What is actually happening in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and IBS: causes, genetics, the microbiome, and the warning signs that are worth acting on.
Some people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) notice their symptoms feel more manageable in summer and harder to control as days shorten. This is not simply imagination. Growing research looks at how sunlight exposure, vitamin D levels and gut immune activity might be connected, particularly for people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Understanding […]
Many people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, a group of conditions causing long-term inflammation of the digestive tract), notice that sugary foods seem to coincide with flares or digestive discomfort. This has fuelled interest in whether sugar itself drives gut inflammation, or whether the […]
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are told to “eat more fibre” without much explanation of why. For those living with long-standing ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, this advice often sits alongside a quieter worry: that years of inflammation in the bowel can raise the risk of colorectal cancer. Understanding what happens when fibre […]
Many people living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) describe a frustrating pattern: bloating that comes and goes, stool that swings between loose and hard, and a sense that their gut is simply unpredictable. For some, this happens alongside inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly once inflammation has settled but symptoms persist. One area of growing scientific […]
How food affects a sensitive gut: fibre and resistant starch, low-FODMAP, choosing fats, supplements, and what to eat when symptoms are flaring.
A hot afternoon, a scoop of ice cream or an ice-cold drink, and then, within the hour, cramping, urgency or bloating that puts a dampener on the rest of the day. For many people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a long-term condition involving chronic inflammation of the digestive tract that includes Crohn’s disease and […]
A glass of wine with dinner or a pint after work can feel normal, until the next day brings cramping, urgency, or a flare that takes weeks to settle. For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, a disorder of gut-brain signalling and gut sensitivity, […]
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) notice that a can of fizzy drink, a sugary snack, or a large portion of certain fruits seems to trigger bloating or discomfort more than other foods do. Part of the explanation may lie not in “sugar” as a single category, but in the specific type of sugar […]
Many people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis suspect certain foods unsettle their gut, and sugar is often top of that list. Biscuits, fizzy drinks, and sweetened cereals get blamed for everything from bloating to flares, yet the real relationship between sugar and gut inflammation is more nuanced than “sugar is bad”. Understanding what actually […]
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) try cutting carbohydrates to ease bloating, loose stools, or discomfort. It often brings short-term relief, making it tempting to stick with long term. But there is a trade-off happening quietly in the background: the bacteria that help keep your gut lining healthy rely on carbohydrate, specifically fibre, as […]
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) think carefully about diet, not just for comfort but because what they eat seems to influence how settled or reactive the gut feels. Two substances that come up repeatedly in gut health research, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, and butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), work […]
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) notice that diet seems to influence how they feel, even when no single “trigger food” can be identified. Part of the explanation may lie not in what irritates the gut, but in what nourishes it. One of the most studied compounds here is butyrate, a substance made by […]
Many people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) wonder whether kefir, kimchi or sauerkraut might help settle their gut or support remission. These foods are natural, have been eaten for centuries, and are often linked to “good bacteria.” But the reality for someone with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis is more nuanced, and understanding what […]
How digestion works day to day: hydration, bloating, changes in stool, the gut-hormone link, and the everyday habits that genuinely make a difference.
Work, study, relationships and everyday practicalities with a long-term gut condition, including UK rights, support schemes and the Can't Wait card.
Plain-English guides to the tests, procedures, medicines and surgery used in gut care, and what to expect from each one before, during and afterwards.
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