Manage a Colitis or IBD Flare Up
In a flare right now? Read this first.
Firstly, I am genuinely sorry if you are currently experiencing an IBD, colitis, or Crohn’s flare up. I have been there, and I know how brutal and frightening it can feel.
In this article, I want to show you exactly how I would manage a flare if it happened to me today. Calmly. Practically. Without panic.
As of today, I am nearly two and a half years free from colitis flare ups and chronic inflammation, including asthma and other autoimmune symptoms, and I am medication free. At the end, I will share the most important part. The daily protocol I still follow now. It is the combination of food, lifestyle, nervous system work, and consistency that gave my body the time and space it needed to truly heal.
Before we go further, this is not medical advice. If you are on medication, speak to your doctor before making any changes. My goal was always to work with my body, reduce inflammation, and eventually reduce reliance on medication where possible.
I Have Been There
I have lived through the pain and confusion. Planning every trip around toilet access. Missing family events. Calculating how long I would be trapped somewhere without an escape. Feeling panic rise in public.
That stress makes everything worse.
I also know what it feels like when your body rejects almost anything you eat. I dealt with this for over twenty years. Through trial, error, setbacks, and learning, I eventually understood what was driving my flares and more importantly, how to stop them returning.
The goal is not just fewer symptoms. The goal is reaching a day where you do not even think about inflammation anymore. Take a moment and visualise that day clearly. Your body calm. Your life normal. It is possible.
What IBD and Colitis Actually Are
Inflammatory bowel conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are not just gut problems. They are chronic inflammatory conditions where the immune system becomes overactive and attacks the lining of the digestive tract.
The gut barrier becomes damaged. The immune system stays switched on. Inflammation builds instead of resolving. The gut becomes reactive and easily irritated.
At the same time, the nervous system is often stuck in fight or flight mode. This disrupts digestion, slows gut repair, and amplifies immune reactions. That is why flares do not feel random. They are the result of immune activation combined with nervous system stress and gut barrier breakdown.
Why Flares Happen
For me, stress was the biggest trigger.
Not just emotional stress, but accumulated pressure. Poor sleep. Food sensitivities. Overtraining. Environmental triggers. Ongoing mental load. When the body stays in fight or flight, inflammation rises. Digestion slows. Gut repair stalls. The immune system becomes reactive instead of regulated.
The more inflamed I became, the easier it was to relapse.
When I learned how to reduce stress and recover properly from it, the gaps between flares grew longer. Eventually, they stopped.
Meditation, breathwork, visualisation, aligning with circadian rhythm, and removing myself from stressful situations were not optional. They were foundational. At times that meant reducing workload, avoiding high impact exercise, and prioritising rest. That is not weakness. It is strategy.
What I Would Do If a Flare Hit Today
If a flare happened now, I would not respond aggressively. I would respond intelligently.
The first rule is simple. You cannot heal an inflamed gut from a stressed state. Calm comes first. Food comes second.
I would immediately prioritise nervous system regulation. Slow breathing with long exhales. Box breathing. Reducing stimulation. Less scrolling. Fewer decisions. Reassuring myself that this will pass.
Stress fuels gut inflammation. Calm tells the body it is safe to repair.
What I Avoid During a Flare
During a flare, the goal is not optimisation. It is reducing irritation.
I temporarily avoid raw vegetables, large meals, added sugars, ultra processed foods, and late night eating. Portions stay small. Meals stay simple. Warm foods are prioritised over cold foods, as cold can shock a sensitive system.
This is temporary. Not forever.
How I Eat During a Flare
I eat to calm the gut, not to impress anyone.
Simple meals. Easy digestion. Few ingredients. Slow eating.
Bone broth becomes a priority. It provides collagen and amino acids such as glycine that support gut lining repair. It is soothing and hydrating.
Other gentle options include room temperature Greek yoghurt, calming herbal teas such as mint, and small amounts of easily digested fats like MCT oil if tolerated.
Fibre is often reduced temporarily. During active inflammation, fibre can irritate the lining and increase mechanical stress. This is not anti fibre. It is strategic rest.
Protein remains essential for repair, but in digestible forms. Small amounts of minced meat, soft cheeses, and small portions of fermented foods if tolerated. The aim is nourishment without stress.
The Most Powerful Tool I Used: Fasting
Fasting was one of the most effective tools I used during flares.
This is not about punishment. It is about creating space for healing. Every meal triggers digestion and immune activity. Even good food requires work. Temporarily removing that workload allows the body to redirect energy toward repair.
As fasting continues, ketones rise. Ketones are not just fuel. They are signalling molecules that can reduce inflammatory pathways and support cellular repair.
I typically start with sixteen hours of intermittent fasting. If tolerated, I may experiment with a twenty four hour fast. There is no forcing. Healing happens through cooperation, not control.
The Bigger Picture: Life Between Flares
Managing a flare matters. But what changes your life is what you do between flares.
Healing does not happen in chaos. Your gut heals when your life becomes predictable.
Regular meal timing. Earlier dinners. Daily light movement, especially after meals. Sleep protection. Reduced mental load. High protein, real food, stable blood sugar. Minimal ultra processed input.
Supplements can support healing, but they do not replace lifestyle. I prioritise morning sunlight, circadian rhythm alignment, time outdoors, vitamin D, and reducing environmental toxins.
Your biology is ancient. It heals best in rhythm with nature.
The Final Thoughts
Colitis and inflammation are not about control. They are about safety.
When your body feels safe, the nervous system calms. The immune system down regulates. Inflammation falls. Repair becomes possible.
Healing is not forced. It becomes natural.
If you are in a flare right now, focus on calming, not just fixing. Repair will follow.
Then, when you are ready, begin building a lifestyle that gives your gut fewer reasons to panic.
This is not about perfection. It is about fewer flares, longer calm periods, and getting your life back.
Remember, you are not broken. Your body simply needs the right environment to heal.
Eat to heal.