Enjoy this interview with Abigail Marie the Chef With IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2014, halfway through culinary school. Throughout her journey, she’s navigated various medications, been hospitalized during severe flares, and even adjusted her career path as chronic illness was consuming her life.

Unable to find relief, she began experimenting with diet and eventually found the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). Since then, she’s improved her health and discovered a new dream: to help others with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) live better lives through healing and flavorful foods.

In this podcast episode, she share’s her story, perspective, and tips for fellow IBD patients.

From the show:

Stephanie: What advice would you give to other IBD patients who might be in a similar position where they're having to face making a career change?

Abigail: You know, I was so set on my dream of being a chef, but that's not the path that life took. And you know, you'll find another dream. Now my dream is working on my blog, doing SCD recipes and sharing with the community — sharing my story and advocating and raising awareness.

You will find something else. I know it seems so devastating, but just trust that you're on the right path and that you'll find a new dream.

Stephanie: What are some of the things you've found in your life to help manage stress?

Abigail: I keep a gratitude journal. I do that first thing in the morning and right before I go to bed, and it really helps me get the right mindset for the day. I also do a daily meditation. It's not long, it's 10 to 12 minutes, but just having those 10 to 12 minutes to myself in the morning before my day starts has been really helpful for me.

And then just practicing mindfulness, just trying to be in the moment. Chronic illness can be really scary, you don't always know what's around the corner, but you have this moment right now. So just trying to take yourself out of that worrying about the big picture. I also practice Qigong, it’s similar to Tai Chi, it's like mindfulness movement.

I do that a few times a week for 15 or 20 minutes and that really helps me move stress through my body. Whereas the meditation and the gratitude journal are more for my mind. The mindfulness movement is more for the body. So balancing both of those, mind and body.

Links from the show:

• Website - abigailmariethechefwithibd.com
• Contact - abigailmariethechefwithibd.com/contact/
• Instagram - www.instagram.com/chefwithibd
• Facebook - www.facebook.com/abigailmariethechefwithibd

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