Omega-3 Fatty Acids

There are thousands of reports and studies surrounding Omega-3 and its health benefits, particularly omega-3 helping IBD patients. Although determining a specific diet for IBD patients, a common food that always comes up is salmon and fatty oil fish. This is because of the amazing anti-inflammatory properties the fish (omega-3) possesses. In some cases, Omega-3 can actually be used as an alternative therapy for IBD patients. After being told I should be taking some form of omega supplement several times, I decided to do some research into what would be the best ones for me.

 

Immediately when I hear Omega-3 I think of cod liver oil capsules. I used to take them when I was younger, and although I cant say I remember any health benefits from them, I can remember them giving me fish burps! I'm told the way around this is to take them with food, but the burps alone were enough to put me off of them, so I did stop taking them. But since being diagnosed with Crohns, and after reading and hearing all the health benefits taking the fish liver oils have I decided I could withstand the burps and take them up again. Whilst researching what capsules I should take, I came across some very interesting information that shows cod liver oil in not the greatest of lights. Cod are 'dirty' fish in the sea and feed off of the bottom of the seabed meaning they eat other fishes faeces, pollution and even dirty metals. This means that if you are taking cod liver oil, it actually could do more harm than good. This is also why cod liver oil is often so cheap, as is isn't of a good quality. Boots own brand cod liver oil capsules, recently had to be taken off the shelves as metals were found in them, so it really is important to research any supplements you are considering taking. I know often most people prefer going for the cheaper option, as it can become quite costly when you are taking lots of different supplements, but it is important to be taking good quality ones. Especially as you are taking cod liver oil to help with your Crohns, not make it worse. When taking good standard fish liver oils, studies show that IBD patients are twice as likely to remain in remission as compared to those not taking it. So I didn't let the cod liver oil stories put me off of finding a good product that could really help.

It was actually my beautician that recommended me try another form of fish oil - salmon liver oil. Although this fish could still be dirty, and eat undesirable things, she could recommend a specific brand to me that produced very high quality fish liver oil. I have been seeing my beautician every month as since going on a lot of strong medication, my skin has been bad which has never been a problem of mine before. I often have a lot of dry patches on my face which are itchy, unsightly and uncomfortable. She said this could be because I am lacking in essential fatty acids, and although I eat salmon and other fish regularly, having Crohns means that I cant absorb nutrients from foods as affectively as non suffers so I would benefit from taking supplements. She explained that often what is going on on the outside of our bodies, signifies there is something going on inside our bodies. So taking the oil supplements would not only help my Crohns on the inside, but also my skin on the outside. I definitely wanted to give them a try! The product is from Advanced Nutrition Programme, and they produce Skin Omegas+ containing vitamin A, Omega-3 and Omega-6. They also hold a 'Friend of the Sea' certificate and harvest liver oil from clean salmon using methods that conserve marine habitats and resources - which I think is really important. The initial dose is to take the capsules twice a day and you should notice a difference within 2 weeks.

I have started the capsules this week and am really hoping to see the benefits from taking them. I will keep you all updated with my progress, and hopefully post a picture of my nice glowy skin!

XOXO Crohnie Girl

MediPen

For those that follow me on Instagram, you will have seen the latest product I am trying out; The MediPen. I am constantly researching and reading up on anything that will help me cope with having Crohns and the same thing kept coming up - Cannabis oil. At first I was very sceptical and wondered how 'getting high' would help with my problems. But after much research, I came across the MediPen and was eager to give it a try.

MediPen is the UK's trusted all natural CBD vaporiser. CBD (Cannabidoil) is one of the least active cannaboids found in the cannabis plant, which means it offers many medicinal benefits with no mind altering effects. MediPen claim to extract just CBD from cannabis plants in the Netherlands and combine this with pharmaceutical grade coconut oil to make the perfect medicinal blend. They also claim to have the best quality CBD as they use the highest quality plants and not just the stalks or seeds meaning they have created a much stronger oil. It was good to know this, as I was worried about buying a product online and not knowing if it was guaranteed, but the website is full of expert advice and the guys that work there are great at responding to any questions. So after a lot of consideration I decided to take the plunge and order the starter kit (costing £50 for the vape pen, 1ml oil and carry case).

The 'pen' itself is very sleek and rather small, pen sized actually! So it is perfectly discreet to fit in a zip purse or pocket. It is also odourless, so doesn't smell smokey or of anything at all actually which is one of the things I really like about the product. I am a non smoker, and never have actually smoked as it's something I really dislike. Of course I have tried it before, but didn't like anything about it especially the taste and smell. I did wonder if I wouldn't like the MediPen because of this, but it doesn't feel like smoking at all. You don't get that taste in the back of your throat at all, as the oil is really smooth and light. They also sell the oil cartridges in several different flavours, so I went for mint to really give it a fresh taste. I was so excited when I received it and wanted to try it out right away but I had to charge it up first which didn't take a long time at all. You plug it in and wait for the red light to turn green then are good to go. I wasn't sure how I was meant to be inhaling it and how long I should be for or how often and anyone I had spoken to just told me that there was no right or wrong way, everyone is different so I knew I was going to have to play around with it. I had been given some advice to take a few puffs in the morning, and another few before bed time. I was told it wouldn't help me go to sleep straight away, but it would relax me. I decided I would try to do it like that and see how I got on with it.

On the first try, I felt nervous and didn't know what to expect. I took a slow, deep breath in and then slowly exhaled out faint clouds of 'smoke'. I felt calm and relaxed straight away! As stress is my main trigger for Crohns, it's so important I keep my stress levels under control, and as much as I try I haven't quite mastered it. So the hope was that the MediPen could help me calm down, de stress and relax and on first impressions, it seemed to work! I don't know if it helps because it encourages you to take slow deep breaths, so you feel calmer anyway, but I could definitely feel the effects. I think to get real benefits you have to take it long term, so I am going to continue with it. At present, I have 10 puffs on my walk to work, another few when I pop out for lunch, some on my walk home and then before bed. As it's only my first week, I am trying to get as much in my system as possible to really notice the benefits. I've been going through a stressful time at work recently, so I feel like I am clutching on to the MediPen to help me. It even makes me feel better knowing it is in my bag so that I am reassured I can have something for comfort when I am experiencing heightened levels of stress or anxiety. Anxiety is one of the top conditions listed to be alleviate by CBD use along with acne, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, crohns/colitis, depression and even cancer. With the benefits list so long, I don't see why you wouldn't try it. It produces little to no risks, and pain specialist William Notcutt of James Paget University hospitals even said "The only way this could cause death to someone, is by dropping it on their head".

To me it seems so far so good! So I would encourage anyone researching CBD or interested in how it could benefit them, give it a go. https://medipen.co/

XOXO Crohnie Girl

R&R

Stress isn't good for anyone, but it is especially bad for IBD sufferers. Although stress doesn't cause Crohn's disease, it can heighten symptoms and can even trigger a flare-up. When you're stressed, your normal digestive process changes. Your stomach empties slower and secretes more acid, and stress can either speed or slow the passage of intestinal contents. In worse cases, dress can even affect the intestinal tissue resulting in ulcers. Although it's not always possible to avoid stress, you can learn ways to help manage it. I get stressed very easily and am always trying new things to combat it. I wanted to share my tips and what I do to reduce my stress levels! 

Hot Yoga 
I have always enjoyed yoga, and have practised from a young age but didn't go regularly. When I got diagnosed with Crohn's and was educated on stress being a trigger, I thought it would be a good idea to go back to it. I found a really nice hot yoga class in Leigh on Sea and started going with my sister on a Sunday morning. It was lovely as we would go yoga then go for brunch to a cute seaside cafe. I thought hot yoga would be really hard and uncomfortable but that wasn't the case. The heat of the room makes the muscles in your body relax more so you can go deeper and easier into the poses, and the best bit of relaxation at the end! Lying on your back with an empty mind focusing just on your breathing. I previously hadn't understood when people spoke about 'working with your breath' and 'listening to your body' but after going to yoga classes, I'm now getting the jist of it. The classes teach you to accept any thoughts but understand you can't do anything about it right now and letting it pass, then continue just focusing on you. It's great for mindfulness and I definitely find it helpful for my stress. It would be great to start every day with a yoga class! Leigh is quite far for me to go every day, so recently I found a new class local to me called Hot Pod Yoga and what is great about this class is that they pop up at various locations all around. So I'm able to go to a few classes during the week too! They have a great introductory offer also - £14 for 14 days as many classes as you want. I would strongly recommend this for a stress buster! 

Massage
One of my IBD nurses told me I should book in for a massage once every month as a good way to totally relax my body. As stress is bad for sufferers, a massage is a great way to unwind, de toxify and relax. My favourite massages are back massages and I love the feeling of just melting into the bed and totally relaxing. I enjoy massages as well as I feel they clear my mind and I'm just focusing on enjoying the treatment. I recently went to a new salon in Billericay for a facial and massage and it was amazing! For starters the salon was decorated so nicely which I think adds to the whole experience of making it a nice enjoyable treatment. The salon uses all Neal's Yard organic products which smell lovely so even for hours after the treatment I could still smell the relaxing scents. I had my treatment in the evening after work so it was the perfect way to unwind and I left the salon feeling ready to go to bed and get a restful nights sleep. Thank you to Beauty at Retreat
As well as massages, I do love a spa day. I think spending the day by a pool in a fluffy white robe is simply dreamy! And what better way to relax. One of my favourite pastimes is looking up spa deals. If only they weren't so expensive, I could go every weekend!

Holidays
Oh I do love a holiday! I'm always looking forward to the next one and I really do think that's what gets me through the year. I use my holiday allowance very wisely and make sure I have time off booked evenly throughout the year, that way you will always have something to look forward to! Being on holiday always makes me happy, you're away from all home and work stresses and have the chance to totally switch off. Holidays don't even have to be abroad, I even like going away for the weekend to somewhere new and exploring. Just getting away from life can be so refreshing and I love being in my little holiday bubble. My all-time favourite holiday destination is Barbados. I could never be unhappy there! Everyone is so smiley, friendly and relaxed as if they don't have a care in the world. If I lived there I wouldn't have a care in the world either with all of the stunning surroundings. Barbados is also good for me because they speak English, so I can easily explain dietary requirements. Although it doesn't seem like a big deal, it really is important for IBD sufferers and something that could cause a lot of anxiety. Also, as it is close to America, they are hot on the gluten free products so that is really useful too. Only 7 and a bit weeks till I'm back in my happy place!

Exercise
Exercise for me is a major stress buster. I love getting a sweat on and letting all of my stresses and anxiety leave my body. My favourite exercise to do in the gym is sprints as I can get on the treadmill and just go for it! It is not a pretty sight, but makes me feel so good. I also am a big fan of spin classes and when there is good music playing I feel like I could go all day. My favourite spin class I have ever done was Soul Cycle in San Fransisco earlier this year. The instructor had Beyonce remix's blaring out of the surround sound speakers in a dark room with flash lights and it was kind of like being in a night club but sweating on bikes! I enjoyed it so much I really want them to come over to the UK! When I'm not up to high impact exercise - which can be quite often thanks to my Crohns! - I really enjoy a long dog walk. I have two dogs at home and one is a naughty little puppy that needs to be walked to get rid of her excess energy! So I really enjoy a long dog walk around a country park, then tired cuddles on the sofa with a cup of tea. Oh tea! .. Tea makes everything better, so of course I love a cuppa when I'm feeling stressed.

Everyone has their own ways of coping with stress and it is really important to do what works for you. Stress is like the wind - you can't see it, but it does a lot of damage!

XOXO Crohnie Girl