Life Is a Journey
Life is a journey not a destination, and to live with ulcerative colitis (UC) is definitely a journey. I'm 32 years old, a survivor of UC and also a university professor. I'm here today to offer some lifestyle tips for living with UC that I learned during my four year Ph.D. program-to remember not only to live for the moment, but to look forward to tomorrow.

T—Tell others to be O—Open and tell others about your illness. For years I tried to hide UC from other people and I spent a lot of time and energy feeling ashamed. Once I told a trusted colleague and shared with my family and friends, it was easier to live with the illness and also to function at work.

M—Meditate. Take just a moment to take a deep breath then let it out and clear your mind.

O—Organize. I came up with a system to remember my medication. And so I put my bracelet on my arm, my left arm in the morning and I put it on my right arm in the afternoon and I take it off in the evening to remember that I took my medication.

R—In your spare time Read everything that you can about UC so that you have more educated conversations with your doctor.

But the other R is also to Read about other stories and those who live with UC. Remember that we're not alone and that almost one million other people live with IBD.

O—Go Outside whenever you can. Living with a vitamin D deficiency has made it difficult especially when I'm tired to stay inside. So I try to go outside for a few minutes each day just to feel the sun on my face.

And W, Walk or Workout. I have a rescue greyhound and we go for walks around the neighborhood. I have found that this helps reduce my stress and also helps me stay in remission.

I hope that these tips are helpful for you not only to remember to live in the moment, but to look forward to tomorrow.