Non-Dairy Chowder & Purple Sweet Potatoes

Fish Chowda!

On a recent visit to our local supermarket, Marnina and I came to the conclusion that we were spending too much money for subpar produce and seafood.  For months we had been bemoaning the produce and fish section of the supermarket (as well as the entire store in general), but for some reason we could not muster up the courage to switch our allegiance to a new supermarket.  Every now and then we would supplement our shopping trips with some tastier-looking food stores such as Harris Teeter or Whole Foods, but we would do the bulk of our shopping at the less-than-appetizing local grocery store.  We thought we were getting a better deal on our produce and other foods, but in reality, we were paying slightly lower prices for mediocre (and sometimes rotten) food. 

Happy World IBD Day!

One of Marnina’s many positive qualities is her relentless energy to educate, raise awareness, raise funds, and reduce stigmas that are associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).  She has campaigned on Capitol Hill through IBD Day on the Hill, she has volunteered at Camp Oasis to be a role model for younger kids with IBD, she has raised over $13,000 for IBD research through Team Challenge, and most recently, she organized an event in which John Bradley, author of The Foul Bowel: 101 Ways to Survive and Thrive with Crohn’s Disease spoke at a local hospital about his IBD trials and tribulations.  We have extra copies of the book for sale and can mail copies to anyone interested. Contact us for more info (ibeafoodie@gmail.com).  

Marnina with John Bradley

Marnina is living proof that IBD does not have be debilitating, especially since she continues to manage to overcome her disease and to live out her dreams.  She still experiences the discomforts associated with Crohn’s Disease (testing, doctors visits, stomach issues and dietary restrictions), but her resolve to fight against IBD is just as strong today as it was in the hospital 8 years ago when she was first diagnosed.

The Hype Over Probiotics

Probiotics can lead to a happy gut!

There are many therapies that have been touted for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, but only a few have proven to be truly effective.  The usual medications and lifestyle adjustments are well-known, but somewhere in the midst of all the traditional therapies are the lesser-known complementary therapies, such as probiotics.  The role of bacterial flora has been postulated as a potential contributor to the cause of IBD — it is now generally accepted that the intestinal bacterial flora contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of IBD[1].   The inflammation caused by Crohn’s Disease can also disrupt the natural balance of microorganisms, which can allow harmful organisms to potentially worsen the inflammation.

For those new to probiotics, here is a quick overview: