Today's Woman Now July 2018

Eat

YOUR WAY THROUGH JULY DO YOU HAVE AN

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE?

Her restaurant makes Southern vegan food!

REAL ESTATE

ADVICE

JULY 2018

Today’s Woman / July 2018

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contents JULY 2018

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spotlight 6 WHAT WORKS

What Dazzles in Ashley Davis’ world

6 WHAT SHE’S READING, WATCHING

She’s on a Quest to Strengthen Her Mind

20 features

10 TURNING POINT Thinking Possibility

10 PASSIONS

Tailoring Her American Dream

30 FOOD

8 WHAT I AM WEARING

Mac and Cheese without the dairy please

32 TRAVEL

She Goes Anywhere She Wants to Go

34 LOVE ABOUT Her Top Five Beauty Products

36 SURVIVAL SKILLS How She Promotes Peace

Eclectic and Vintage

12 Home! Finding It and Making It Yours Buying a house and creating your home.

20 Eat Your Way Through July

15 delicious ideas for eating good this summer

38 Autoimmune Section

Read full stories online at TodaysWomanNow.com Search with the person’s name in the story.

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July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Find out the basics about autoimmune diseases and why many women are diagnosed with it.

Today’s Woman / July 2018

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SIX THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

ABOUT US RIGHT NOW

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We have new paper.

(Feel the cover and notice the easy-to-read paper!)

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We have a new Today’s Woman nameplate.

(Check it out!)

EDITOR Tiffany White tiffany@todaysmedianow.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Lucy M. Pritchett NEW ONE

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OLD ONE

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We have pop-up giveaways on our Facebook page this month — follow us to keep up. @TodaysWomanNow

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e are a woman-owned W local company who cares and is invested in so many areas of the community.

And, as always, our mission of this magazine — To inform, to inspire, and to encourage.

Kristina Addington, owner of the vegan food truck called V-Grits, says she has found a way “to convince people that they can still enjoy all of the flavors and textures of the food they are used to eating, but in a way that is a little more healthy and compassionate.” The 2014 winner of Cutthroat Kitchen will be opening a vegan restaurant at the end of the summer. Find out more about what she is doing on page 30.

Photo: Melissa Donald Makeup: Emily Roberts, Strandz Salon & Threadz Boutique July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

DESIGNER/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jill Cobb jill@todaysmedianow.com DIGITAL DESIGNER/EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Aubrey Hillis aubrey@todaysmedianow.com PHOTOGRAPHER/PHOTO EDITOR Melissa Donald melissa@todaysmedianow.com OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Scheri Stewart Mullins scheri@todaysmedianow.com INTERN Morgan Price intern@todaysmedianow.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Susan Allen susan@todaysmedianow.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Rachel Reeves rachel@todaysmedianow.com SENIOR MEDIA CONSULTANTS Teri Hickerson teri@todaysmedianow.com Joyce Inman joyce@todaysmedianow.com MEDIA CONSULTANT Deana Coleman deana@todaysmedianow.com CIRCULATION MANAGER W. Earl Zion

ON THE COVER:

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Miranda G. Popp miranda@todaysmedianow.com COPY EDITOR/SR GRAPHIC DESIGNER April Allman april@todaysmedianow.com

We have amped up our Instagram account.

e have combined all our efforts W under Today’s Media. We are bringing our 26 years of expertise to offer new options in reaching this community.

PUBLISHER Cathy S. Zion publisher@todaysmedianow.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anita Oldham editor@todaysmedianow.com

We have a new design of our website — We can’t wait for you to hang out with us at TodaysWomanNow.com

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JULY 2018 | VOL. 28 | NO. 8

Today’s Woman is published monthly by: Zion Publications, LLC 9750 Ormsby Station Road, Suite 307 Louisville, KY 40223 Phone: 502.327.8855 todayswomannow.com The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the publisher. Today’s Woman magazine does not endorse or guarantee any advertiser’s product or service. Copyright 2018

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Today’s Woman / July 2018

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WHAT DAZZLES IN ASHLEY DAVIS’ WORLD

By Lucy M. Pritchett Photo by Patti Hartog

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magine spending your days surrounded by dazzling diamonds, sparkling sapphires, and precious metals of gold and silver. Welcome to the world of Ashley Davis, vice president of Davis Jewelers.

Her job entails using her left brain when she is buying new items or replenishing inventory and keeping up with trends in the jewelry business.

Then her right brain gets a workout as a custom jewelry designer.

Ashley says she shops new collections or extensions of collections six months in advance.

What appeals to her creative side is working with clients and coming up with custom designs. With CounterSketch, a CAD computer program, she can build a 3D design on the screen with the client. “Custom work has become more mainstream. It’s not as price prohibitive and involved as it used to be and doesn’t take as long. The bulk of custom work is reuse, repurpose, redesign. I can create something fresh using existing stones from the client’s piece that may have been inherited. People seem to enjoy the process. And, it’s my creative outlet.”

SEARCH: Elizabeth TammingaCounts

Dr. Liz knows that information is constantly changing, and the old way is the outdated way. “If you want to help people get healthy, you better know what’s going on in the world. I’m trying to constantly learn.”

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July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

HERE'S WHAT WORKS FOR ASHLEY: CounterSketch CAD program I use this every single day. It is a program specifically for jewelers that paints a pretty picture for the client with a 3D image of what a custom piece of jewelry is going to look like. I can show the client how the piece would look by changing the stones, rearranging the position of the stones, changing the color of the metal, the width of the band, and so on. I can even show the position of the ring on a male or female hand and what it would look like on different fingers.

Pampered Chef food chopper It may be just as easy to dice up things with a knife, but I don’t enjoy that. I can take out some of my frustrations by using the chopper’s plunger. It’s very loud. I use it especially when I make tuna fish to cut up the celery, eggs, carrots, and green peppers.

It was a wedding gift from 10 years ago. Of all the kitchen gadgets, this is the one I couldn’t live without.

SEARCH: Ashley Davis

What She’s Reading and Listening To

By Keri Foy Photo by Sunni Wigginton

A chiropractor in Louisville’s Middletown area, Elizabeth Tamminga-Counts believes if you aren’t feeding your mind, it’s not getting stronger. But like most of us, she does have her guilty pleasures — listening to Taylor Swift and binge-watching The O.C. on Netflix.

favorite. “Dr. James Sigafoose is one of the greatest chiropractors ever,” she says.

Listening to? Besides an ear for all things T. Swift, Dr. Liz jumps on weekly conference calls through her work. Dr. Liz owns Middletown Family Chiropractic with her husband of close to three years. The company is part of the MaxLiving network, which offers information-sharing conference calls to its chiropractors. “Run with your pack — you want to surround yourself with like-minded people.”

Currently on her to-read assembly line is MaxLiving’s newest book, Align Your Health, and The Kindness Challenge by Shaunti Feldhahn. “The Kindness Challenge is a 30- day program to improve relationships whether with a friend, spouse, or parent.”

Dr. Liz listens to lots of chiropractic podcasts, such as Revelation Health, but SigTalks is her

Reading? Dr. Liz is in the habit, which she does not recommend, of reading several different books at the same time. “I start one, then pick up another. I go back and forth.”

She’s also reading, if you can call it that, The Five Minute Journal. It prompts readers to note the things for which they are grateful.

“You don’t focus on the one bad thing that happened in the day — you think about the other great things that happened.”

WHAT SHE IS WEARING THIS MONTH SEARCH: Makayla Staudenheimer

Styling and Photo by Aubrey Hillis

“It’s often said about shopping that you never find what you need when you look for something specific, and you find the best things when you aren’t looking,” says MAKAYLA STAUDENHEIMER. “I live by that. With thrifting, I never know what I’m going to find, so I always find something unique,” adds the Oldham County Arts Center director and drama teacher.

SELF-DESCRIBED STYLE: If I could only choose one word, it’d be “eclectic.” I gravitate toward earthy, rustic, and bohemian styles...and of course my all-time favorite, Southwestern. And as of late, I’m obsessed with anything vintage, particularly ’80s and ’90s fashion.

HOW DID YOU PIECE THIS OUTFIT TOGETHER? I rarely buy clothes with the intention of pairing them with something else. Each time I get dressed, I like to create new outfits, and this was the result of one of those days.

WHY YOU CHOSE THIS? The shirt is my absolute favorite color, plus I love embroidered detail. The overalls are back in style, and the light wash is perfect for summer. The shoes give it the perfect spunk to top it off. Sandals would’ve been too predictable.

WHY THOSE ACCESSORIES? I love the outdoorsy, yet dainty feel of both the earrings and the necklace. I thought this outfit needed a touch of femininity.

MAKAYLA IS WEARING: Shirt: APT. 9, Goodwill, $4; Shoes: Bearpaw, St. Vincent DePaul Thrift store, $8; Necklace: unknown, Goodwill, $2; Earrings: unknown, Wayside Christian Mission Bargain Center, $1; Overalls: Mossimo, Goodwill, $6.

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July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Today’s Woman / July 2018

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HER TURNING POINT

THINKING POSSIBILITY

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ince childhood Jasmine Ivy has had the heart of an entrepreneur.

“My mom was an artist, and her friends would come over, and I would try and sell them one of her pieces. ‘Would you like to buy this for $5?’ Of course they always said yes, and then my mom would buy it back from them.”

Jasmine, who has a 16-year background in business marketing and sales, has been a reporter, worked for a publishing house, a hospitality furniture company, a jeweler, and for various CEOs in Silicon Valley. “But I’ve always had a side hustle. I was always looking for the next business to start.”

Jasmine began studying the Law of Attraction — the belief that you take responsibility for your life and your thoughts and with that comes possibility.

Cue: Jasmine’s Turning Point “In January 2017, I combined my business background with the principles

of Law of Attraction, and I started as a business coach focusing on women entrepreneurs. Now I am able to help women discover how fear is stopping them from reaching their goals and step into their own power.”

Last August, Jasmine and husband Ryan and their 2-year-old son Elliott moved to Louisville.

As a small business mentor and abundance coach for women, Jasmine offers online courses, Women of Woo retreats, and a Facebook group.

“The women I have worked with have completely changed their lives and are doing what they want to,” Jasmine says.

“I am proof that when you change the way you see your life, your life changes.”

By Lucy M. Pritchett Photo by Patti Hartog

SEARCH: Jasmine Ivy

“Words have so much power. That’s when it clicked that reminding women of what they can do or what they can be was important to me.” Jasmine has a free High Vibe Guide: A workbook for wildly passionate women who feel stuck, on her website jasmineivy.com.

Tailoring Her American Dream

By Bella Portaro-Kueber Photo by Aubrey Hillis

Walk in the door of this business woman’s storefront, and you step into the thick of a sewing shop where you are greeted and your tailoring begins within minutes.

Sherry Yang, owner and operator of Image Maker Sherry’s Alterations, is living out the American dream. To get to where she is, Sherry immigrated to the U.S. and worked in a few restaurants and at a male clothing store, where she managed clothing alterations. She realized she didn’t receive the same alteration requests as from her clients in Taiwan, because everyone in Taiwan is “mostly” the same size, Sherry says. “Americans come in all shapes and sizes.”

“When you see clients thriving in clothing you helped them with, it makes you feel good about the work you do,” Sherry says. “I develop such a strong relationship with my clients that I’ve been to their weddings, pageants, and I receive messages of gratitude just because I take the time to know who they are outside of my shop. The more I know them, the better I am at making sure they are pulling the look they want into their personal and professional lives.”

Her success is heard within the sounds of her shop at 9800 Shelbyville Road in Louisville — from clients sharing their lives with her as they’re fitted to the light whisper of the sewing machines.

She is living her American dream.

SEARCH: Sherry Yang

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July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

Sherry (right) works on an alteration with one of her employees.

HOME!

Finding It and Making It Yours

TK Wismer’s remodeled Butchertown Victorian’s outside space is calming. TK is a freelance designer with one core belief about Living Beautifully: always leave things looking a little better than you found them. This mantra applies to every detail in her recently remodeled home. (A future issue will feature this entire home.) Photo by Melissa Donald

W Find more help from our home advertisers: W*R Realtors: wrrealtors.com (p. 13 and 15) Screens of Kentucky: screensofkentucky.com (p. 15) Kentucky Select Properties: kyselectproperties.com (p. 17) Living Spaces by Lyn: livingspacesbylyn.com (p. 19)

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July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

hen you are on the hunt for a home in this seller's market, you need to know what you are looking for and be ready to get the right house. Having good professionals on your team can make the difference.

FINDING A HOME

Sometimes if you can’t find the perfect house, you have to add to one.

She Created the

Ultimate Crafting Space

By Megan M. Seckman Photos by Melissa Donald

Teri’s maker space is the largest room in her house Teri Gutermuth’s craft space features a white and black base, with lots of storage and color added as accessories.

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eri Gutermuth has just created a dream space that even her 10-year-old self would love. Imagine walls decked in giant pink poppies.

A work table that could accommodate a dozen of your friends. And rows and rows of crafting gadgets, paints, glitter, paper, string, markers, stamp pads, and ink in every color known to woman. It is a crafter’s paradise, and one glimpse of its greatness instantly took me back to my childhood. This is “Teri’s Makery,” and in the chaos of crafting, organization reigns here.

Teri is a professional maker with over 24,000 followers on her two Facebook pages, Cricut Easy Press and Urban

Maker. She began this addition to her house last March to contain her plethora of craft supplies that were spilling from her spare bedroom in Floyds Knobs. Her brand new craft studio now provides enough space to host crafting classes and artist spotlights, record product reviews and demonstrations for YouTube, hold creative outreach programs for atrisk populations, and house her endless inventory.

Teri’s gateway to crafting began 18 years ago after the birth of her son.

She entered the world of scrapbooking because she was drawn to paper and design. Now, her stockpile of paper and scissors, glue guns and state of the art PAGE 16>>

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FINDING A HOME

“I call my style Farmhouse Glam.”

“WE LIKED THE FACT THAT WE WERE STILL JUST A FEW MILES FROM ANY MAJOR SHOPPING BUT HAD THE FEEL OF BEING IN THE COUNTRY. SINCE MOVING IN WE HAVE MADE A 2000 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION AND TWEAKED A FEW THINGS TO MAKE IT OUR OWN, BUT ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT THIS IS OUR FOREVER HOME.” — Teri Gutermuth

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<<PAGE 14 die-cutting machines, has found a fabulous home in the new addition, alongside a hidden, Star Wars-themed home theater system and a new bathroom. The maker’s space, though, is the biggest space in the house and is inspired by her designer’s eye.

“Ever since I was a kid I have been obsessed with office supplies,” Teri explains.

“I started scrapbooking because of my love for paper and because I’m very particular and aesthetically oriented. I don’t like symmetry; I like things bold and modern and eclectic, but I’m attracted to order. I call my style Farmhouse Glam.”

Everything in Teri’s Makery begins with a white or black base — a blank canvas. She is attracted to the clean lines and contrast of black and white. The walls, cabinets, worktables, ceiling, and porcelain tile floor are stark white, and two black accent walls help create the sharp contrast. Then comes the color. Pink is most definitely her favorite — it parades throughout the room in the bold floral patterns on the curtains and in the paintings arranged asymmetrically throughout. Gold lettering adorns the rows of black cloth baskets, labeling what lies inside. In here, everything has its place: the supplies, the black, white, and pink, and the glam.

Terri still enjoys scrapbooking but has expanded her repertoire to card making, jewelry, weaving, and recently, heat-vinyl work. Creating helps Teri live beautifully.

July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

“It is therapeutic for me. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I finish a craft. I don’t make things for the process, I make them for the end result. Even if all I do is throw it in a drawer when I’m finished, I know I’ve made pretty things. And then I clean everything up.

I can’t work in chaos, so when I walk in this room I want to say ‘ahh, a fresh canvas!’”

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FINDING A HOME

ADVICE FOR HOME BUYING ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES SOME HOME BUYERS MAKE IS NOT SEEING A HOME’S POTENTIAL. WALKING INTO A HOME THAT HAS DATED WALLPAPER OR A PAINT COLOR YOU DO NOT APPROVE

I BOUGHT MY FIRST HOUSE WITHOUT A REALTOR IN 1999. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES IN NEGOTIATIONS, INSPECTIONS, AND MORTGAGE OPTIONS.” — Susannah Stevenson, WR Realtors

OF DOES NOT MEAN THE HOME WILL NOT MEET YOUR NEEDS. YOU MAY NEED SOME VISION TO SEE WHAT IT COULD BE WITH THE RIGHT FINISHES AND YOUR PERSONAL TOUCHES. MAKING YOUR HOME UNIQUELY YOURS IS PART OF THE FUN OF HOME OWNERSHIP. — Ann Broderick, Semonin Realtors

Louisville has a lot of great neighborhoods. Determining your neighborhood may be based on the proximity to your work or the walk-ability to restaurants and shops or the architectural features you admire. Whichever area you choose, you should take the time to drive through the neighborhood at different times of the day to get acclimated to your potential new surroundings. Learn the routes to work or school and visit the local shops.

Once you are set on a neighborhood, you will need to get your finances in order.

— Ann Broderick, Semonin Realtors

When considering neighborhoods, the most important questions buyers should ask themselves are: 1) WHERE DO THEY LIKE TO SPEND TIME? 2) WHAT DO THEY LIKE TO DO? 3) HOW FAR ARE THEY WILLING TO COMMUTE TO DO THOSE THINGS? — Laura Rice, Kentucky Select Properties

Every buyer should ask for documentation regarding the average monthly cost of utilities. Many buyers do not consider the cost of utilities when looking at the overall expenses of home ownership. Asking for utility information can also uncover potential defects, such as an HVAC problem or water/sewer line problem, which a home inspector could not detect. Buyers should also not be afraid to ask follow-up questions regarding the seller disclosure or home inspection report. The more information, the better! When I purchased my last home, I made it a point to ask if anyone had ever died in the home. Kentucky does not require disclosure of death in a home, but it was important to me, so I did not hesitate to ask. Homes are usually the biggest investment you make, so you should not be shy about asking about the things that matter to you.

— Laura Rice, Kentucky Select Properties

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WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES SOME PEOPLE MAKE WHEN SEARCHING FOR A HOME? Using Zillow and HGTV as the only sources for information. The best source for real and up-todate information is hiring a local realtor who specializes in the areas where you want to live.

— Susannah Stevenson, WR Realtors

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DRY AGED RIBEYE l at Brooklyn and the Butcher

There is a science to preparing a good steak, and Executive Chef Kendell Sheppard has nailed it. The 18-ounce dry aged ribeye steak goes through a 60-day aging process, which is the origin of its intense flavor. The beef is placed in a temperature-controlled chamber for 30 days. Next, the steak is vacuum-sealed and aged underwater for 30 additional days. To prep the steak, Sheppard seasons it using Butcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blend seasoning, which includes: kosher salt, smoked paprika, white pepper, granulated garlic, ground fennel, and ground coriander. Before grilling the steak, he sears it to create a crust around the steak and lock in moisture. The end result is an extremely juicy steak with a bold, complex taste and a hint of nutty flavor.

+ 148 E. Market St., New Albany, Indiana, 812.590.2646

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Eat Your Way T H R O U G H J U LY

By Tiffany White and Morgan Price Photos by Melissa Donald

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his month, take a delicious journey to local restaurants and discover mouthwatering foods and desserts you won’t be able to resist. Our exploration takes you from meats to treats, PAGE 22>> healthy and exotic.

l CARROT LOX

at Flora Kitchenette If you aren’t a fan of salmon lox, try Flora’s vegan version — carrots with cultured cashew cream cheese and capers served on a gluten-free bun from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe, a local allergy-friendly bakery. The carrots are steamed until they are soft and then marinated for three days. Or try the avocado toast, which is a delectable blend of mashed avocado and olive oil topped with heirloom tomatoes served on a gluten-free bun.

+ 1004 Barret Ave., 502.742.3843

l ICE CREAM

at Louisville Cream The English Toffee Fudge ice cream, served in a pretzel cone, is every dessert lover’s dream.

The high fat percentage of the grass-fed local dairy Louisville Cream uses makes the ice cream ultra creamy.

+ 632 E. Market St., 502.882.1516

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<<PAGE 21

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Dessert First

COOKIE SANDWICH at Louisville Cream

Brace yourself: this mega cookie sandwich is nothing close to the ice cream sandwiches you’ll find at the grocery. Pick the type of cookie and ice cream you want and be ready for a heaping mouthful of goodness. The Funfetti cookie, loaded with white chocolate and sprinkles, is paired with Vanilla Two Way ice cream. For a cookie sandwich variation, try the salted chocolate chip cookie or peanut butter cup cookie.

Or, change the ice cream to the Royal Chocolate or Bourbon Smoked Pecan. For a taste like no other, try one of the 11 housemade ice cream flavors, such as Salted Butter Caramel in a house-made waffle or pretzel cone. Out of those 11 flavors, Louisville Cream offers eight rotating flavors to keep your dessert experience interesting.

+ 632 E. Market St., 502.882.1516

l BOURBON CARAMEL

WITH BACON DOUGHNUT at Hi-Five Doughnuts

You won’t look at doughnuts quite the same after you bite into this crunchy, sweet creation. Leslie Wilson and Annie Harlow have put a new spin on the classic doughnut by merging unlikely foods and ingredients together that just work. This brioche style doughnut — made in-house without preservatives — is topped with applewood smoked bacon and a bourbon-based glaze that will excite your palate. Side note: Consider the Buttermilk Chicken Doughnut sandwich.

+ 1011 E. Main St., 502.409.5584 PAGE 24>>

at Cocoberry Pops

Cool off this summer with this sweet and sour treat. The Strawberry Lemonade popsicle found on the Fruity Pops menu is a year-round favorite. Made with only four ingredients — fresh strawberries, lemon juice, organic cane sugar, and water — this popsicle is a refreshing treat that is also guilt-free. Sweet strawberries bought fresh from the market are combined with the lemon juice and simple syrup, and then bagged and frozen. Side note: After you buy your seventh popsicle, you get one free!

+ 323 W. Woodlawn Ave., 502.822.3227

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PISTACCHIO BRONTE

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STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

at Gelato Gilberto

The pistachios, harvested every two years and grown in volcanic soil in Bronte, Italy, give this gelato its authentic, bold flavor.

Kristin and Justin Gilberto have 24 flavors of handcrafted gelato and sorbetto using milk from JD Country Milk in Russellville, Kentucky, and fresh fruits and herbs. To achieve the smooth and creamy taste, the gelato is kept in a case at a temperature of 8 degrees. Also, unlike ice cream, gelato doesn’t have as much air whipped into it, which contributes to its creaminess. Some of the other popular flavors include: Raspberry Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Goat Cheese, and Fig.

+ 9434 Norton Commons Blvd,

Prospect, Kentucky, 502.423.7751

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<<PAGE 22

LAMB CHOPS

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Meat Lovers

at The Fat Lamb

The simple method Dallas McGarity, owner of The Fat Lamb, uses to prepare his lamb chops makes the flavors shine. They are seasoned with salt and pepper, then seared on a flat iron grill. The chops are served with sauteed garlic broccolini, eggplant capanota, and a tzatziki yogurt sauce sprinkled with sumac powder.

+ 2011 Grinstead Drive, 502.409.7499

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TEXAS STYLE SLOW SMOKED BEEF BRISKET at Jucy’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Q

The distinctive taste of Jucy’s tender beef brisket comes from the hickory wood used to smoke the meat for 16 hours. The meat, which is hand-rubbed with onion, salt, paprika, sugar, and garlic, can be topped with tomato-based barbecue sauce. You can choose from multiple side items including: potato salad, cornbread, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, pinto beans, and green beans. After you’ve filled up on a hearty meal, save room for Donna’s Cherry Delight.

Named after its creator Donna Hiltzman, co-owner of Jucy’s, this cherry cobbler will delight your taste buds.

+ 7626 La Grange Road, Peewee Valley, 502.241.5829

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<<PAGE 24

Exotic Eats JARRETE DE CERDO

at Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant

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You will savor every bite of these tender white wine pork shanks served with creamy mashed potatoes and carrots, as the nice blend of celery, onions, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and oregano gives the meat a good flavor. If you’re a fan of seafood, try the Mejillones al Sofrito.

These blue mussels are sauteed in a creole tomato and red wine sauce topped with fresh cilantro and served with bread.

+ 320 Pearl St., New Albany, Indiana,

Mango Salmon

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812.944.9760

at Simply Thai

This dish is a summer go to. The salmon is pan-seared to a light crisp on the outside while still tender on the inside and paired with diced zucchini, tomatoes, and mangos that are drenched in the spiced cream curry. The spice of the curry mixes with the soft and sweet flavors of the mangos sending your taste buds into a delightful tizzy. The Simply Thai menu allows people who have certain food allergies to customize their meal to their needs. Some alternatives are vegan and gluten-free.

+ 323 Wallace Ave., 502.899.9670

PAN-FRIED RICE NOODLES at Roots Restaurant

Two words. Fried Noodles. This savory Vietnamese dish is a combination of crispy pan-fried rice noodles, seasoned vegetables, tofu, and brown sauces. All ingredients at Roots are organic without any genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Owner Huong “CoCo” Tran has been a vegetarian for 20 years. She says that everyone at her restaurant is like family. Guests have the option to sit on pillows placed on the floor. Huong says she strives to make her food healthy, affordable, and delicious. With almost everything on the menu under $10, eating at Roots won’t break the bank, either. In a hurry? No problem. Attached to Roots is another restaurant called Heart and Soy. Huong described this restaurant as featuring more of a Vietnamese street-style food.

+ 1216 Bardstown Rd., 502.452.6688

at Brasserie Provence

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RED RUBY TROUT

What you see is what you taste. Guy Genoud, owner of Brasserie Provence, serves classic French dishes that allow you to taste the natural flavors of the main ingredient.

The pan-seared trout is served with sauteed haricots verts (green beans), herb fingerling potatoes, and a white wine lemon almond shallot caper butter sauce. The quality and freshness of the fish coupled with the right blend of ingredients makes it one of the best selling menu items — but don’t stop there. Try the Cast Iron Mushrooms seasoned with butter, shallots, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Once you start eating them, you won’t be able to stop.

+ 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy, 502.883.3153 PAGE 28>>

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<<PAGE 26

PULLED PORK SLIDERS

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No-Meat Eats

at Morels Cafe

This vegan restaurant has proven it can make tasty food without the extra frills. For their summer menu, Trevor DeCuir, kitchen manager, says they try to prepare comfort foods that have a lot flavor but not tons of fat. Soy curls, derived from non-GMO soybeans, are the main ingredient of these deceptively delicious and filling sandwiches. If you aren’t vegan, this dish might convert you or at least broaden your food horizons.

The sliders are topped with red onions and a tangy mustard coleslaw served with a side order of cider braised bacon kale. For a gluten-free alternative, the barbeque can be served on a corn tortilla. Side note: You must try the Philly cheese steak fries topped with steak bits (aka soy curls), peppers, onions, mushrooms, and house-made cheese sauce (psst … the cheese sauce is made from carrots and potatoes).

+ 619 Baxter Ave., 502.409.5916

VEGAN CHEESE at V-Grits

Kristina Addingtion opened V-Grits food truck after she won The Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen cooking competition show. V-Grits cuisine is vegan southern comfort food. The most popular food is their vegan cheese, made from scratch using cashews.

“Cashews are fatty and creamy, and they make the perfect cheese substitute,” Addington says. Raw cashews are soaked overnight then pureed into a thick cream. Then they are seasoned to get the cheddar flavor. The Classic Loaded Mac comes with barbecue jackfruit, which is similar to pulled pork but made with fruit. (Learn more about Kristina on page 30.)

+ VGrits.com l

POWER BOWL

at InWave Restaurant and Juice Bar You can create your own power bowl using fresh vegetables, legumes, grains, beans, soy chicken, or soy beef.

With over 1.5 million food combinations, your meal options are endless. The power bowl shown here is a mixture of brown rice, garbanzo beans, cabbage, kale, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower sprinkled with tumeric, and soy chicken. The sweetness of the mango lemongrass sauce topped with coconut bacon and pepita parm adds a nice, balanced taste to the dish. The plant-based restaurant also offers gluten-free buns for sandwiches or burgers and gluten-free flatbread crust for its pizzas.

+ 10310 Shelbyville Rd, 502.916.2177

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Mac and Cheese

WITHOUT THE DAIRY, PLEASE

Being vegan doesn’t mean you’re limited to eating lettuce sandwiches.

Kristina Addington is scheduled to open her brick-and-mortar V-Grits restaurant at the end of the summer. Her food is vegan Southern cuisine.

By Tiffany White Photos by Melissa Donald

F

or Kristina Addington, transitioning to a vegan lifestyle is about more than what she eats: it’s about self expression. Her ever-changing

bold hair color and bright My Little Pony tattoos symbolize Kristina’s carefree, happy attitude — and she is adding a colorful spin to the vegan food she prepares as owner of V-Grits. “I think people tend to see it [veganism] as a restrictive lifestyle, but I feel the opposite. It lets me be who I really want to be and talk to people about all of the benefits of being this way. It made me realize that my own personal values are more important to me than what other people might think.”

Her passion for vegan food led to the opportunity of a lifetime. “I’ve always loved to cook,” says Kristina, who has been a vegan for 12 years. After spending a couple of semesters at Sullivan Culinary Institute and working for a nonprofit animal welfare organization,

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she took a big step. Kristina applied to be a contestant on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen on a whim. Each contestant is given $25,000 to either spend helping themselves or to sabotage their opponents. Not only did she win, but Kristina earned the distinction of being the first plant-based chef to ever win.

She used her prize money to buy a food truck and named her business V-Grits, an acronym for Vegan Girl Raised In The South. Southern cuisine is V-Grits’ specialty, and its loaded mac and cheese is one of the most popular dishes on the menu.

Kristina has been operating V-Grits as a food truck since 2014, but has been looking to open a restaurant for two years. Finding a location had been an uphill battle until Shawn Steele, one of Kristina’s friends who wanted to open a brewery, came up with a solution. “We decided to go in together, and within two months of talking to him we found the location we are in now,” she says.

V-Grits the restaurant, scheduled to open at the end of the summer, will be located on Barret Avenue in the former Monkey Wrench building. Kristina says the restaurant will have white tile along with a comfortable, sleek atmosphere.

“I want people to feel like this is somewhere they would enjoy hanging out.” Although V-Grits and False Idol Independent Brewers will be operating as two separate businesses in the same building, the layout of the space will look and feel like one business.

Kristina says she is looking forward to including healthier, whole food plantbased meals on her menu and plans to offer more fresh, hearty salads, vegetable-based entrees, and lighter options.

She is also excited about taking her business to the next level. “My favorite thing is working with people face to face and with a food truck we had that.

“I love to talk about if they are vegan or if they are interested in eating vegan, and opening a restaurant will allow me to be able to keep doing that.”

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woman / July 2018

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SOLO-WOMAN TRAVEL:

She Goes Anywhere She Wants to Go

By Megan M. Seckman

I

n a few short weeks, Kate Bringardner will embark on her second solo international travel experience, and she wants to spread the news.

“A single female can go just about anywhere she wants to go.

The beauty of traveling alone is that there is no one to tell you that you shouldn’t do something.

You learn to rely on your own instincts. Women have a heightened sense of awareness anyway — it goes with the territory of being a woman — the same common sense pertains to travel. Be aware of your surroundings, but be willing to take a little risk, even if it means ordering something off the menu you have never heard of.”

“Learning to step back and breathe, consider your options, and find the humor in the situation is invaluable.

I learned to realize that a bad day in Italy is still better than a bad day at home. I learned to live by this mantra: expect nothing, enjoy everything.”

WHAT TO PACK • “A great pair of stylish and comfortable shoes; something you can dress up or down like a pair of metallic flats.”

• “ A lightweight pashmina is worth its weight in gold! It keeps your neck warm, adds a pop of color, and dresses up the same black outfit you wear all the time.”

Photo submitted

•A denim jacket and a stylish raincoat.

•A great shoulder bag with a smaller clutch for the evenings.

• “ Pack light. You will wear the same basic outfits every day. I still pack one dressy-dress, just in case, but everything else is usually black with a pop of color.”

TRAVEL ON A BUDGET Kate’s first piece of advice is to shop around for cheap flights. Kate spent months finding affordable flights. She refuses to pay over $600 for a plane ticket, so she always searches for three to five destinations with flexible dates. In April, Kate returned to Italy on a flight purchased for $470 round trip!

In order to save on accomodations, Kate uses Airbnb and finds rentals for around $60-80 per night with a kitchenette, so that she can prepare some meals. She recommends, especially if you are a repeat customer, making connections with the rental owners. For her return to Italy this spring, Kate contacted the owner directly and was able to secure a discount. Being a memorable guest always helps — Kate packs little bottles of Kentucky bourbon, bourbon balls, and Louisville postcards as gifts to pass out to her new-found connections.

Travel within the region is inexpensive. Kate says she could travel between Italian cities with a $50 plane ticket. She’s also rented a scooter to ride up and down the Amalfi Coast (with absolutely no prior experience, adhering to her own advice of learning to take a few

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•A great pair of sunglasses (to be purchased abroad as the perfect souvenir).

•A big coffee mug and instant coffee if you are traveling to Europe. Drip coffee was hard to find, so Kate liked to fill up her mug in the Airbnb to start her mornings.

•S tock up on feminine products before you go. A box of tampons in Italy cost 24 Euros (that’s about $19!).

risks), and has traveled by train. Above all, Kate says we shouldn’t be afraid to negotiate. Just ask, “Can you give me a better price on this?” Most of the time, Kate says, they do.

ON STAYING SAFE “Trust your gut on who to engage with. Meeting people is an important part of travel, so just know when to disengage. Don’t feel like you have to be nice to everybody,” Kate suggests.

“When you go out alone, at least I noticed in Italy, no one automatically assumes you are available. I could go

out and be comfortable in my own space without being approached. Men came up to me on the street, but not at a bar or restaurant.”

Her last piece of advice for staying safe abroad, is, no matter where you go, find an Irish Pub. “They are convivial and lively and you can have a cheeseburger and a conversation in English if you get homesick.” (You can also follow her at @katebvocal on Instagram).

SEARCH: Kate Bringardner

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HER TOP FIVE BEAUTY PRODUCTS Story and photo by Miranda Popp

At 12 years old, Carley’s mom told her that if she wanted to wear her hair a certain way, then she would have to learn how to do it herself. This put Carley Randall on the path down Style Lane and has led to her success as a bridal concierge.

During her early 20s, friends would ask her to do their hair on their wedding days. She graduated from Empire Beauty School on Chenoweth Lane while working at Rebecca’s Wedding Boutique. Carley now does both hair and makeup full-time, specializing in special events and weddings.

Carley Randall’s Top 5 Beauty Products: • L’Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara • BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector • La Mer Translucent Powder • Beautycounter Caramel Blusher (perfect for lips, eyes, and cheeks) • Kristin Ess Working Texture Spray • Her mantra: “Women shouldn’t be afraid to enhance their natural beauty through makeup.”

SEARCH: Carley Randall

check out our

NEW WEBSITE TodaysWomanNow.com New look. New feel.

Same love for 26 years.

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l To keep her own hair looking fabulous, Carley washes it every four days, styling as needed with a curling iron each day. (Her tip is to move the hair part over a bit each day to keep it looking fresh.)

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woman / July 2018

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How She Promotes Peace

By Holly Hinson Photo by Patti Hartog

C

ory Lockhart, a teacher, writer, public speaker, and peacemaker, has visited and performed on-theground human rights and charity work in a number of countries. At the foundation of all she has done is an emphasis on peacemaking and service to others.

This philosophy has driven the 45-year-old down a career path that includes ministry, speaking, writing, and spiritual teaching for children and adults, with a focus on social justice and nonviolence.

FIVE THINGS CORY SAYS WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE PEACE BY PRACTICING NONVIOLENCE

• Finding our commonalities. Pursuing

•

•

•

•

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conversations with people different from yourself is hugely important, and those conversations don’t start with ‘I believe this’ but rather, ‘Where are you from? What did you like to do as a child?’ Find the universality in our human experience.

Really trying to stand in someone else’s shoes. This person may see the solution to a problem in a vastly different way than I do. I think, how did that person get that perspective, and if I lived this experience, would I feel or act the same way?

U sing our means, whether it be time, talent, or treasure, to support causes. It’s about offering what you have.

S ustain ourselves as we help to sustain others. When I was at Standing Rock someone asked me what I was there for, and my immediate thought was ‘I’m here to tell people to rest.’ It seems minimal, but it’s wildly important. Self-care is a practice of peace building.

Community building work. Whether it’s a work community, faith community, or club. It’s just allowing ourselves to see what it can look like when we care for each other. For years, I’ve had a monthly potluck with friends who didn’t all know each other and connections can be made. There is so much divisiveness now, so build something different. There is so much power in being around a table sharing food and gathering in conversation.

July 2018 / TodaysWomanNow.com

SEARCH: Cory Lockhart

“What is mine to do?” is the question Cory says she continues to ask herself. I see myself as this vessel. I have all this goodness coming in, but I can’t hold it.

It’s got to flow through me. If I can do that, I would encourage other people to allow that too. What we have we have to share, and hopefully that’s goodness.”

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woman / July 2018

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AUTOIMMUNE

About 20 percent of the United States’ population suffers specifically from autoimmune diseases, a ccording to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association.

While both men and women can get an autoimmune disease,

about 75 percent

of those affected are

women.

WHY DO SO MANY WOMEN HAVE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE?

By Victoria DeWilligen

W

ith an autoimmune disease, the body attacks itself instead of going after something harmful like an infection. Endocrinologist Lara Fakunle explains, “Autoimmune disease is a condition in which your body is fighting itself. The cells of the patient for some other reason are serving as an antigen and stimulating an immune response. I always describe it to my patients like your body has a civil war against its own self.”

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AUTOIMMUNE << PAGE 38 Rheumatologist Lisa June explains it very similarly, also likening an autoimmune disease to an internal war.

“Your soldiers that are there to fight infection — those white blood cells that are meant to help against the virus or the bacteria that get in the system — instead they start attacking your team.

They start to attack other cells in the body, just like friendly fire in the military.”

As to why more women have these diseases than men, the answer isn’t very clear. “There are some different theories,” Dr. June says. “One theory is that estrogen may leave people more predisposed to certain autoimmune inflammatory diseases, but we know that’s not the full story, because sometimes kids get it and sometimes old men get it. So we see some connection, but it’s not absolute.” There are also some theories that the male Y chromosome is somehow more protective against autoimmune diseases, but nothing has been absolutely proven.

As of right now, no one fully understands why so many more women than men are suffering from these — Dr. diseases.”

Many other factors besides gender can also contribute to someone having an autoimmune disease. Genetics can leave some people predisposed, while others may accidentally trigger a disease with illness or certain medications. “Things that have been most concrete have been certain drugs that can set off things, like drug-induced lupus,” Dr. June says. “And there have been all sorts of infectious diseases that they’ve looked at as possibly a trigger to set off the immune system in the wrong way.”

Other factors such as pesticides and diet have been looked at as possible triggers, but the research is not conclusive.

As for trying to prevent this type of disease, there’s not much anyone can do to avoid an autoimmune disease.

Eating well and taking care of your body can help to slightly lower the risk, but

generally there’s not much to do once the immune system decides to go rogue.

“A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices will help,” Dr. Fakunle says, “but it is different from other health conditions like diabetes — when eating well and regular exercises may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

It’s not that straightforward. There are multiple factors.”

Symptoms that are present with an autoimmune disease can vary greatly.

“It really depends on the disease and on what part of the body is affected.

There’s no one symptom,” Dr. Fakunle says. Some diseases may come with obvious symptoms, while others can be much milder and harder to spot.

According to Dr. June, “Some of our diseases can be dramatic. For example, some people with rheumatoid arthritis can go to bed feeling well and wake up unable to get out of bed.

“But there are a whole lot of people who have milder symptoms.

For example, there’s one autoimmune problem called Sjogren’s syndrome, and that can cause dry eyes and dry mouth.” With such variation in symptoms, Fakunle it’s imperative to pay attention to your body and anything that may seem off. Dr. Fakunle and Dr. June agree that being consistent with routine physicals and bringing up any recurring or constant symptoms with your doctor is very important.

Having or being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease can be frightening, but it’s not something to panic about.

“There are things people can do once you have a diagnosis,” Dr. Fakunle says.

“There are always things you can do to stay healthy, including be in compliance with whatever medication has been recommended.” It’s also important for anyone who has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease to realize that there are many other people dealing with the same issues. “Realize you’re not alone,” Dr. June says. “Knowing you’re not alone is important.”

“A BALANCED DIET AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES WILL HELP.”

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FIGHTING MS Kathy McDonald, a multiple sclerosis patient, first noticed signs of MS in the form of numbness in her feet, a sensation she says felt like she was standing in snow.

“What happens with MS is usually they do an MRI to see if there are any lesions in the brain, and what I’ve learned through the years is that the lesions are in an area of a function. Whether it’s your speech, coordination, your sight, your hearing, it can affect anything you do,” Kathy says.

Kathy was diagnosed in 1998, and several years and several medications later, she has achieved remission through the use of more natural treatments.

“I said, ‘Well, if I start to get symptoms I can always go back on some kind of med. I know my body, and I don’t want to be on that powerful drug,’” Kathy says.

After nearly eight years in remission, Kathy’s holistic approach to her autoimmune disease has been very effective in controlling her symptoms. She focuses on eating a clean diet, walks three to five miles every day, takes vitamin supplements, and maintains a positive spiritual outlook on life.

“The greatest physician of all is God…There’s an acronym I try to follow, J.O.Y., and how to really have joy is to put ‘Jesus’ first, ‘Others,’ and then ‘Yourself,’ and that has proven to be the best philosophy for me,” Kathy says. “I refuse to be a victim…I try to look at the positive side of things.”

Be part of The Misters for MS to raise month for MS on July 26.

See page 45.

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woman / July 2018

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AUTOIMMUNE

“Inflammation is present in all autoimmune disorders.

It’s a common factor,” Dr. Roach says.

“What’s not always recognized is that the inflammation is the result of an impaired intestinal track and hormonal imbalance. Those are the two primary factors that I find in my practice.”

FINDING DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO AUTOIMMUNE

By Emily Gahafer

A

utoimmune diseases are coined the invisible illnesses of the medical world. Every day seemingly healthy people experience symptoms such as joint and muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, brain fog, and more. These diseases, which manifest themselves in a number of forms in a number of locations throughout the body, are largely incurable. But with each passing year, medical developments provide increased treatment options and sometimes remission.

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AUTOIMMUNE << PAGE 42 With autoimmune diseases, the you eat healthy foods you’re going to our hormones are out of balance our body is essentially fighting itself due have healthy bacteria, and if you eat immune system tends to react adversely to confusion between good and bad processed, high-sugar foods then that and we tend to have more inflammation proteins in the body. In an individual is going to promote harmful bacteria in our body.” Dr. Sweat says. “A lot of without autoimmune disease, the body that are more inflammatory. Whether autoimmune diseases, when you look at can recognize bad proteins and send you get enough sleep or not influences when they tend to occur or manifest in antibodies to fight them. In patients your whole system because if you don’t patients, are often correlated with times with autoimmune disease, however, the get enough sleep, you’re in ‘fight or of hormonal change.” body mistakes good proteins for bad flight.’ Your adrenaline kicks in to According to Dr. Sweat, autoimmune proteins and attacks the good, causing help you get through the day, and that diseases can also manifest in times of inflammation in the affected area.

Dr. James Roach, a Unexplained weight Diarrhea and/or practicing physician gain or weight loss constipation for over 30 years, spent the first 20 years of his Hair loss Sleep disturbance practice using traditional Overstimulation Fatigue treatment methods such As autoimmune disease becomes more Anxiety as medications to treat his Breast tenderness common, it is important to monitor your patients. After learning More intense PMS Migraines health and keep an eye out for common signs more about how these and symptoms.

Women are especially prone Bloating medications worked and Carbohydrate cravings to autoimmune disease because of their high their risks, he began Brain fog Irritability levels of estrogen. If you notice any of the practicing integrated following symptoms, contact your doctor.

A

ches and pains in medicine at Midway Center joints and muscles for Integrated Medicine using natural methods of treatment.

“Inflammation is present in all suppresses hormones and weakens extreme stress. She was diagnosed with autoimmune disorders. It’s a common the intestinal lining that allows not Graves’ disease during medical school, factor,” Dr. Roach says. “What’s only those inflammatory food proteins which she says was one of the most not always recognized is that the to get across, but allows toxins in the stressful times in her life. inflammation is the result of an intestinal tract to get across. Physical Dr. Sweat starts her treatment plan impaired intestinal track and hormonal activity helps you lose weight, and with a full hormonal and nutritional imbalance. Those are the two primary losing weight reduces the number of fat evaluation looking at factors such factors that I find in my practice.” cells, which reduces the conversion of as diet, exercise, sleep patterns, and According to Dr. Roach, estrogen has testosterone to estrogen. I also think complete biometrics, which offer a been found to promote the development spirituality is important because we glimpse into inflammation in other of autoimmune disorders, but spend so much time worrying, and if parts of the body. testosterone is a natural we get spiritually grounded, we Diet plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory and don’t spend as much time management of autoimmune disease anti-autoimmune worrying and suppressing and in some instances can aid in gaining element in our our immune system.” remission. One of Dr. Sweat’s patients bodies. Dr. Roach Dr. Lori Sweat of committed to a full Keto diet to treat relies on changes Integrative Hormone her rheumatoid arthritis, completing in diet, vitamin Specialists, also multiple rounds of Whole 30. At her and hormone focuses on treating next appointment, Dr. Sweat was balance, exercise, the body using natural amazed by the progress she had made adequate sleep, using diet alone, even to the point methods, some of and stress that she was able to stop taking her which include hormone management to medication. replacement, vitamins, treat his patient’s “Diet is really, honestly where and diet. Dr. Sweat treats — Dr. Sweat autoimmune disorders. the money is. I start with a basic a number of autoimmune “[Patients] want to take elimination diet,” Dr. Sweat says. diseases, but she is especially a comprehensive approach, “In my opinion, a paleo diet is a very interested in treating thyroid which would include nutrition and simple, very accessible elimination disorders such as Graves’ disease, eating a whole food, plant-based diet because it eliminates three major because she has it herself. diet,” Dr. Roach says. “The types of food groups which cause a lot of “Our hormones in general promote foods you eat influence the types of inflammation, immune reaction in good immune function and anti bacteria in your intestinal tract, so if the gut, which then causes systemic inflammation in our body, but when

COMMON AUTOIMMUNE SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN

·

·

· · · · · · ·

· · · · · ·

“OUR HORMONES IN GENERAL PROMOTE GOOD IMMUNE FUNCTION AND ANTI INFLAMMATION IN OUR BODY...”

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AUTOIMMUNE << PAGE 44 immune activation. Those food groups are dairy, grain or gluten, and beans. Our immune system starts in our gut, so when our gut is not healthy and it’s inflamed from being exposed to proteins which cause breakdown of the gut wall, our immune system starts reacting to pretty much everything we put in our gut.”

With the rise in autoimmune diagnosis, new treatments are being discovered and implemented every day. According to both Dr. Roach and Dr. Sweat, low dose Naltrexone, while not a new drug, is becoming more popular in autoimmune treatment.

“Years ago there was a researcher who started using very low doses of Naltrexone in HIV and cancer patients and found that very, very low doses — one to five milligrams a day — modulate certain immune system cells and help to reduce and calm our immune system when it’s overactive,” Dr. Sweat says. “It’s now been researched heavily in MS and Crohn’s disease and has been particularly promising in Crohn’s disease at reducing disease activity by modulating and down regulating the immune system.”

According to Dr. Sweat, there are other, more innocuous therapies such as cannabinoids and CBD oil that can aid in the control of autoimmune disease.

Dr. Roach is hopeful that with continued research of the intestinal microbiome, more treatment options will become available.

“As we learn about all of these bacteria and their roles in our health and learning how to manipulate those to get the best ones on board and get rid of the harmful ones, that will be huge,” he says. “Genetics will play a role because when we identify which genetic mutations are at play, there are nutrients that are cofactors in helping to improve production of the proper protein, therefore lining up nutrients with the associated genetic mutations can have a big advantage.”

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THIS WRITER’S EXPERIENCE WITH CROHN’S DISEASE At age 16, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation to my digestive tract. Crohn’s can cause inflammation in any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the rectum. This inflammation can prevent food from passing through the digestive tract and nutrients from being absorbed properly. This results in a pain that I often describe as feeling like someone is wringing out my stomach like a washcloth.

Living with Crohn’s disease has not been easy. I have been on countless medications and am currently on Stelara while working on changing my diet, trying to listen to my body, and eliminating foods that may be causing more inflammation. My lack of nutrient absorption causes an extreme amount of fatigue in my daily life.

However, I am somewhat lucky in my experience with this disease.

My grandmother has Crohn’s disease as well. Growing up going to her house every day after school gave me a glimpse into what living with Crohn’s could look like. I was prepared. Unlike most Crohn’s patients, I do not have to deal with an extreme amount of pain on a daily basis.

While I do still have inflammation, my body does not manifest that in the form of constant pain, something I am very thankful for. I do not deal with extreme weight fluctuation, hair loss, or frequent sickness as many Crohn’s patients do.

While living with an autoimmune disease is difficult, it puts life into perspective. I’m lucky to wake up most days feeling good enough to go about my daily routine. I value my experiences and the people around me knowing that while I may have a reduced quality of life, I am here and I am grateful for that. I strive to raise awareness for autoimmune diseases in any way I can. Living with an invisible disease is tough, and while you may feel like you are alone, you have an army of supporters and fellow warriors standing by you.

— Emily Gahafer

LIVING WITH LUPUS At the age of 23, Kara Kuykendall began noticing joint pain and swelling in her hands, feet, and knees as well as a butterfly rash, which formed across her cheeks. As symptoms continued to escalate, she began losing an excessive amount of weight and clumps of hair, had uncontrollable fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Doctors came to the conclusion that Kara was suffering from lupus.

Soon after her diagnosis, Kara was hospitalized for 30 days, during which she went into kidney failure and heart failure. This hospital stay was followed by six months of chemo treatments to gain control of the lupus and ultimately attempt to gain remission.

Today Kara is amazed at the amount of progress her body has made since her diagnosis. She manages her autoimmune disease in a number of ways including medication, diet, exercise, and adequate sleep. While she does not find that diet makes a significant difference in terms of managing lupus, she strives to live a healthy lifestyle to maintain the rest of her body.

“I don’t want to jinx myself, but day to day I feel 100 percent back to normal. I do notice probably that I get a little bit tired, but it doesn’t slow me down. For a little bit it was very cumbersome, and it did really affect my daily life, but now that I have it seemingly under control I don’t really see the effects of it at all.”

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AUTOIMMUNE

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS SOLUTIONS Penny Sobolewski was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2002, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints.

“They say it’s not a medically proven fact, but I can tell you when the weather is going to change,” Penny says. “When I can’t even move my hand and my knuckles are swollen, I know something is coming. Spring and the dead of winter are the worst times.”

DIETARY CHANGES HELP

By Ashli Findley Photos by Melissa Donald

I

t was a little over two years ago when Molly Owens was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease and intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. When gluten is consumed, the body attacks itself, resulting in the malabsorption of nutrients, malnutrition, and damage to the small intestine.

“I had been sick a lot, on and off for about eight months,” Molly recalls. Her most dramatic symptoms were weight loss and a complete loss of appetite.

She finally scheduled an appointment with a gastroenterologist.

Since then, much of the 30-yearold’s diet has evolved through trial and error. She has learned what works for her and continues to try various glutenfree brands to add to her diet.

When asked about dinner, she raves about the quantity of restaurant options

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Louisville has to accommodate people with Celiac Disease. “So eating out has been really nice.”

Molly says the change to her diet has made her “feel a million times better.”

In addition to the symptoms previously mentioned, she dealt with heartburn and “was also really, really tired all the time. It (Celiac Disease) also really affects you emotionally and mentally.

I was very moody and irritable. Within the first week or two of switching, that was gone. It was like I had a fog hanging over me. Once the diet was switched, I just felt so much better.”

She encourages others who are diagnosed with Celiac Disease to not get down about having to make the dietary change. “At the end of the day, they’re going to feel so much better once they’ve been on the diet. It’s so worth it, and it’s worth the extra expense.”

For about 12 years Penny took a medication called Remicade, meant to target and reduce the inflammation in her body and in turn alleviate pain.

Unfortunately, while these medications can dramatically increase quality of life with an autoimmune disease, many of them are accompanied by any number of potential side effects. Penny experienced a severe reaction causing anaphylactic shock, closing her airways, and causing her to lose consciousness.

After this experience, she switched to a medication called Embrel with no issues. In conjunction with the medication she exercises three days a week, eats a clean diet, and makes sure to manage stress levels.

“It’s a disease that can be managed,” Penny says. “A little bit of pain is inevitable, but if you stay active, stay on your medicine, and take care of yourself you can live with it and nobody really knows you have it. The key, I can’t stress enough, is exercise. Working out is the best thing to do.”

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