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Let me set the scene. It’s four days before I’m supposed to leave for a three-and-a-half-week "backpacking" trip to Southeast Asia with my best friends. My mind is filled with what I am going to wear in Bali and deciding if I should use a smaller backpack. Then, at 5:30 p.m., my phone rings. Who’s calling? To my surprise, it’s the doctor. I answer, hoping to finally get good news from my colonoscopy. Instead, I end up sobbing uncontrollably when he tells me I need to cancel my trip. Excuse me—what? I ask him what he means, still trying to process what he just said. He blankly says, “I highly recommend you cancel your trip or postpone it for six months.” In my head, I’m thinking this doctor must be out of his mind, crazy. Cancel my trip? Four days before I leave?

After hours of hysterical crying and trying to wrap my head around the words ulcerative colitis, I ultimately decided not to go on the trip. But that didn’t mean I accepted the fact. I happened to drive past LAX the day my friends were flying out, and the second I saw a plane in the sky, the tears came—full-on waterworks. Ask anyone who knows, and they’ll tell you that I still would've hopped on that plane in a heartbeat!

What is ulcerative colitis? You’ve probably only heard about it from TV commercials—because that's the only place I heard about it. Basically, UC is an autoimmune disease where your body mistakenly attacks your colon, thinking something’s wrong, even when it’s totally healthy. Even though Google classifies UC as “rare,” about 200,000 people are diagnosed with it every year. So, not that rare. There are thousands of us trying to figure out how to live normal lives while managing painful flares and frustrating symptoms.

As a 22-year-old girl with big plans to travel during my gap year, hearing that I couldn’t leave the country for medical reasons felt like the end of the world. But a month later, I’ve come to terms with the fact that maybe my doctor was right. Not going to Asia might’ve actually been for the best. Through my diagnosis, not only have I received the news that I need a yearly colonoscopy but I’ve found a new love for cooking and baking—Nara Smith better watch out.

This newfound passion comes from wanting to avoid relying on daily enemas or progressing to injections and steroids for the rest of my life. After feeling completely lost, I turned to the random cookbooks we had lying around the house. Ironically, the introductions in several of them shared stories of chefs diagnosed with UC at 22, who traveled while experiencing moderate symptoms to be hospitalized abroad because their symptoms intensified. Exactly that state I was in when the doctor called. Reading about their experiences made me feel a little more at peace with staying home and gave me hope that I could control my symptoms through food.

I know every health guru says “food is healing,” but now I’m the next to vouch for it. Before UC, I wasn’t eating fast food or overly processed meals, so being told I had to clean up my diet was confusing, I didn't know what else I had to change. Turns out, foods like sweet potatoes and gluten-free pasta, which I assumed were helping me, were actually making things worse. Since shifting my diet, I’ve noticed a real difference. My energy is back, my symptoms have nearly disappeared, and I’ve even started tapering off my medication, with my doctor's help. I’ve realized I can still enjoy the foods I love! Sure, I’ve had to give up wine, matcha lattes, and pizza, but now you can find me in the kitchen recreating dishes I used to love. For example, one of my favorite meals, Short Ribs, are now fully SCD/AIP approved-- paired with mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes (which, shockingly, was delicious). And because I'm just a girl and always have a sweet tooth, I followed it up with lemon glaze cookies. Who knew an elimination diet could actually be fun? Cooking has become not just a stress relief outlet, but a way to take back control. Maybe I’ll even start adding recipes on here… stay tuned.

Don’t get me wrong; while I have discovered control, there are definitely new challenges I now need to consider. I always have to know where the nearest restroom is, I need at least eight hours of sleep, I actually have to deal with my emotions, I can’t enjoy a drink with my friends, and I can continue to complain... But for now, this is my (temporary) reality.

If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past few months, it’s this:

1. You have to advocate for your health. No one else is going to do it for you. You know your body better than anyone.

2. When something feels off, don’t wait. Go to the doctor. Don’t put it off for months like I did, hoping it’ll just go away.

3. Nara Smith, watch out.

xoxo,

Giulia

PS. Mark my words I am going to be more consistent on here. I also re-downloaded TikTok :(