3 Quick Things

Hi Everyone! 

Improve your health with this week’s three simple IBD tips and takeaways.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Little changes lead to big results. We challenge you to take one small action today to benefit your future tomorrows.

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Cinnamon NOW

Colleen says: My 2-year old son has a new favorite word: cinnamon. “Cinnamon NOW.” “Cinnamon PLEASE.” “MORE cinnamon NOW PLEASE.” 

Hearing cinnamon 20+ times one morning got me thinking about its many health benefits. 

Cinnamon, a common household ingredient, has been used in parts of the world for thousands of years as a natural remedy to treat diarrhea, nausea, the common cold, inflammatory disorders and gastric diseases. Also, research has shown it might decrease colonization of H. pylori, a bacterium linked to gastric cancer and poor gut health. Plus, studies have shown that cinnamon might protect against colorectal cancer, diabetes, hypertension and food-borne illness.

Interested in adding more cinnamon to your diet? Here are some of our favorite uses for cinnamon: 

- As a sugar replacement in your coffee or tea

- Sprinkled on apples and bananas

- Added to smoothies

- Mixed with oats 

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Favorite Snack: Pecans & Plantains

Scott says: Raw pecans + plantain chips = one of my favorite snacks. Eaten together, they taste like they’re drizzled with maple syrup, which is a real treat since my Crohn's prevents me from eating too many sugary foods. I’ve recommended this combination to countless people and exactly _zero_ people agreed with me about the syrupy taste. BUT, they all do seem to like it 😜.

This is exactly the type of snack where a food scale comes in handy. I measure and weigh the pecans and the plantain chips ahead of time because it’s super easy to eat more than intended. 

It might surprise you to see “chips” in this newsletter since we normally recommend whole foods. But let’s be real. Sometimes you just want a crunchy treat and plantain chips are an acceptable compromise. 

Pecans work for me because they’re softer than other nuts and easy to chew. But if they’re too high roughage for you, consider a spoonful of pecan butter. 

Give this combination a try and let us know if you taste the maple syrup, too! 

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Meal Prep Tip - Make Your Greens Last Longer

Bertina says: We usually keep our fridge stocked with greens to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store. Very few things frustrate me as much as when I go to grab fresh greens, and I find wilted brown leaves instead.

This article has some really helpful tips for making your greens last longer, like explaining how to freeze and store them properly. It’s a bit of work upfront, but... the price we pay for fewer trips to the store, amiright? Yay to fewer supermarket trips and less wasted food!

Live, learn and onward! :)

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Remember, there’s no one perfect diet for everyone with IBD. If you or anyone you know struggles with what to eat with Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis, then check out our ebook, Eating with IBD: The Essentials.

Check it out

Do you have a question about these topics, or something else? Just reply with your question to this email and it may appear in an upcoming newsletter.

In good health,

Colleen, Bertina & Scott

This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is in no way intended as medical counseling or medical advice. Results may vary