💙
From diagnosis to treatment: how much do you know about the process?
Seeing this chart helped me be aware of what questions I need to ask my healthcare provider as I go through my journey with this disease so that I can make the best possible decisions for myself.
My IBD Story
Girls with Guts and the Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning featured six different IBD stories from six different voices. I am honored to have been able to share mine.
Seven Years into Colitis (and what has worked for me so far!)
I haven't changed my medication for the past seven years (and neither have I skipped them). I haven't had any surgery. I haven't lost weight either (but I've lost a lot of hair which thankfully keep growing back!).
UC patients' have different stories, and not everyone has the same set of symptoms. How I maintained my mild-to-moderate UC is not simply luck, it also took a lot of experimentation, sacrifices, and "cleansing."
Here are the 7 things that have worked for me so far:
How can you treat your body better today?
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to taking care of your body?
Acknowledge what you need to change. Change what you can, while you still can, before it's too late.
𝘈𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘢 𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘯?
𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘬𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘩𝘪𝘯 - 𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘰 𝘯𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘰 𝘱𝘢, 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘭𝘪 𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘵.
Disability Pride
This is me, literally trying to get my shit together amid a flare, at different points in my life.
Today on my plate: Ground Turkey with Kale
This dish is Ground Turkey Curry with Kale which I made with coconut oil, onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, curry powder, and kale. I also added a dash of cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey for a touch of surprise (sorry curry purists, just experimenting!).
AAPI Month Feature on Own Your Crohn’s
I sat on the toilet for the tenth time that day, clueless about what was going on inside of me. For the past seven months, I had been experiencing episodes of bloody diarrhea and had yet to be diagnosed. My ass was spewing blood and I was worried that I am losing a lot of it. I thought to myself: if I were back home in the Philippines, I would probably hear someone say “Baka kinulam ka” (“Someone probably hexed you”). Filipinos, although predominantly Catholic, have their share of beliefs – both superstitious and supernatural. Kulam, a form of folk magic, is one of them.
IBD Talk with Luna
Thanks to Late Nights by Luna Manila, a Filipina IBD patient like me had the opportunity to be seen and heard today. For this disease whose cure has yet to be discovered, every story counts.
My relationship with coffee
Coffee, how do I love thee? Well, I love you so much I couldn't break up with you completely, even with my IBD.
Rice and your gut
Rice (or kanin) is a staple in Philippine cuisine as well as most Asian countries. But did you know that if you have Inflammatory Bowel Disease, rice may be one of the things you have to give up to allow your gut to heal, especially during a flare-up?
Tabo Appreciation Post
Tabo (also known as dipper) is essential to a Filipino bathroom. It is used for bathing and, most importantly, for making sure you execute #2 successfully, leaving your derriere immaculately clean.
The Gluten-Free Pandesal Experiment
Since I was diagnosed with colitis, pandesal was one of the Filipino foods I had to remove from my diet because it contains gluten. I do not have celiac disease, but I do have gluten-intolerance. I noticed that my body just cannot process gluten the same way it used to. Either I'd get cramps or indigestion, and I'd always end up feeling bloated.
Well hello, Colitis.
I wish we never met, but here we are – 7 years and counting. I didn't realize that you were never going away. Akala ko mawawala ka rin. It was July 2014 when I first "met" you – you revealed yourself in the most glamorous way – in the form of bloody diarrhea.