Feeling Confused About What to Eat with Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Let’s Clear That Up Together
Living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been a journey filled with both challenges and learning moments. One of the hardest aspects of managing IBD for me, and I know it’s the same for many of you, is the constant confusion about what to eat. Some days, everything feels fine, and then suddenly, one wrong choice can trigger a painful flare-up. I’ve been there. I know the stress of trying to figure out which foods are safe and which ones might set you back.
As a dietitian who also lives with IBD, I’ve learned a lot about how our bodies react to certain foods. And one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to managing IBD with diet. What works for someone else may not work for you, and that can make things feel even more confusing.
But here’s the thing: You don’t have to navigate this alone. Together, we can figure out a personalized approach to eating that makes sense for your unique body, your symptoms, and your lifestyle.
Why Is Eating with IBD So Confusing?
When I first started dealing with IBD symptoms, I was overwhelmed with the conflicting advice I was getting from different sources. When I was diagnosed almost 15 years ago, my physician told me that diet doesn’t make a difference in managing my disease. Then I was told to avoid all fructose. Years later I read on the internet to avoid all fiber; the next day, I read I should eat more fiber to support my gut health. Every dietitian, doctor, and online forum seemed to have a different opinion. This confusion and lack of nutrition research in IBD is what inspired me to become a dietitian, which you can read more about here.
The truth is, there’s no simple answer because IBD affects everyone differently. Some people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis find relief from certain foods while others can’t tolerate them at all. It’s this uncertainty that often leads to confusion, frustration, and even a sense of hopelessness when it comes to eating.
How I Overcame the Confusion Around Food and IBD
I’ll admit it—figuring out what to eat wasn’t easy. I went through countless trial-and-error phases, cutting out foods that I thought were triggers and reintroducing them one by one to see what my body could tolerate. I tried the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Low FODMAP Diet, GAPS, Paleo, Gluten-free diet, Dairy-free diet and more. This trial-and-error process took more than 5 years to work through, but it helped me learn a lot about my own digestive system and how it reacts to various foods.
I quickly realized that IBD nutrition is personal. What works for one person might not work for you, and that’s okay. My diet is very different from someone else’s with IBD, and it took me a while to understand the right balance of nutrients, food textures, and meal timing that works for me.
Some of the key things I’ve learned along the way include:
- Small meals are easier for my gut to handle than larger ones during a flare-up.
- Avoiding certain high-fiber foods or intact fiber foods during flare-ups helps reduce irritation.
- Keeping track of my symptoms and food intake has helped me identify patterns that I might have missed otherwise.
- Nourishing foods like bone broth, cooked vegetables, and easily digestible proteins help support my healing.
Most importantly, I learned that I am in control of my health and that finding the right eating plan for me is worth the time and effort.
How Personalized Nutrition Can Help You Manage IBD
It’s frustrating to try to figure all of this out on your own, and the confusion can make you feel even more disconnected from your body. But that’s where personalized nutrition care comes in. As someone who’s living with IBD, I can offer guidance that’s rooted in both science and my own experience.
Through personalized nutrition counseling, we can work together to:
- Identify your specific triggers: I can help you understand which foods or food groups may be causing flare-ups or irritation in your gut.
- Create an individualized nutrition plan: Based on your symptoms, lifestyle, and food preferences, we’ll craft a plan that works for you—not for anyone else.
- Support your gut healing: I can guide you toward healing foods and meal strategies that support your digestive health, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.
- Provide ongoing support: As IBD is a chronic condition, I understand the importance of having someone to check in with regularly to adjust your plan based on changes in your symptoms.
Let’s Take the Guesswork Out of Eating for IBD
If you’re tired of feeling confused about what to eat with IBD and you’re ready to take a more personalized approach, I’m here to help. Together, we can figure out a nutrition plan that works for your body, your symptoms, and your lifestyle.
No more guessing. No more frustration. Just practical, science-backed advice from someone who understands exactly what you’re going through.
Schedule an appointment with me today, and let’s get started on creating a plan that helps you manage your IBD and feel confident in your food choices again.