Recently I had the chance to sit down with Tamara Duker Freuman, registered dietician and GI nutrition expert. I interviewed her for my podcast, Crohnically Mom, and she provided helpful insight into navigating nutrition and IBD. You can listen to the interview here.

​How I was introduced to Tamara was through her newest book “REGULAR”. It is one of the most helpful books about GI symptoms I have ever encountered. Many books focused on addressing GI symptoms focus on things you are doing wrong – the wrong diet, not getting enough sleep, eating “bad” foods, etc. This is demeaning for a reader, especially one with IBD. A lot of the time we have tried everything and it hasn’t worked so the generalized assumption that people with GI issues can “do something about it” is incredibly frustrating. “REGULAR” has a totally different tone that I would describe as empowering. 

​Tamara starts the book by providing a thorough, yet completely understandable, explanation of how your digestive system works. This is one of my favorite parts of the book and we were only in the first few pages. She breaks down the anatomy in a way that doctors rarely do during a 15 minute appointment or if they do, it usually isn’t communicated in a way that is, excuse my pun, digestible. This knowledge is so crucial because it allows someone experiencing GI symptoms to accurately explain to their doctor what they are experiencing. It also saves them from hours of Google research and perusing through unverified information. This is straight to the point, reliable information about what the heck is going on in your digestive tract. 

After the helpful introduction, Tamara guides you through a quiz. The quiz allows you to answer questions about your symptoms and narrow down the chapters that could be most relevant to you. Most people are reading this book not for their interest in GI disorders, like me. They are looking for help, a solution. This quiz helps them get to the most relevant information quickly and because of that, I love this style of book for non-fiction reads. The chapters address a range of GI symptoms/issues from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, to pelvic floor dysfunction, to Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

The IBD section was where I spent most of my time. I was looking forward to hearing Tamara’s recommendations, but I admit at first I was a bit nervous. Usually I get nervous reading any book that mentions “diet”. So often they are filled with unrealistic overhauls of your current lifestyle that put foods into categories of “good” and “bad”. As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder in the past, this can be very triggering and also just not helpful. “REGULAR” is refreshing as it doesn’t do either of these things. Tamara explains how foods navigate through your system and how they are absorbed. She never says “do not eat this.” Instead she suggests ways to make certain foods more tolerable (e.g. changing their consistency). You will hear in our conversation, how passionate in her practice Tamara is about providing customized nutrition counseling. She isn’t about just throwing a blanket “fix all” meal plan out there and hoping it works, so she doesn’t do that in “REGULAR” either. 

Overall, this book is full of fresh takeaways even for someone who is not new to being a GI patient. Tamara’s approach is meant to leave the reader feeling empowered, whether it’s speaking to their provider, looking for answers to their symptoms, or exploring a type of food they always thought was out of reach. This will now be a “go to” recommendation from me for anyone suffering from a GI condition. 

You can hear my in depth conversation with Tamara on this week’s episode of Crohnically Mom. You can also grab Tamara’s book, “REGULAR”, on Amazon. 

​xx

During my sleepless nights thanks to pregnancy I've been going through books almost as quickly as I do on vacation. It has been a while since I've shared a round up of book suggestions so I figured it was time. With it being summer and some of us still quarantining, it is the perfect time to Amazon Prime a new book to add to your beach bag. 

Some of these I actually read while we were In Hawaii and I just never got around to sharing and others have been some of my late night favorites the snuggle up with me and my pregnancy pillow. 

I also included what I am currently reading and what is up next in case you want to join!

​xx

Since we entered 2020, I've heard a lot of people's New Year's goals have to do with reading. Some are trying to clock more hours with a novel instead of in front of the TV and others are aiming to use the knowledge they gain from hitting the books to help them with personal development. Either way, bravo to you for building a habit that is great for your brain and also a fantastic way to destress (at least for me!). If you follow the blog pretty regularly, you know that reading is one of my favorite ways to spend leisure time. I've worked my way through plenty of self help, fiction, and non- fiction novels over the past year or so and  I'm always adding to my list of favorites for my Amazon page or for posts on the blog. Since a few friends have reached out for recommendations, I got the idea to put together some of my top picks that I would recommend to my best friends and to all of you. I broke things down into a few categories so you can skip right to the section or sections that interest you the most.

Pretty much all of these books are available as physical copies, Kindle books, and on Audible via Amazon. I've traditionally been a fan of physical copies of books, but finally made the switch to reading via my Kindle app on my iPad. While it took me a little to get used to the switch, it definitely beats lugging eight different novels around on vacations. My husband who is also a big reader has a Kindle which he swears is his most prized possession. Either way, we both give a big thumbs up to opting for digital copies these days. I also have the Kindle app downloaded on my phone, so if I get stuck in a doctors off or other unexpected situation where I have idle time, I can keep myself busy with whatever I'm reading. If reading isn't your thing, I recommend trying out Audible. You can get all of the great content from your reading list, just delivered easily through your AirPods on your commute, while you clean your house, or while working out. All of these little conveniences make it so much easier to integrate reading into our already hectic, busy, and jam packed lifestyles.

I am also gearing up for a long flight next week, so any recommendations that aren't on my list, please send my way! I love discovering new books and new authors to fall in love with. 

​xx

​I've been thinking about a way to incorporate my love of reading into the blog somehow because it truly is one of my favorite things. I read at least a couple of books a month, usually a mix between novels, autobiographies, and self-help books. I am always dying to talk to someone about them so I'm pushing books of onto my friends like they are drugs or something, just begging them to read so we can compare thoughts. I also LOVE recommending books in general, almost as much as I love recommending beauty products. I figure, if I'm already doing all of the work of reading, why not start to share some of my favorites with you all! Then I have a place to publicly proclaim my obsessions with these books without annoying all of my friends and hopefully delivering some value to CB readers. 

I am still playing around with all of the details on how I want to start sharing these book reviews. I'm not writing a book report or anything boring. Basically I want to communicate what the book is about, why I liked it, and when you should read it.... Is it a beach read or a curl up on your sofa and cry for five hours read? Is it a good read when you need to give yourself a pep talk or when you are going through a break up? These are things you need to know before diving into this type of time commitment!

A big reason why I think reading has become such a love of mine is because it is something you can do to escape in any situation. To me it is a stress relief. If I am feeling sick and miserable I can always pull out a book or put on an audiobook. It requires no physical activity and no contact with other humans so when you suffer from a chronic illness, that honestly sounds like paradise. I can bring books when I am in the hospital, waiting for doctors appointments, getting Remicade infusions, or taking a bubble bath. I can also use books to help calm my anxiety. I find that being outside of my own world for a little while really helps me to reset and come back into a situation more leveled. When you are reading you are 100% focused on something that isn't anxious thoughts running through your brain. I think about it like I do a workout class. Workout classes are therapeutic for me because for an hour I am responsible for zero other thoughts than focusing on my workout. Reading is the same, only a workout for your brain and imagination.

Anyway, I'm starting today by posting three beach reads to Amazon Prime for the long weekend. Grab a cocktail, dig your feet in the sand, and enjoy. (Cocktail recommendations also included).

​My first pick for a beach weekend is "The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty. For all of the "Big Little Lies" fans out there, this book was written by the same author so you know it will be full of plot twists. "The Husband's Secret" is one of those books that you just become obsessed with and can't put down until you are done. 

The whole premise of the book is a wife finding out something from her husband's past that was kind of A REALLY BIG DEAL, that he wasn't planning on telling her. Immediately you are questioning what you, yourself would do in this kind of situation. Do you do the "right" thing? What even is the "right" thing? Cecelia (the wife) struggles with holding onto this secret that would 100% really throw a wrench into everyone's lives if she says something, but how can she live with her husband now? The books follows not just Cecelia's journey but also other women in the town and their internal struggles that are all somehow related to this secret.  I found myself getting super attached to the characters and NEEDING to know what happened next. It isn't a super long read so it is perfect to knock out if you have a weekend at the beach or a solo weekend to yourself. There will most likely be some tears and some feelings of WTF, but that's what makes books like these good. I personally think this pairs best with a wine spritzer or a big glass of Pinot Grigio. 

​Next up is something a bit lighter, but totally wild. "Pretty Mess" by Erika Jayne is SUCH a good vacation read. It has the perfect mix of holy shit I can't believe that really happened moments with an equal dose of the sassy, savvy, personality that we know and love from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Even if you aren't an avid Housewives watcher, this book is still a good read. In this memoir, Erika Jayne takes you through all of the ups and downs of her life and how she reached her level of fame and success. She spills juicy details about everything from her dancing days to her marriage, while focusing around the theme of making it work and getting what you want on your own terms. All done while give zero effs about what anyone thinks about you. When you close this book you will feel empowered to be a total badass, and maybe want to dance on a table. Best paired with a spicy margarita, extra spicy.

If you are looking for a productive read while you are relaxing in the sun, "Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t" by Steven Pressfield is a winner. If you are a blogger or writer, this one is certainly a must read, but it also is valuable for those whose professions don't revolve around the written word. While the book does focus around leveling up your writing abilities, I took it as how to level up your communication in general. We are telling stories all day and communicating in some way with an audience. This book is all about making sure you are adding value and interest in the way you are communicating and leading the audience to where you want them to go. This book challenges you to look inward and reflect on how you tell stories, share facts, and overall deliver what you want to say everyday. It delivers a bold statement that we can all use to gain a little more self awareness. This book is best paired with a spiked coffee, because you are going to be inspired to get working and get your shit together after reading this one.

All of these books you can buy physical copies of or you can purchase them via Audible! I'm a big fan of having a book in hand, but for long drives Audible is a life saver.
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Drop a comment and let me know what types of books you want recommendations for and any genres that are you favorite! I can't wait to hear what you guys like to read and what you think of these recommendations!

Enjoy the long weekend!


xx