so inspiring! i can't wait to check out marisa's site and learn more about her cooking!!

I love this story.  My husband has Crohn’s Disease and since going vegan 3 years ago he has never felt better.  He hardly ever takes his medications and might go of them completely soon.  We need to spread the word that a vegan diet can pretty much cure anything!

Brought me to tears...I'm so happy for her. I have UC and got a lot better on a mainly raw vegan diet of fruits (mostly bananasmoothies) and veg juices, some veg soup, but am still struggling after 2-3 years. I might (slowly) switch to this, if there's no healing progress soon. Thank you so much for posting :)     

Thank you for this! 

I am 23, and my entire life I have had a horrible stomach. I've battled horrific diarrhea and intense stomach pains the past year and I've seen two gastroenterologists and an allergist. I would lose 10 pounds in a week. Last month I was told they were 99% sure I had Crohn's Disease, especially because I have Hashimoto's, another autoimmune disease. Being medicated for that already and for severe acid reflux, I was not looking forward to more medication. I went for a colonoscopy and endoscopy last month so they could confirm their suspiscions of Crohn's, and somehow I don't have that or UC. I just have 'severe IBS'. I've been vegetarian for a year and it was great for the first few months and then I had severe flare ups. Not until last month (when I cut out eggs and dairy - still battling dairy, it's been hard for me) I have had NO symptoms. My doctor was amazed last week when I had almost no inflammation and said she recommended vegan diets for UC and CD, but many people don't take it seriously. I have never been more thankful for a supportive doctor.

People have a hard time believing how good vegan diets can be for your body, and hopefully your story (I'm going to share it with a non-believer friend) can help people understand. Thank you more being such an inspiration!

I am so happy for you! You look so alive now! I am on a gluten free diet, so, believe me, I know how diet does matter!

What an inspiring story and video. I love that she didn't give up hope and I would do the exact same thing.

Conventional medication only masks symptoms; it doesn't cure it.

Natural is the way to go :)

That is so amazing and inspiring.  I am lucky to have been blessed with no health problems so far hopfully I can conquer them before they start.  I wish her the best of luck in all she does!

Thank you so much for sharing this!  I have a similar experience, I was diagnosed with chrohn's disease and healed myself with a macro diet as well!  here's my story:  http://www.ahouseinthehills.com/crohns-disease/2012/1/16/sarahs-experience-with-crohns-disease.html  i am so hopeful that we can prevent so much suffering by sharing these painful stories, that people who are sick find hope and start down the road to having their healthy life back!

This was so wonderful and inspiring. Like many of the other ladies, I have had friends and close ones be diagnosed with this ailment and many others. Like she said, change isn't easy, especially when we're fighting culturally built and nurtured behaviors. It feels as if we're going against our very cores by changing our diets and it's so difficult, but sometimes wonderful things like this can blossum. 

This was so inspiring and I can't wait to check out more. 

This is one of the most powerful success stories I have ever read.  I had tears running down my face by the end of it.  You are truly inspirational my dear!  You definitely made lemonaide out of your lemons.  Bravo!

www.veggiegrettie.com 

We all need to become advocates for a whole plant based diet because the medical establishment fails to address the cause of some of the most profitable diseases. Well-meaning physicians are being misled along with most other people.

It's time to speak up for people who needlessly suffer from diet related diseases.

Great to hear about others who have successfully managed digestive issues with diet. I went vegetarian almost exactly the same time I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (at age 16). I had no idea it would help, just intuitively I knew meat was hard for me to digest and I also got very grossed out by it. I went vegan 6 years later (7 years ago) and I credit my dietary changes to having been able to maintain remission for over 13 years. 

I did a 3-part series on my website about IBS, IBD and Diet discussing some research and some of the things I've learned through trial and error over the years. Hope someone may find it helpful - http://www.spotlightonhealthyliving.com/ibs-ibd-and-diet-part-i/

Truly inspirational.  I'll be sending this to my sister who suffers with gastritis.  

Thank you for posting this. Not only is my name also Merissa, but I also have had Ulcerative Colitis for many years. It is a nasty disease that is a struggle everyday. I am a vegan and that has helped me tremedously with energy, however my disease still flares evern with my clean diet. I will have to try macrobiotics and see if that makes a difference.

My story is so similar to this one! About 10 years ago, ai was diagnosed with IBS and GURD and it was so bad that I was put on multiple medications. I was sick so often, I had to quit my job. it was horrible! Then I decided to stop seeing doctors and went to a nutritionist. She helped me to see food as midicine and I was on the road to recovery in less than a month