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When your scope looks great but your day still falls apart, something’s missing. We sit down with Dr. Dawn Beaulieu, a Vanderbilt IBD specialist certified in functional medicine, to unpack a root-cause approach that complements biologics and brings relief where patients feel it most: sleep, fatigue, bowel consistency, and energy.

We get specific about what functional medicine actually is—science-based, holistic, and individualized—then trace how Dr. Beaulieu integrates it into a busy academic IBD center. From the “functional medicine tree” and Five Rs to team-based care with dietitians and social workers, she shows how nutrition, hydration, and nervous system training shift the gut-brain axis. We talk real-world food strategies that work for sensitive guts, why ultra-processed ingredients and dyes upset the microbiome, and how to ramp fiber without misery. She shares outcomes from Vanderbilt’s group programs, where patients improved quality-of-life, sleep, and fatigue in about twelve weeks, with some showing lower fecal calprotectin.

We also tackle supplements with nuance: which nutrients many IBD patients actually need, how to choose third‑party tested brands, and why you can’t out-supplement a bad diet. Dr. Beaulieu sets clear lines on when medication is essential for moderate to severe disease, then explores where GLP‑1 drugs may help overweight patients alongside standard care. Access matters too, so we highlight ways to find certified functional medicine providers, piece together a local team, and use tools like HRV training and Nerva to build daily resilience.

This is a grounded, empowering roadmap for anyone stuck between “remission” and “feeling well.” If the goal is fewer flares and more life, these are the levers you can pull today—without abandoning the therapies that work. Follow the show, share this episode with someone who needs a nudge toward better routines, and leave a review to help more people find the conversation.

Links:

• Find a practitioner- Institute for Functional Medicine
• IBD Learning slides "Functional Medicine and Inflammatory Bowel Disease" with Dr. Beaulieu- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation USA
• Podcast with Dr. Beaulieu on FMP Essentials
• Podcast episode with Dr. Beaulieu on The Dr. Mark Hyman Show

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Remission rates don’t rise by accident—they rise when people, data, and purpose align. This week we were joined by our friend Becky Johnson Rescola, Executive Director and President of Improve Care Now (ICN), to unpack how a learning health network is transforming pediatric IBD care through shared data, quality improvement, and genuine partnership with families.

We trace ICN’s journey from ten centers in 2007 to a 100+ site network with a registry tracking over 33,000 active kids and young adults. Becky explains how consistent measurement and coaching improved remission rates, with growing emphasis on sustained and steroid‑free remission. You’ll hear a real-time example of change in motion: a shared decision-making tool piloted at eight centers to help families weigh adalimumab plus methotrexate, reflecting registry findings that combo therapy speeds remission with adalimumab but not infliximab. We also dig into how registry data supports off‑label insights, helps sponsors understand pediatric outcomes, and even flags potential trial participants through privacy‑preserving queries.

Beyond medications, we explore EMR integration with Epic to reduce data burden, targeted efforts to close gaps in race and ethnicity fields to spot disparities, and the network’s commitment to co‑producing resources with patients and parents. Becky brings the community to life through ICN’s conferences—scholarships, learning labs, and a welcoming vibe that empowers quieter voices to speak up and help set the agenda. From very early onset IBD and tailored transition to adult care, to smarter partnerships across GI and related conditions, the path forward is both practical and ambitious: make evidence usable, make participation easy, and make sure every child benefits whether or not they’re seen at an ICN center.

If this conversation sparks ideas or gives you hope, help us spread the word—follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next.

Links

• Improve Care Now's website
• ICN- Tools and resources for patients and parents

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A mouse who can’t eat cheese and an owl who loves her anyway—sometimes the simplest stories hold the biggest truths. We welcome author MB Mooney to share how The Mouse Who Couldn’t Eat Cheese grew from the life and legacy of Alex, a bright, owl‑loving kid who lived with Crohn’s disease and inspired a foundation, Beautiful Beyond the Pain. Instead of a medical explainer, MB wrote a friendship-first tale that helps children understand invisible illness, practice empathy, and see vulnerability as a path to connection.

We open up the creative process behind writing for kids and parents at once: crafting a title that hooks curiosity, choosing scenes that feel honest, and striking a tone that respects young readers without sanding down the hard parts. MB explains why children’s books are tougher than they look, how early readers—many without any IBD connection—found universal meaning in the story, and what it takes to put your heart on the page when criticism is part of the job. For aspiring authors in the chronic illness community, he shares a practical roadmap: draft freely, revise with audience in mind, find a writing group for accountability and critique, and build resilience for the inevitable one‑star review.

We also look ahead to future volumes featuring Alex the Owl, including a potential ADHD story drawn from MB’s family experience. Along the way we talk about making invisible illness visible, helping kids self‑advocate, and why every community benefits when friends learn to meet each other’s needs with flexibility and care. If you’re a parent, patient, educator, or creator looking for stories that heal and tools that help, this conversation is a warm, grounded guide.

If the episode resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—your support helps more listeners find thoughtful conversations like this one.

Links:

• MB Mooney's website
• The Mouse Who Couldn't Eat Cheese
• Camp Oasis- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation USA
• A longer interview with MB about his book- Adventures in the Heart of Children's Book Authors podcast

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