The Role of Dietitians in Managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Author: Marcela Velasquez Villa

The Role of Dietitians in Managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The Role of Dietitians in Managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term for a group of long-lasting problems that cause inflammation in your digestive system. The two main types are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease. Living with these conditions can be challenging and complex but having a dietitian on your team can really help. 

In this blog, we will talk about what Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease are and why having a dietitian is so important for managing them. 

Ulcerative Colitis: 
  • Mainly affects the colon (large intestine) and rectum. 
  • Involves inflammation and ulcers in the innermost lining of the colon. 
Crohn's Disease: 
  • Can affect any part of the digestive tract from mouth to anus. 
  • Inflammation can extend through multiple layers of the bowel wall. 
Symptoms from IBD could include: 
  • Abdominal pain 
  • Diarrhoea  
  • Raised temperature, fever 
  • Fatigue 
  • Loss of appetite 
  • Weight loss 
  • Anaemia  
  • Difficulty absorbing nutrients which can lead to nutrients deficiency 

The severity of the symptoms varies from person to person and might flare up from time to time.  

Living with IBD requires a holistic approach to managing symptoms, and diet plays a crucial role in this process.  It really depends on, if you have a stricture or not that a dietitian might need to help you with a low fibre diet or using enteral nutrition, depending on what your specialist has suggested. If not, a low fodmap diet can definitively help with those symptoms that persist when you are already in remission At 360me Nutrition, we make it easy!

The Importance of Dietitians in IBD Management 

Customised nutrition plans can assist in managing symptoms, weight concerns, and nutritional deficiencies associated with IBD. 

We also collaborate with other healthcare professionals as needed to provide a comprehensive approach to patient care. 

Additionally, we can suggest supplements that promote inflammation reduction and support gut health. 

At 360me Nutrition, we focus on making what it looks like a complicated diet - the “low fodmap diet” - easy to understand. We create simple plans that you can use at home, so you do not have to worry about extra stress from meals that might make your symptoms worse. 

Conclusion 

Dealing with Inflammatory Bowel Disease can be complicated, but having a dietitian on your team can really boost how you are feeling overall. They can help with custom meal plans, managing symptoms, and keeping your gut healthy. Your path to feeling your best is a team effort, and a good dietitian can be a key player in that team. Let's make a 360me Dietitian part of that team.  
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