Hi. I’m Joel Sprechman. I am a patient, scientific engineer, integrative nutritionist, health advocate, and healing-path pioneer in IBD. Like many of you I suffered from debilitating pain, fatigue, brain fog, low to no appetite, severe weight loss(and gain!), malnutrition, rectal bleeding, anemia, joint pain, a bad case of the runs(extreme urgency) and a countless list of other IBD and IBS symptoms.. despite being on numerous IBD and IBS medications.
My passion for solving tough problems started at a very early age, inspired by my father and university professors. I graduated from State University of New York at Buffalo with a BS in Engineering(Deans’ List) and Computer Science. After graduation I spent the next 15 years serving the United States by working for the leading defense technology companies. I was an integral member of the design and troubleshooting team, managing the hardware division of a mission critical program under the United States Intelligence Community.
I’ve participated in numerous clinical trials, traveled across the globe for treatment, raised a great deal of money in search of a cure and led Yoga, Meditation and Mindset Empowerment exercises at Crohn’s and Colitis fundraiser events.
After traditional and alternative medicine methodologies were unable to effectively treat my Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Arthritis, I became a medical researcher, health scientist, and treatment engineer driven by a quest to reverse my failing health, and well-being. I used my systems approach problem solving skills of complex engineering systems that I learned on computer hardware and applied it to the human body. Skills such as differential diagnosis, organization, detailed and analytical thinking, creativity and the ability to work long hours under pressure for an “attaboy” and pizza 🙂
After nearly losing my colon and almost fatally succumbing to IBD, I started my journey to educate myself and empower others on integrative and functional curative treatment modalities.
A big part of my healing was believing my diagnosis, but not my doctor’s predictions.
As my journey led to the healing of my own IBD, I committed to sharing my story, experience, and expertise around the world with people affected by digestive disorders, and their families.
I have spent the last 18 years researching the best treatments and lifestyle changes for IBD and IBS conditions. I’ve dedicated my life to help others with IBD find long term flare-free remission. I know this is my purpose, why I am here on earth.
In 2014 I founded what I believe to be the first, and largest Integrative Crohn’s And Colitis Support Group. We quickly grew to over 100 members and last I checked was over 200 members. That experience was immensely gratifying and meaningful.
In 2016 I volunteered at a camp specifically for children with IBD. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
Recognizing my calling was to serve at a higher level I decided to play a bigger game.
On August 16, 2016 I founded One Great Gut, from my bathroom, to continue my research and expand my contribution to the global Crohn’s and Colitis community through education, collaboration and live events. One Great Gut is incorporated as a Public Benefit Corporation focused on the quadruple bottom line or ‘People, Planet, Purpose and Impact” approach. As a recognized thought-leader and highly sought-after speaker, I have been featured on TEDx, KPBS, NPR and numerous health summits, documentaries and podcasts.
I served on the IBD Community Advisory Panel for Qu Biologics who are at the forefront of a paradigm shift in medication. Rather than blocking or stimulating a single receptor or pathway their SSIs aim to restore the body’s normal immune response.
In 2017 I hosted the Crohn’s And Colitis Summit which has so far been seen by 19,356 attendees from 120 countries.
My Mission
A big part of my drive and determination is hearing how both my parents escaped war torn Europe during WW2 and came to the United States as refugees. My parents’ journey to seek freedom ingrained in me how important personal freedom is including the freedom to make informed medical and lifestyle choices.
I knew my symptoms were real even though Doctor’s shrugged their shoulders not knowing how to help as my labs looked normal to them. I knew all my symptoms were somehow interconnected. I felt that there must be Lifestyle factors that contributed to my condition. I felt that other’s must have figured this out before me. I knew there had to be ways I could make myself feel better and get well again. I knew wearing diapers was not a long term solution. There must be ways to stop the progression and turn my chronic disease from getting worse to a chronic disease that gets chronically better. I’ve been generously offered surgery over a dozen times, even though I knew lifestyle intervention would likely alleviate that need. I asked myself, what can I do as a person with this condition to give myself the best possible life? What can I do with this experience to help others in a similar situation?
One Great Gut Non-Profit Partnerships
For 2016 and 2017 we partnered with six Non-Profits. We donated a percentage of every purchase towards Crohn’s And Colitis Foundation Of America, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, Crohn’s And Colitis UK, NORML, and World Hunger Program.
For 2018 and 2019 we are proud to announce partnerships with Warrior Wellness Solutions and eFundYourHealth
For a dozen years, I supported the Department of Defense as both lead and field application engineering contractor before my UC forced me to resign. I am proud supporter of the non-profit who empower the mental, physical, and spiritual health of our nation’s warriors, and their families. Here’s a short one minute video about The Gift Of Wellness from Warrior Wellness Solutions. 97% of their finances are allocated to program expenses for warriors, and their families.
eFundYourHealth is the only crowdfunding solution to match donations for alternative medicine. To learn more about eFundYourHealth, read this blog post I wrote.
A percentage of every purchase from One Great Gut Public Benefit Corporation will be donated to these two non profits. At the end of each year I will report to you how much we donated.
Lifestyle interventions are often ignored by mainstream medicine.
Interventions such as eliminating pathogens, addressing nutrient depletions, reducing sensitizing foods, addressing adrenal function, reducing stress and other causes of inflammation and re-balancing your microbiome can help to improve symptoms, and even reduce or eliminate symptoms.
It is my sincere hope, if you have suffered from IBD Crohn’s Colitis flare-ups, constipation, loose stools, frequency, urgency, fatigue, hair loss, brain fog, weight management, dry skin, depression, muscle aches, anemia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, arthritis, pain, stomach aches, and the countless other symptoms, that your life will be changed for the better after implementing the research I’ve uncovered.
It can help you do what most doctors and most clinicians would consider impossible, to put IBD Crohn’s Colitis into long term symptom free remission!
To Your Health,
Joel Sprechman BS CC CL CHHC RYT RL-I
