Author Archives: Amber

Having a Screening Colonoscopy - About IBD Podcast Episode 138

Having a Screening Colonoscopy – About IBD Podcast Episode 138

Colon cancer is being diagnosed more frequently in younger people. It’s now recommended that most people get a screening colonoscopy at the age of 45. For people who  have a family history of colon cancer, the first screening should be when they are 10 years younger than the family member was when they were diagnosed.

My guest is my husband, Michael Tresca, who recently had a screening colonoscopy after turning 50. He details his experiences in using a newer prep and how he managed the process. 

If there is a person in your life that is due for their screening, I hope you’ll share this with them. And if you’re someone who is involved in administering screening colonoscopies, I hope you’ll listen to get an unfiltered perspective.



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Is Diarrhea Funny - About IBD

Is Diarrhea Funny?

A search of my computer shows that I’ve written on the topic of diarrhea several times already. It’s a recurring theme every few years, usually after a news event.

The latest circumstance, as I write this, is an incident that occurred on a flight between Atlanta and Barcelona in early September 2023. Reportedly, a passenger had diarrhea that was concerning enough to be considered a biohazard. According to CNN and other sources, the flight turned around after a few hours and went back to Atlanta. (CNN)

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About IBD Episode 137 - Managing IBD Diet and Lifestyle With Clemmie Oliver

Managing IBD Diet and Lifestyle With Clemmie Oliver – About IBD Podcast Episode 137

Diet does matter in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Not only in how it affects the digestive system, but also in overall health. Adults with IBD have greater incidences of heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, liver disease, and ulcers than do people without IBD. (Xu, 2018.)

For those reasons and more: thinking about diet and how it affects all these other body systems, as well as the IBD, is important.

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Top Gear Picks for Travel With IBD

Top Picks for Travel With IBD in 2023

A few days ago, I was talking to an IBD friend and I said how weird it was for me to consider traveling. 

“It feels like something other people do,” I said. “It’s not something that I get to do.”

It’s a mindset I’ve needed to overcome because traveling when I was younger and my ulcerative colitis was at its worst was a nightmare. Now I’ve had surgery to create a j-pouch and my disease is much better controlled.

There’s no reason I can’t go all the places and do all the things!

I still have to do some problem solving, though, so I thought I’d share some of the products I’ve found that made my life easier while bouncing around cities in the UK or heading up to Maine for a camping trip.

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About IBD Podcast 136 - Pregnancy and IBD: The PIANO Study With Uma Mahadevan, MD

Pregnancy and IBD: The PIANO Study With Uma Mahadevan, MD – About IBD Podcast Episode 136

Pregnancy while living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) feels scary. But thanks to the groundbreaking Pregnancy Inflammatory bowel disease And Neonatal Outcomes (PIANO) study, there is now so much more data and information to help moms and their doctors make decisions. Dr Mahadevan began the PIANO registry in 2007, which followed women and their babies through pregnancy and after. What was learned from this registry was how IBD medications, and especially biologics, affected pregnancy, birth, and infants. Learn how Dr Mahadevan has grown PIANO over the years, the most important findings so far, and how pregnant women can join the study and help the next generation of moms with IBD and their babies.

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About IBD - Have You Tried Yoga - An IBD Community Poll

Have You Tried Yoga? – An IBD Community Poll

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receive a lot of advice on how to manage their disease. It’s my belief that most people mean well and they really do want to help. However, unless they’ve been with you every step of the way, they may not know all the things you’ve done to try to get a handle on the signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or indeterminate colitis.

It has become a running joke in the chronic illness community and in the IBD community itself, that people often recommend yoga to manage IBD symptoms. This could be partially because of the reputation yoga has as being a type of almost magical practice (a concept that’s beyond the scope of this article).

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Yoga for IBD With Desiree Schmidt - About IBD Podcast Episode 135

Yoga for IBD With Desiree Schmidt – About IBD Podcast Episode 135

Desiree Schmidt, a 500-hour yoga instructor and owner of a personal training business, shares her passion for helping people with chronic illnesses, which is inspired by her own experience with Crohn’s disease. She discusses how yoga has been key in her journey, both physically and mentally.

Amber and Desiree discuss the benefits of different yoga forms and how to choose the right practice based on whether one is in a flare-up or in remission. Desiree points out how it is important to modify poses when living with a health condition, including IBD, to ensure comfort and safety during classes. She offers insights into providing options for different needs, making the yoga accessible for everyone.

Gain valuable insights into the world of yoga, its benefits for chronic illness, and how to embark on your own yoga practice with confidence and guidance.

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