#184 - Crohn's and Colitis Impossible To Heal? He Did It Naturally — and Now Helps Thousands Do the Same

How He Reversed Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis — and What It Teaches Us About Healing Anything with Dane Johnson

What if the thing that almost killed you became the reason you truly started living?

In this episode, I sit down with Dane Johnson, founder and CEO of Crohn’s Colitis Lifestyle and the creator of the SHIELD Program — a holistic system that’s helped thousands of people around the world reverse inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms and rebuild their health, naturally.

Dane’s story reads like a medical miracle — but what makes it powerful is how repeatable it is. After nearly dying from Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, multiple hospitalizations, and a laundry list of failed medications, he turned his healing into a blueprint for anyone with chronic illness who’s ready to stop managing symptoms and start reclaiming their life.

We unpack what he discovered along the way:

🔥 The mindset shift that turned his healing around — and why it starts with what you stop doing, not what you add

🌿 The spiritual, emotional, and physical work required to rebuild the gut from the inside out

🥑 What “low risk, high reward” strategies actually look like for gut healing

⚡️ Why he believes self-empowerment is more important than any supplement, protocol, or lab test

🧠 How the same habits that heal disease also build longevity, vitality, and joy

💡 What the SHIELD framework really means — and how you can start applying it today

This conversation isn’t just about Crohn’s or colitis — it’s about reclaiming power in a world that’s told you to outsource it. If you’ve ever been told your condition is “manageable” but not “reversible,” this episode will give you new hope, a clear plan, and a reason to believe your body isn’t broken — it’s just waiting for the right instructions.

⏰ Timestamps:

02:00 – The early signs of IBD and what doctors got wrong

05:00 – “Common sense medicine”: what Dane noticed that experts missed

07:00 – Root cause vs. root causes: the functional medicine shift

09:30 – Why healing disease and optimizing longevity are the same process

11:00 – The spiritual side of recovery: humility, joy, and rediscovering balance

18:00 – The first step to healing: what to stop doing before adding more

20:00 – Walking toward a smile: how to find joy in discomfort

23:00 – Building your foundation: what Dane’s 90-day “cook everything” rule taught him

27:00 – How to make progress without perfection — and why small wins matter

33:00 – Low-risk, high-reward strategies for gut healing

35:00 – Emotional healing, nervous system regulation, and digestion

36:00 – Vitamin D, magnesium, and foundational nutrient support

38:00 – The real goal: becoming self-empowered over your health

42:00 – The SHIELD Program: what it is and who it’s for

50:00 – Final thoughts: your body isn’t broken — it’s brilliant

🔗 Resources & Links (As An Amazon Associate I Earn A Small Commission From Qualifying Purchases At No Extra Cost To You):

• Dane Johnson’s website: https://crohnscolitislifestyle.com/
• SHEILD Program: https://crohnscolitislifestyle.mykajabi.com/shieldprogram?el=website
• Seed oil card to take to restaurants: https://www.seedoilcard.co/products/seed-oil-card

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer:

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.