S6, Ep 30- My Gut Check: When I Took Charge of My IBD with Basmah

Basmah joins The Health Advocates to share her Crohn’s disease patient journey. Initially, Basmah admits to not paying much attention or learning about her Crohn’s — and she fell behind because of her symptoms. This sparked her to do an online deep dive, learn about the disease, and start a journey of trial and error with lifestyle interventions and medicine. Basmah’s advice for others: “If one treatment or one lifestyle doesn't work out for you, there are so many other options right now. And the important thing is that you educate yourself, you have the opportunity and the resources to do so. And it's so important to connect with other people who have similar experiences with you.” This episode was made possible with support from Walgreens. Among the highlights in this episode: 01:50: Basmah recounts her diagnosis of Crohn's disease at age 16, highlighting her initial symptoms, challenges in understanding her condition, and the lack of resources at the time 03:20: Basmah discusses how she empowered herself with knowledge and lifestyle changes, leading to her remission since 2019 06:03: Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director of Community Outreach at GHLF, asks Basmah about the moment she realized her condition was chronic and how she started seeking resources 07:01: Basmah shares the holistic lifestyle adjustments she made after realizing the chronic nature of her condition, including dietary changes, and stress management 12:18: Zoe and Basmah discuss the importance of trial and error in managing lifestyle with a chronic condition, emphasizing the need to find what works best for each individual 14:14: Basmah offers advice to others living with chronic conditions, stressing the importance of education, community support, self-compassion, and enjoying life despite the challenges of chronic illness Contact Our Hosts Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected] Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: [email protected] A podcast episode produced by Ben Blanc, Associate Director, Digital Production and Engagement at GHLF. We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to [email protected] Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.