Adorning broken ceramics with a lacquer mixed with powdered gold is part of a more than 500-year-old Japanese tradition that highlights imperfections rather than hiding them. This not only teaches calm when a cherished piece of pottery breaks; it is a reminder of the beauty of human fragility as well. Kintsugi comes from the Japanese words Kin (gold) and Tsugi (join), literally “join with gold”.

Ms. Nidhi Swarup was drawn to and strongly believes in Kintsugi, a concept that can be applied to any of us when we are emotionally or physically scarred, vulnerable, and imperfect. Having lived with Crohn’s disease for more than 10 years, she now wants to apply her various skills and experience to share with other patients.

Meditation, light exercises, eating foods that suit her body are some strategies that helped Ms. Nidhi.  In 2018, she was declared to be in deep remission with mucosal healing that gave IBD Specialists the confidence to take her off medication.