Those that know me personally know that I have been fighting IBD for the better part of a decade. Inflammatory Bowel Disease, not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is defined as chronic inflammation of part (or all) of the digestive tract. It is primarily diagnosed as Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis. It’s a nasty disease where the body’s immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract, possibly targeting microbial antigens. It runs in families and seems to be triggered by something environmental.

Along with chronic abdominal pain that is, at times, completely debilitating, I’ve experienced a wide range of symptoms: anemia, extreme fatigue, rashes, arthritis, gall stones, lactose intolerance, and a few others that will remain unmentioned due to their graphic nature.

After multiple trips to the emergency room, primary care doctors, and gastroenterologists that have yielded an alarming lack of information, I have decided to treat myself to a dietary makeover.

In 2017, I’m going Vegan(-ish).

I know, I know – eating animals and animal products really are some of the finer things about living, I agree. I truly, truly hate to give them up. But after years of fighting a losing battle, and having tried most every other thing, I’m crossing my fingers that this helps provide a natural holistic solution to my medical problems.

So what do I mean by “Vegan-ish”? Well, I travel a lot. Sometimes to places without choices. And I’m okay with that – I will bite the bullet at times and eat what is served to me. I don’t have any political or conscience-related issues with eating animals. But when I’m at home, or when I do have a choice, I’m going to forego the meat, butter, and processed stuff as much as possible.

Today is day one. The only immediate difference I noticed is, well, I’m hungry. Fruits, vegetables, and grains don’t go very far in the calorie department, so feeling hungry is just something I’ll have to get used to. That’s probably a positive aspect anyways - I could afford to lose a few more pounds.

I’ll let you know how it goes as my journey progresses. Cheers!