Sunday, April 15, 2012
Back from hiatus and changing the format
Hey dudes! I figured it was time to start blogging again. After a long hiatus, getting some life stuff straight, and thinking a lot about what to focus on, it was time to start doing something. So... here I am!
When I started this project I didn't have a clear focus on what this was about. I thought I was a food blogger, simply because I liked food. Then I thought I was an Ulcerative Colitis blogger, but I hated reliving the bad moments of my life. Without a clear idea, this project ended up being way complicated than I thought. I lost my passion. I lost my focus. But I still wanted to do good and make a difference. The only way I knew how to approach it was slowly and to track my progress and somehow make it there.
Even though I was confused, I did know what I did not want for myself. I don't want to be known as "sick girl", which is what I privately labeled myself for many years. It was the negative attitude and thoughts is what kept me from moving on. Ulcerative Colitis is still a very painful topic for me. I have had this illness for eight years and it still brings tears to my eyes when I think about how helpless I was. I'm not that person anymore. Its time to move on!
I want my blog and videos to be about a lifestyle change. A shift on how to become positive and become your best self through positive thought, exercise, and balance despite all of the challenges (ehem... Ulerative Colitis). I'm going to share my journey on I'll get there! Let's go!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Before and After Peanut Butter Cookies
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family. We don't usually host Thanksgiving and end up traveling to extended family. So its always nice to bring a little something :)
It doesn't have to be something complicated at all! Sometimes the simplest recipes can make a big impression too! I have chosen Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies. This recipe has a big flavor for a small cookie, and plus, you can easily double the recipe so there is more to share!
Your family will love you for bringing these cookies because they are small enough that you can sneak a couple into your mouth without anyone noticing. Hey, I know I'm not the only one who likes to pick at the food before its actually ready. Its hard to resist with all the savory Thanksgiving flavors wafting out of the kitchen.
What I like about this recipe is that its very quick and simple, so if you're running around doing a thousand errands, this is one of those recipes that can be made at the last minute and you probably have all of these ingredients in your kitchen.
I modified this recipe to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. The original recipe can be found here.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
prep time: 10 minutes / total time: 20 minutes
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey (I use less, about 1/3 or 1/2 a cup, because I don't like my desserts too sweet)
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets.
2. Beat together peanut butter and honey in a large bowl with an
electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add beaten egg and baking soda to peanut butter mixture and beat
until well combined.
4. Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheet.
5. Place dough balls one inch apart on cookie sheet and flatten with
tines of fork making a cross pattern.
6. Bake until puffed and a golden pale, about 10 minutes.
7. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 2 minutes and then transfer with
spatula to rack to cool.
8. May be kept in air tight container at room temperature for 5 days.
9. Makes about 2 dozen cookies
And if you have room for dessert, just have one of these cookies. You won't feel excluded when everyone else is eating ice cream. :)
Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family. We don't usually host Thanksgiving and end up traveling to extended family. So its always nice to bring a little something :)
It doesn't have to be something complicated at all! Sometimes the simplest recipes can make a big impression too! I have chosen Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies. This recipe has a big flavor for a small cookie, and plus, you can easily double the recipe so there is more to share!
Your family will love you for bringing these cookies because they are small enough that you can sneak a couple into your mouth without anyone noticing. Hey, I know I'm not the only one who likes to pick at the food before its actually ready. Its hard to resist with all the savory Thanksgiving flavors wafting out of the kitchen.
What I like about this recipe is that its very quick and simple, so if you're running around doing a thousand errands, this is one of those recipes that can be made at the last minute and you probably have all of these ingredients in your kitchen.
I modified this recipe to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. The original recipe can be found here.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
prep time: 10 minutes / total time: 20 minutes
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey (I use less, about 1/3 or 1/2 a cup, because I don't like my desserts too sweet)
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets.
2. Beat together peanut butter and honey in a large bowl with an
electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add beaten egg and baking soda to peanut butter mixture and beat
until well combined.
4. Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheet.
5. Place dough balls one inch apart on cookie sheet and flatten with
tines of fork making a cross pattern.
6. Bake until puffed and a golden pale, about 10 minutes.
7. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 2 minutes and then transfer with
spatula to rack to cool.
8. May be kept in air tight container at room temperature for 5 days.
9. Makes about 2 dozen cookies
And if you have room for dessert, just have one of these cookies. You won't feel excluded when everyone else is eating ice cream. :)
Friday, November 19, 2010
Fernpixel: The Come-Back Kid?
Hey guys... I'm really sorry for disappearing on you. I've had to disappear for personal reasons. Hopefully this time around I'll come back bigger and better than ever. Thank you everyone for your patience during these difficult times. Now lets explore the blogsphere together!
Friday, August 20, 2010
The CCFA has an online "library"
Hi All!
I have something exciting to share! The CCFA contacted me with some amazing news! They now have an online library of their brochures which are free PDFs to download! I've attended a couple of public seminars in the past to see some speakers talk about different issues regarding people with Ulcerative Colitis. At the end of each session, they always have a lot of helpful reading material to take home. Since everyone isn't able to attend the meetings in person, its nice of the organization to make this information available to everyone online. And if you prefer the hard copies, they're willing to ship them to you if you request them. I think this is wonderful! And guess what! Its free!
The brochures range in topics from fact sheets on Ulcerative Colitis, Crohns Disease & IBD to specific aspects of living with such conditions such as diet, emotional factors, surgery, pregnancy, guides for teens & kids... you name it! Its probably there. I have a lot of reading to do! I'm definitely going to download them!
Many thanks to Ariella Levine and the CCFA for continuing to raise awareness and build this community with grace and understanding.
Please read the press release below for more details about the library and where to download the brochures:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America Expands Library of Patient Materials. Updated brochures offer the latest on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
New York, New York—August 20, 2010—New information on the diagnosis of, treatment for, and research on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is rapidly growing. These chronic and often debilitating digestive diseases affect 1.4 million Americans. To help connect the Crohn’s and colitis community with this new information, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America has introduced a new brochure, Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects; and has updated, Living with Crohn’s Disease; Living with Ulcerative Colitis; A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel; and A Guide for Parents.
“We are always looking for ways to introduce pertinent information to the public,” says Kimberly Frederick, Vice President of Patient & Professional Services at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. “With the help of our newest brochures, we hope to provide patients, caregivers, and family members with the latest on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis so they can most effectively manage life and take charge of their disease.”
Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects helps patients learn as much as possible about life with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and goes into depth on medications that control these diseases. Since Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are lifelong illnesses, treatment with medication is the first therapeutic option.
Living with Crohn’s Disease; Living with Ulcerative Colitis; A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel; and A Guide for Parents; were all recently updated to capture the latest information in disease management and treatment. Both Living with Crohn’s Disease and Living with Ulcerative Colitis offer information on the diseases and allow readers to really grasp the causes, symptoms, and side effects of living with Crohn’s and colitis. The brochures discuss establishing a patient-doctor relationship; commonly used medications; disease management; and more. A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel provides these role models with a basic understanding of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and describes some of the challenges that pediatric patients may experience on a daily basis. It provides teachers and other school personnel with strategies that they can use to help guide children with Crohn’s or colitis so that they can achieve their full academic potential. Key points about Crohn’s and colitis and what to expect is explored in A Guide for Parents. This brochure includes valuable information on lifestyle modifications Crohn’s and colitis patients and their parents may need to make, and how to maintain a progressive relationship with their child’s health care providers and school personnel.
In addition, translated Spanish versions of the Foundation’s flagship brochures, Living with Crohn’s Disease and Living with Ulcerative Colitis, are coming soon. To access the brochures online, visit http://www.ccfa.org/info/brochures/.
About Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery. These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18. Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.
About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 79 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org. Join CCFA on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/supportccfa/ and follow CCFA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccfa.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ariella Levine
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
646-943-7430
alevine@ccfa.org
I have something exciting to share! The CCFA contacted me with some amazing news! They now have an online library of their brochures which are free PDFs to download! I've attended a couple of public seminars in the past to see some speakers talk about different issues regarding people with Ulcerative Colitis. At the end of each session, they always have a lot of helpful reading material to take home. Since everyone isn't able to attend the meetings in person, its nice of the organization to make this information available to everyone online. And if you prefer the hard copies, they're willing to ship them to you if you request them. I think this is wonderful! And guess what! Its free!
The brochures range in topics from fact sheets on Ulcerative Colitis, Crohns Disease & IBD to specific aspects of living with such conditions such as diet, emotional factors, surgery, pregnancy, guides for teens & kids... you name it! Its probably there. I have a lot of reading to do! I'm definitely going to download them!
Many thanks to Ariella Levine and the CCFA for continuing to raise awareness and build this community with grace and understanding.
Please read the press release below for more details about the library and where to download the brochures:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America Expands Library of Patient Materials. Updated brochures offer the latest on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
New York, New York—August 20, 2010—New information on the diagnosis of, treatment for, and research on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is rapidly growing. These chronic and often debilitating digestive diseases affect 1.4 million Americans. To help connect the Crohn’s and colitis community with this new information, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America has introduced a new brochure, Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects; and has updated, Living with Crohn’s Disease; Living with Ulcerative Colitis; A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel; and A Guide for Parents.
“We are always looking for ways to introduce pertinent information to the public,” says Kimberly Frederick, Vice President of Patient & Professional Services at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. “With the help of our newest brochures, we hope to provide patients, caregivers, and family members with the latest on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis so they can most effectively manage life and take charge of their disease.”
Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects helps patients learn as much as possible about life with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and goes into depth on medications that control these diseases. Since Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are lifelong illnesses, treatment with medication is the first therapeutic option.
Living with Crohn’s Disease; Living with Ulcerative Colitis; A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel; and A Guide for Parents; were all recently updated to capture the latest information in disease management and treatment. Both Living with Crohn’s Disease and Living with Ulcerative Colitis offer information on the diseases and allow readers to really grasp the causes, symptoms, and side effects of living with Crohn’s and colitis. The brochures discuss establishing a patient-doctor relationship; commonly used medications; disease management; and more. A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel provides these role models with a basic understanding of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and describes some of the challenges that pediatric patients may experience on a daily basis. It provides teachers and other school personnel with strategies that they can use to help guide children with Crohn’s or colitis so that they can achieve their full academic potential. Key points about Crohn’s and colitis and what to expect is explored in A Guide for Parents. This brochure includes valuable information on lifestyle modifications Crohn’s and colitis patients and their parents may need to make, and how to maintain a progressive relationship with their child’s health care providers and school personnel.
In addition, translated Spanish versions of the Foundation’s flagship brochures, Living with Crohn’s Disease and Living with Ulcerative Colitis, are coming soon. To access the brochures online, visit http://www.ccfa.org/info/brochures/.
About Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery. These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18. Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.
About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 79 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends goes to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org. Join CCFA on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/supportccfa/ and follow CCFA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccfa.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ariella Levine
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
646-943-7430
alevine@ccfa.org
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Answers to Ask Fernpixel 7.15.10
Hey everyone!
For those of you just joining, sometimes I do something that's called "Ask Fernpixel". Its a freestyle Q&A that I started. Rather than asking any questions, I asked for questions regarding the topic of "friendship". Although I appreciate your enthusiasm, not a lot of them were about friendship. I still answered the non-related questions though. I don't mind so much, but I figured that over the past few weeks I was getting emails on to the topic, I decided to broaden the topic via this Q&A session. We'll try again next time :)
I hope you enjoyed this. These videos are fun to make.
and just in case you are wondering, the coconut cupcake recipe was adapted from Elana's Pantry. She has an amazing recipe for Coconut Cupcakes. It is gluten-free, but not specific carbohydrate diet legal. I just changed the sweetener and didn't add the icing. The cupcake batter was already sweet, so I didn't feel the need to add any icing.
If you liked the Q&A session but missed out, you can also ask me questions on Formspring.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
I'm back from England!
Hey Everyone! I've been back for a little while. Some of you may have known this if you follow my Twitter. Just in case you're just joining, I vacationed in England sometime in June. I've been super busy and exhausted. Most of my projects are out of the way and I just got back from a different location: Lazytown. haha! But fear not, I'm definitely back and I miss blogging dearly.
I'm having another cool Ask Fernpixel event! I was inspired by the recent flow of messages that I've received on the topic of friendship. So I'm here to answer your questions on what you think about how Ulcerative Colitis affects the friendships in your life. Please leave your questions on this blog entry or in the comment box of this YouTube video. I will be posting a video response to this topic on July 15th!
I'm planning on making an in-depth blog post about what I ate in England. So please stay tuned for that :)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Unstoppable Force and Traveling Abroad with Ulcerative Colitis
I mentioned in a recent video that I will be traveling overseas to England very soon. Yes, this is true! I have been very fortunate to have traveled a lot. And guess what! I've done virtually all of my exploring with Ulcerative Colitis!
There are very few trips I have taken before I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. The one I remember best was the time I vacationed in Italy. This was a few years before the demise of my health. Back then I was not showing any symptoms, so I relaxed and ate whatever I wanted. I still remember the taste of chocolate gelatos and ham paninis! I was optimistic that this was the beginning of something great! Wanderlust creeped into the soles of my feet. I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to see the world. I would save money, and when I had enough I would spend it on adventures!
Then everything changed.
Two years after I went to Italy, I was starting to show signs that something was wrong. I kept quiet because I thought the symptoms would go away on its own. It escalated into my first major flare-up. After an official diagnosis, the future was bleak. How can I plan the future when I couldn't even plan my day? If a day is interrupted by urgent diarrhea 6-10 times daily... how can I fathom the idea of traveling abroad? In my case, I think it was a miracle, stubbornness, or maybe a little bit of both. My first trip abroad with Ulcerative Colitis was to Tokyo, Japan. And guess what, I was flying to a country where I didn't know the language or anyone there... all by myself! Crazy!
I somehow won a free trip to Japan. Back then, it was one of my biggest dreams to travel to Japan. I've taken a class on far Eastern civilization and also a short course in Japanese Language I. I know it wasn't enough to prepare me for a trip, but it was enough for me to know that my interest in Japan goes deeper than I originally thought. I'm fascinated by the culture and I love the rhythmic sound of the Japanese language. My dream was coming true and I didn't want to pass this opportunity! I know I would have regretted it! So you know what I did? I simply WILLED myself to get better. Its crazy, but that is the only explanation I have. Ok... maybe it was also the strong prescription medicine I had at the time. But I did it! When I think back to that time, I'm even shocked that I was able to plan everything by myself. I am invincible!
I believe that there is a lot of power in being stubborn. People will tell you to turn the other direction, but stubbornness will allow you to bust through walls. Then you can tell those nay-sayers, "HA! Well I showed you! Losers!"
A wise man once said, "With great power comes great responsibility". Ok that line was from Spiderman, but they are still wise words nonetheless. What I'm trying to say is that stubbornness has power, but it also allows for stupidity. Given the circumstances of my trip to Japan, there was so much that could have gone wrong and I wouldn't have been able to ask for help. I was lucky that everything went smoothly.
Let's fast forward to 2010. I am leaving for England very soon. My approach to traveling is different from my previous trips. Now that I have more experience, I don't allow myself to depend on stubbornness. I depend on meticulous planning and "feelings". I'll explain through a few examples and tips I learned:
1. If you are sick or have a "bad feeling" that you will get sick, than don't travel. There are no exceptions to this rule. I know I won't have a good time if I'm sick. Its not worth all the stress and the possibility of risking my life.
2. Don't get sick! A few weeks to even a month before my trip, I take extra care of myself. During this time I go on the introduction diet of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I know that these foods are safe and the "results" are predictable. And when I mention "results" I'm referring to bowel movements. I know I'll be doing a lot of walking during my trips, so I have an exercise routine to build up my stamina. I try my best to sleep early because immunity is effected if you force yourself to stay awake past your bedtime. I know these things should be done every day, but we live busy lives and sometimes we neglect ourselves.
3. The first you should pack is your medication so you won't forget it. I always pack extra pills just in case. You never know what will happen. Actually, I might get stuck in England for a few days if the Icelandic Volcano continues to act up! Its one less thing to worry about if you know there is extra medicine on hand. Being on vacation means that your normal schedule gets disrupted, so its very important to also take them on time.
4. Bring your own food! At least in the beginning of your trip, you can control your food and have predictable "results". You never know what the food is going to be like in another country. If you can eat familiar foods at least in the beginning of the trip, than you'll less likely run into problems. The day before the trip I am going to be boiling eggs, steaming carrots, and grilling turkey burgers. I am also bringing packets of dried fruit. Kat, a fellow blogger, recently took a trip to China and had excellent tips on how she prepared for her trip. A lot of the things she did were similar to how I prepare. However, I picked up the tip about bringing the wax covered cheese. I really like that idea!
5. When you are at your destination, stock up on food that you know you can eat and carry it around. I have been to England before and I made frequent stops at markets, particularly a place called Tesco. I would often buy salads and fruit to snack on.
6. Just because you are traveling to another country, it doesn't mean that your disease will behave. An illness is a part of you and doesn't care if you change your location. It will act up if its triggered. As much as I would like to eat exotic things and foods that a place is famous for, I have to follow my diet. Traveling is a wonderful thing to do, so experience everything as a whole. Your vacation doesn't have to be centered around food. Don't cheat on your diet! You'll want to have happy memories when you visit a place, not "OMG! I had the worst flare up when I vacationed in _______". Go sight-seeing, take photos, and buy souvenirs instead!
7. If it can be helped, don't vacation too long. Being away from home makes it hard to control your food. I like to vacation between 4-8 days but no longer than that. I don't know about you, but even if I didn't have an illness, a two week vacation just seems too long to me. I would rather have shorter, frequent trips. That way, the year doesn't seem so exhausting while you're waiting for your "one big vacation". Shorter trips means you have more events to look forward to!
8. I believe that it was food that ruined my life, but it was food that also saved me. That said, there is one last tip that I have. When you get back home, go on the introduction version of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet again. I feel that this can "undo" any damage that the unfamiliar foods might have done.
With these steps, I traveled around the world and I didn't let my disease stop me. So if you're thinking about taking a vacation, I think you should! But do so only when your health is stable and after careful planning.
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