What is Boswellia? Boswellia! Have you heard of this powerful herb before? It is commonly found in Asia and Africa from a tree called the boswellia serrata tree. It has been extracted and used in Ayurvedic medicine for many years to help treat inflammatory conditions. But…does it have evidence to help inflammatory bowel disease? Keep reading to find out! Boswellia (also known as Frankincense) contains 30-60% resin, 5-10% essential oils, and the rest is made up of polysaccharides (which are a chain of carbohydrates essential for the structure of plants). The resin contains components that aid i ..read more

Notable Health Benefits of Curcumin: Antimicrobial: Curcumin has antimicrobial properties to it which enables it to be effective against bacteria, such as aureus, E. coli, H. pylori, and M. tuberculosis. Curcumin may also be useful as a treatment route for Candida as well.  Bone Health: Curcumin may help maintain bone health by inhibiting osteoclast (these break down bone) development, promoting osteoblast (these build up bone) development. Post workout repair and recovery: Curcumin may improve muscle damage, soreness, and strength; joint flexibility; and inflammation following exercise ..read more

Iron is a mineral that plays many roles in the body and is essential for growth and development. Iron is used to make hemoglobin in the body (hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells). Hemoglobin’s role is to carry oxygen from our lungs to other parts of the body.  Iron deficiency is reported by 60-80% of people with inflammatory bowel disease and could be due to multiple factors. This could be due to: Decreased food intake Malabsorption of nutrients Blood loss Frequent diarrhea Note: iron deficiency is when total iron levels are low. Iron deficiency anemia is when total iron le ..read more

Joint pain is quite common for those of us living with IBD, especially during flare ups. Not to mention, sometimes an IBD diagnosis can come with secondary diagnoses like arthritis.  Curcumin Insights Curcumin contains vitamins like vitamin E, K, C, and B-complex, as well as minerals like iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, selenium, calcium, and potassium. Curcumin is one of the most diverse therapeutic herbs and it has been researched for its role in a wide variety of conditions. Curcumin is most revered for its powerful anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to reduce inflammatory mar ..read more

Have you ever heard of PHGG? It stands for partially hydrolyzed guar gum and also goes by the name of Sunfiber! It’s a type of soluble fibre we often recommend in our practice for its many gut health benefits! As a quick reminder… Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel. It is beneficial for those with IBD because it’s often easy to tolerate, can help decrease diarrhea, and is a great source of fiber for those with stricturing disease. It also helps keep you full for longer and is great for heart health. Insoluble fibre does not dissolve and adds bulk to the stool. It acts as a broom ..read more

There is a lot to know when it comes to your gut! Let us help you out with some of it, not only nutritionally, but in an easy way to understand with our Gut Health Dictionary!  Note: the dictionary will be updated to reflect new terminology when available Common Gut Health Terms Crohn’s Disease: inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s is a type of IBD that can affect all layers of the digestive tract and is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss Ulcerative Colitis: inflammation of the colon resulting in ulcers, bloody stool, and other gastrointesti ..read more

Print Breakfast Cookie Oats – two ways! Recipe by Danielle Leffler; adapted from Calla's Clean EatsCourse: BreakfastDifficulty: Easy Servings 2 servings Prep time 5 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes Blended oats can be helpful when looking to incorporate more fibre into the diet. Blending oats helps make them tolerable for those who have strictures. Ingredients 1 cup oats (Gluten free if required) 1 banana 1/2 cup plant-based milk of choice 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 2 eggs (can substitute for flax eggs but may not be recommended for stricturing disease) 6 Tbsps. hemp ..read more

Turmeric Turmeric is the rhizome of a herb used as a medicinal and culinary spice. Rhizome’s are a continuously growing horizontal underground stem.  Use of turmeric back to nearly 4000 years in India. Sanskrit has at least 53 names for turmeric, including names that translate to words and phrases like “prosperous,” “one that wins over diseases,” and “generous.” Turmeric and the isolated curcuminoids have been well researched. There have been in fact over 3000 research articles published on turmeric and curcumin in the last 25 years.  Turmeric vs. Curcumin  The most well-known a ..read more

Print Chocolate Truffles Recipe by Danielle Leffler, RD, LDCourse: SnacksDifficulty: Easy Servings 8 truffles Prep time 20 minutes Ingredients 1/4 cup oat flour (simply grind 1/4 cup oats in a blender) 1/2 cup almond flour 1/4 cup cacao powder 2 Tbsp. maple syrup 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter (the more liquid, the better) 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 2 Tbsp. soy milk Sprinkle of sea salt – I used Maldon salt Optional: 3 mashed raspberries to add into a few truffles for added flavor Directions Mix almond flour, oat flour, cacao powder, maple syrup, and milk together i ..read more

February is Heart Awareness Month! You may be thinking….I have gut problems, what does my heart have to do with this? More than you think! This post will dive into heart health and IBD – things to be aware of, the impact inflammation can have on the heart, and tips to help take care of your heart! Inflammatory bowel disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the intestines. A major contributor to heart disease is chronic inflammation.  Currently the evidence shows that IBD and heart disease are linked but that one does not cause the other. The aim of this article is ..read more