Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Digestive Health & Nutrition CareImmune & Inflammation Support Care
Written By Jennifer Tang

Overview

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic conditions that cause ongoing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The two main forms are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fatigue, weight loss, and nutritional concerns, with periods when disease is active and periods of remission.¹˒²˒³

At Tangible Health, we provide supportive, evidence-informed naturopathic care alongside your gastroenterology and medical treatment. We look at nutrition, nutrient status, digestive symptoms, stress, sleep, medications, and overall health while keeping control of intestinal inflammation and prevention of complications at the centre of care.

What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

IBD refers primarily to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, two chronic inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract.¹˒²

Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, although it commonly involves the end of the small intestine and/or colon. Areas of inflammation can occur in patches and may extend deeper into the intestinal wall.²

Ulcerative colitis affects the colon and rectum. Inflammation typically begins in the rectum and can extend continuously through part or all of the colon.²

IBD is different from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS affects how the digestive tract functions but does not cause the intestinal inflammation or tissue injury seen in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. IBD is a lifelong condition, but treatment can help control inflammation, reduce symptoms, maintain remission, and lower the risk of complications.²˒⁵

Common Symptoms of IBD

Symptoms vary depending on the type of IBD, where inflammation is located, and how active the disease is. Common symptoms may include:

  • Abdominal pain or cramping

  • Persistent or frequent diarrhea

  • Blood or mucus in the stool

  • Rectal bleeding

  • Urgency to have a bowel movement

  • Reduced appetite

  • Unintentional weight loss

  • Fatigue or low energy

  • Fever

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Anemia³

IBD can also affect areas outside the digestive system. Some people experience joint pain, skin conditions, eye inflammation, mouth sores, or reduced bone health.³ Symptoms may improve during remission and return during periods of active inflammation or a flare.²

Causes & Contributing Factors

The exact cause of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is not fully understood. Current research suggests that IBD develops through a combination of immune-system activity, genetics, environmental influences, and interactions with the intestinal microbiome.²

Immune & Genetic Factors
IBD involves an inappropriate or dysregulated immune response within the gastrointestinal tract. Genetics also plays a role, and having a close relative with IBD can increase risk.²

Environmental Factors
Environmental exposures and lifestyle factors appear to influence IBD risk and disease patterns, although there is no single behaviour or food that causes Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.²˒⁷

Nutrition & the Microbiome
The intestinal microbiome is an active area of IBD research, but there is currently no single “dysbiosis” pattern that explains IBD or a microbiome test that determines treatment.

Diet can affect symptoms, nutritional status, and quality of life, but food itself should not be blamed for causing the intestinal inflammation of IBD.⁶˒⁷

Our Approach to IBD

At Tangible Health, IBD care is designed to complement your medical treatment rather than replace it. The priority is supporting your health while your gastroenterology team appropriately monitors and treats intestinal inflammation.

Your Disease Activity & Medical Care
We review your Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis diagnosis, current symptoms, medications, previous flares, laboratory and stool testing, colonoscopy findings when available, and any complications.

Your Nutrition & Digestive Health
IBD can affect appetite, food tolerance, nutrient absorption, and nutritional status. We look at your current diet, digestive symptoms, weight changes, and potential nutrient concerns without automatically putting you on a highly restrictive diet. Nutrition recommendations may differ during a flare, remission, or when complications such as intestinal narrowing are present.⁶˒⁷

Your Whole-Body Health
We also consider fatigue, stress, sleep, bone health, medications, nutrient deficiencies, and symptoms outside the digestive tract that may affect your overall quality of life.

Your Goals
Your goals may include supporting nutrition, managing digestive symptoms, maintaining a varied diet, addressing nutrient deficiencies, improving energy, navigating a flare or remission, or feeling better supported while living with a chronic condition.

Treatments That May Be Included

Your supportive IBD care plan may include:

  • Clinical nutrition to support adequate energy, protein, fibre, and nutrient intake based on disease activity and individual tolerance

  • Nutraceuticals & supplements when there is a nutritional or clinical indication, such as identified iron, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, or other nutrient concerns

  • Lifestyle medicine to support movement, sleep, stress management, and sustainable daily habits

  • Botanical medicine when clinically appropriate, with careful consideration of medications, disease activity, interactions, and the available evidence

  • Naturopathic counselling to support stress management and living with a chronic digestive condition

  • Medication and supplement review to help identify relevant interactions and nutritional considerations

  • Collaborative care with your gastroenterologist, family doctor, registered dietitian, pharmacist, surgeon, or other healthcare providers

Nutrition and complementary care should support, not delay or replace medical treatment aimed at controlling active intestinal inflammation.⁵˒⁶

What to Expect

Initial Assessment
We begin with a comprehensive review of your IBD diagnosis, symptoms, bowel habits, flare history, previous testing, medications, surgeries, diet, weight changes, nutritional status, stress, sleep, and treatment goals.

Targeted Testing
IBD diagnosis and monitoring may involve blood tests, stool tests such as fecal calprotectin, endoscopy or colonoscopy, and medical imaging, depending on your condition and disease activity.⁴ Naturopathic testing does not replace these established methods. Additional nutritional testing may be appropriate when there is concern about anemia or nutrient deficiencies.

Personalized Plan
Your care plan is based on whether your disease is active or in remission, your current medical treatment, digestive symptoms, nutritional needs, complications, and personal goals. Recommendations are adjusted to avoid unnecessary dietary restriction and to complement your gastroenterology care.

Ongoing Support
IBD can change over time. Follow-up allows us to adjust nutrition and supportive care as symptoms, medications, laboratory results, disease activity, or treatment goals change.

When to Seek Support for IBD

Speak with your healthcare provider if you experience:

  • Persistent diarrhea or worsening bowel symptoms

  • Increasing abdominal pain

  • Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding

  • Unintentional weight loss

  • Persistent fatigue or weakness

  • Reduced appetite or difficulty maintaining nutrition

  • Symptoms that suggest your usual IBD treatment is no longer controlling your disease

Seek prompt medical care for symptoms such as severe abdominal pain or swelling, repeated vomiting, significant dehydration, high fever, heavy bleeding, inability to pass stool or gas, or feeling severely unwell. These can sometimes signal an IBD complication that requires urgent assessment.⁹

Book An Appointment

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, while ulcerative colitis affects the colon and rectum. The pattern and depth of inflammation also differ between the two conditions.²

  • IBS affects how the digestive system functions but does not cause intestinal inflammation or damage. IBD causes measurable inflammation of the digestive tract and may lead to complications if it is not appropriately treated.

  • There is no single known cause. IBD appears to involve a combination of immune-system activity, genetics, environmental factors, and the intestinal microbiome.²

  • No single diet has been shown to cure IBD. Nutrition can help manage symptoms and prevent deficiencies, but medical treatment remains important for controlling intestinal inflammation.⁶˒⁷

  • Stress does not cause IBD, but it can affect symptoms and quality of life. Stress-management strategies may therefore be a useful part of a broader IBD care plan.

  • Yes. Reduced food intake, intestinal inflammation, bleeding, malabsorption, surgery, and some medications can contribute to nutritional deficiencies in people with IBD.⁶

  • Feeling well may mean your disease is in remission, but inflammation can sometimes be present even when symptoms are minimal. Do not stop or change IBD medication without discussing it with your gastroenterology team.⁵

  • Naturopathic care can support nutrition, nutrient status, digestive symptoms, lifestyle, stress, and overall health alongside appropriate gastroenterology care and medical treatment.

 

Related Care

IBD can overlap with several areas of health. You may also benefit from:

Jennifer Tang
Previous

Gastritis
Next

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)