This post is sponsored by ModifyHealth. Thanks for supporting the brands that make The No Gluten Girl possible. All opinions are my own.
When I was first diagnosed with IBD, there was no discussion initiated by doctors that even remotely touched on how food could potentially play a role in my health. Unless it was brought up by me, the patient, or my caregiver, it was not discussed. Luckily, both my mom and I had spent hours upon hours along my diagnosis journey looking into everything we could. We would constantly try to make sense of which foods seemed to affect me and how. With time, and with a whole lot of tears and frustration, we eventually began to uncover some of my food intolerances on our own and develop a way of eating that worked for me.
I distinctly remember going to a new doctor about three years ago, when I was in the midst of one of my worst flares. I hoped that he would acknowledge and respect what I had learned about my body, combine it with his professional knowledge, and help me develop a targeted approach to treat my Crohn’s. Welp. I was wrong, and when I brought up the topic of nutrition and its role in my life and my personal experience of this disease, I was completely dismissed. As someone with a gluten intolerance and many other food intolerances, I was told, “That doesn’t matter. As long as you don’t eat popcorn, food doesn’t make a difference with IBD.”
I never went back to that doctor again. I felt invalidated, belittled, and don’t wish that kind of experience on anyone. And that is why it brings (happy) tears to my eyes to finally see research being conducted with a focus on food and IBD.
As I always say, IBD, and life is general, is so incredibly individualized. From our symptoms to our experiences, while we can share certain commonalities that tie us together, it’s very important to remind ourselves that what works for one person may not work for another. That being said, it is also very exciting to see trials now studying things like SCD and the Mediterranean Diet for IBD. This study in particular was funded by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Looking at nutrition has the potential to provide insight into creating options for those dealing with IBD and looking for ways to add to our personalized disease and symptom management toolkit. One of the study findings that was especially fascinating to me regarding the Mediterranean Diet for IBD was that “For patients with CD with mild to moderate symptoms, the MD may be preferred to the SCD due to its well-documented general health benefits and relative ease of implementation compared with the SCD.”
While SCD was something that did indeed help me personally, along with a combination of other individualized treatment modalities, and was something that definitely got easier with time, I understand how the thought of having to limit what you can eat can be emotionally overwhelming. Based on the research conducted, the Mediterranean way of eating may be preferred by some patients as they can potentially have greater ease of incorporating it into their lifestyle. As ModifyHealth writes, “The Mediterranean diet is a recommended way of eating that encompasses the culinary traditions of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. This traditional way of eating is plant-based with an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. The Mediterranean lifestyle is not only centered around delicious, rich-tasting, fresh foods but also embraces the pleasure of eating by sharing meals with friends and family and enjoying regular exercise.” In this way, the Mediterranean Diet for IBD really helps to bring joy back into eating with IBD and shift the focus towards emphasizing and adding in certain foods to support you/your body versus just thinking of it as “what do I need to take out?” Shifting your mindset towards thinking about “what can I eat” vs. “what can’t I eat” is both a powerful and empowering way to see eating with IBD.
Whether you have IBD or are just looking for nutrient-packed and delicious, gluten free meals without having to make them yourself, one of the easiest ways to get started with the Mediterranean lifestyle is through a company that by now, you all know I love – ModifyHealth.
They are now offering Mediterranean Meal Delivery, which allows you to choose from a variety of dietitian and chef-created meals delivered fresh, never frozen, straight to your door. With a chronic illness and food intolerances, I know it can often be exhausting and daunting to find the time and both the physical and mental energy to cook – but you also need safe meals that work for you and your stomach. That’s why I love the fact that ModifyHealth meals can be tailored to fit your food needs and come completely prepared – all you have to do is heat them up and you have a delicious, organic and nutritionally-tailored meal in just minutes. It truly couldn’t be more convenient. It’s all the benefits of the Mediterranean lifestyle without any of the work, and it helps to take the uncertainty and stress out of eating with IBD.
If you’re looking for additional, expert support, they also now offer a Mediterranean Program where you can receive ongoing dietician support with on-demand access and educational resources along with your weekly meals. If you’re interested in trying ModifyHealth for yourself, you can use the code noglutengirl35 at checkout for 25% off and FREE shipping!
