The BMJ British Medical Journal has just published an important study which concludes: Across six US and European cohorts, a substantial burden of inflammatory bowel diseases risk may be preventable through lifestyle modification.
Headline biggest risk factors for Crohns was a low fibre diet, for UC low fruit and veg intake!
Ok this isn’t an easy post… but it’s an important one.
IBD is a tough disease, it has a big impact not only on the gut, but the whole body.
IBD can lead to major, life changing surgery and its painful, even exhausting… IBD has an impact on almost every area of your life, your work, your family, your relationships.
I know because I was diagnosed with IBD in my early 20’s and shortly after my diagnosis I ended up in A&E on the brink of surgery to remove my colon.
So I’m not talking from a theoretical or medical perspective, but from my very real, at times very painful lived experience.
And what I know for sure is that whatever point you’re at in your diagnosis there is hope.
Once you have a diagnosis the options might be a little narrower… yes but you still have choices! And there is a bigger picture about prevention.
So what can we do to support our very best gut health, wherever we are in our gut health journey.
The big news is to eat more plants, eat 8 servings of fruit/veg per day
Eat half serving of nuts and seeds each day
Get more than 25g fibre per day!
Never smoke and minimize alcohol
Exercise for 7.5 hours a week Maintain healthy BMI
Minimize meat consumption (eat fish or source of omega 3s)
Ok there’s the Science.
So my question to you is:
- What can you do today to support your and your loved ones very best gut health?
- What support do you need to do this?
