As I wrote about in my Monday post, this is Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Awareness Week and my goal is to educate you about what it is and give my readers a glimpse into what it’s like to have IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). I’ve had such a wonderful response to the post on social media and through personal messages, that I wanted to write about it again. There’s more to say and this comes from an angle you may not have expected: fitness and healthy living. I wanted to highlight a brave face of IBD and share with you my friend Joey and his endeavors. Buckle up…he has an inspiring story!
This is Joey…
Credit: Joey Morstad
Joey was diagnosed with UC in 2008. During his first hospitalization for IBD, he quickly dropped 50 pounds in six short weeks. One can imagine the damage that does to the body and mind…a difficult diagnosis, pain, and severe weight loss. All of these things sap you of your physical strength and sometimes even of your ambition and optimism. But Joey wanted to devise a way to regain strength and promote healing. So he did. I could tell you Joey’s brave and motivating story, but I’d rather let him tell it instead. He’s a courageous guy with a great story and immense knowledge. Whether you struggle with IBD, a different illness or no illness at all, he has some very valuable things to share with you. I urge you take a few minutes from your day and check out his testimony in the video below and even visit his site, http://www.strengthandnutrition.com/. IBD is a challenge for sure, but there are healthy options to work our way back to better health and gain strength. Joey is inspiring me to do just that!