Getting a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis doesn’t always bring relief. There isn’t usually a deep exhale or a sense that things will now be miraculously fixed. For many people living with IBD, it can raise more questions than answers.
Unlike many other conditions, IBD is not something that is simply treated or cured. Symptoms can still show up unexpectedly, well after an official diagnosis, treatment or surgery. You might be told you’re in remission, that blood tests results have improved and scans are reassuring, yet you still live with abdominal pain, fatigue, food anxiety or changes in your bowels.
Nutrition advice provided around diagnosis may have held the expectation to just eat “normally” again, but instead you’re left navigating this on your own, questioning every food choice and searching for answers in a space where clear guidance is limited. This is where our accredited dietitians can help you filter the noise and focus on what actually matters.
It can feel deeply confusing and can often make you think; ‘Why do I still have pain if I am in remission?’ or ‘am I doing something wrong with my food choices if I keep experiencing these symptoms?’ or ‘why does no one actually explain how to actually live with this?’
A study from Jones et al (2025) explored the reactions, reality and resilience in adults with Crohn’s Disease and found that people living with Crohn’s disease struggle with getting answers about their condition, evoking sadness and stress about finding the “proper information.”
The study also discovered that information is often sought through online forums and social media to help feel less alone and manage intense feelings such as anxiety, loss of confidence and withdrawal from society. It can be natural to start searching for answers, especially as you try to gain control over your symptoms.
But oftentimes the mental load of hearing multiple opinions, especially around nutrition, is exhausting. Reading about other people’s strict food rules can make it feel like one wrong choice will trigger a flare. It can cascade into the need to constantly question food choices, track everything you put in your mouth and feel guilt when symptoms worsen
The stress that comes with constantly searching for the answers can actually make symptoms harder to manage. The lack of guidance on what actually matters with nutrition fuels the overwhelm that is highly common with navigating IBD. This is where a dietitian’s role isn’t about adding rules or restrictions, but to help you filter the noise, make sense of the conflicting information and focus on what’s most relevant to you.
If you’ve been struggling to find clarity with IBD, our gastrointestinal health support is designed for exactly this.
Nutrition doesn’t replace medical treatment and it won’t eliminate the unpredictability that comes with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. But when used mindfully, nutrition can support your body to make your day-to-day life feel more manageable.
IBD changes how your body can handle nutrients. The ongoing inflammation within your body can increase your nutrient needs, and absorption of these nutrients is impacted, even if you’re in remission. Symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, low appetite or weight loss can sometimes reflect deficiencies and are not always “just part of IBD.” This is where nutrition becomes less about putting in place food rules and more about understanding what your body might be asking for.
Nutrients such as vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc are most commonly affected in people living with IBD. They play important roles in regulating the immune system, supporting energy levels, healing and strengthening your overall gut health. Low levels of these nutrients can amplify existing symptoms and can make them feel more intense.
That’s where routinely checking these nutrients through blood tests can offer clarity for when symptoms can feel confusing. Working through this with one of our personalised nutrition programs can help you address deficiencies in a way that works for your body and your life. It can help separate what might be condition-related from what could be supported from a nutrition standpoint.
Nutrition will look different depending on where you are with your IBD. During flares, the goal of nutrition support is about managing symptoms and providing the body safety through nourishment. When inflammation is active, your gut can become more sensitive and tolerance to foods can narrow.
Choosing easy to digest foods such as low fibre foods are less likely to worsen pain, urgency and bloating, while also reducing the risk for obstruction. Opting for foods higher in energy and protein can help with tolerance, managing low appetite and potential weight loss.
It’s all about meeting your body where it is and not pushing it to do more than it can handle. During remission, attention shifts towards rebuilding, supporting long term health and reducing risk of future flares.
This is the time to gradually expand the variety of foods, address any nutritional deficiencies, focus on choosing foods that help you meet nutrition recommendations, while supporting both your gut health and quality of life.
It’s not about eating “perfectly,” but rather eating in a way that is nourishing and sustainable for living with IBD over time. Knowing the type of remission you’re in can make decisions around food feel more intentional.
Living with IBD can make you hyper-aware of the body, and that awareness can manifest into limitations around food, social events and daily routines. The reframe to help maintain a sense of normality around food is to choose from intention, not restriction.
Restriction is often driven by fear, whereas intention is driven by understanding. It can be a matter of reframing the need to restrict foods or avoid eating out to intentionally plan what you’re eating when attending social events to prevent pain, urgency or obstruction. Being mindful of what triggers you is not a weakness, but rather self-preservation.
Choosing safer foods, eating earlier or differently before events or knowing what foods are tolerated and not tolerated are skills of adaptation and a great understanding of your body and your IBD.
Avoiding complete restriction of foods can help protect nutritional status, and adequate nutrition is what supports healing, bone health, energy and immune function. Being intentional with your food choices protects quality of life and also your nutritional status.
Ready to get personalised support? Book a consultation with our dietitian team today.
Living with intention means having access to information that supports your decisions rather than it fuelling the fear and uncertainty around IBD. These resources below are here to help you feel informed, supported and reassured as you navigate life with IBD.
References
Katherine Jones, Katherine Baker, Garry A Tew, Jenni Naisby, Reactions, Reality, and Resilience in Adults with Crohn’s Disease: A Qualitative Study, Crohn’s & Colitis 360, Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2025, otaf003, https://doi.org/10.1093/crocol/otaf003
Written by Emma, APD
