Crohn’s disease (CD) is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that causes long-term, repetitive episodes of inflammation in the digestive tract.
The condition is generally treated with 5-ASA medications, biologics, steroids, or immunosuppressives. However, mounting evidence shows that mental health and lifestyle make a considerable difference in patient outcomes, impacting quality of life, treatment adherence and response, the increased need for surgery, and increased disease activity. This highlights the importance of self-care for patients navigating a chronic illness.
Here’s how you can integrate simple self-care tools to further support your body through recovery, and improve your quality of life.
Top Self-Care Tips for Crohn’s Disease
A self-care routine is intentionally developed to support your well-being and nourish your physical and psychological health. It’s important that your routine serves you and your condition, fits your lifestyle, and is manageable day-to-day.
For Crohn’s disease, a large focus may be taking your medication, going for medical follow-ups, and incorporating nutrition, stress relief, and complementary and alternative approaches to treatment.
1. Identify your energy levels
Those with a chronic illness can often start the day with limited amounts of energy. For Crohn’s disease, this may be worsened by fatigue, a common symptom of IBD. So it’s important to consider your energy levels when planning and going about your day.
In the morning, check in with your energy levels for the day. For instance, if you’re on 20% percent battery, take it easy. Go at a slower pace, loosen productivity expectations, and rest when your body calls for it. If it’s 60%, it’s a good day to fit in more tasks, a bit of exercise, and socializing.
This is a great way to get in tune with your energy levels and plan your day around how you feel, instead of pushing yourself at the wrong time and burning out.
2. Stay hydrated
If you’re living with Crohn’s disease, it can be harder than usual to stay hydrated, especially during a flare when diarrhea can cause increased water loss. In Crohn’s, dehydration worsens symptoms and can cause headaches, cramps, and dizziness.
Tips for staying hydrated with Crohn’s disease:
- Keep a water bottle on hand and take small sips throughout the day
- Add fruits, lemon, or cucumber slices to water for extra flavor
- Coconut water quickly hydrates and provides sodium and potassium
- Choose water-rich fruits and vegetables, like celery, peaches and watermelon
- Limit caffeine, alcohol, and sodas, which dehydrate the body
- If you’re drinking a lot, but still thirsty, try oral rehydration solutions from the pharmacy to replace water and salts
3. Nourish your gut
Feeding yourself is one of the most difficult challenges when it comes to IBD. Depending on the state of your condition, you may require a tailored diet that works around your trigger foods and addresses your nutritional deficiencies.
But while a diet plan is best personalized by your dietician, it’s good to know the foods that are especially nourishing for your gut, whether in a flare or remission.
Good food for the gut
- Oatmeal is a nourishing source of soluble fiber that helps soak up extra fluid in the gut
- Avocados are high in healthy fat, vitamin B, and vitamin E, and help the body absorb nutrients
- Mashed, boiled, or baked potatoes are filling, provide potassium, and are a classic comfort food
- Salmon is rich in potassium and omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation
- Eggs are a great way to stock up on protein during or after a flare and are easy on the digestive system
4. Get active
Studies show that Crohn’s disease patients who fit in regular physical activity report enhanced psychological well-being and quality of life, better muscle function, less fatigue, and improvements in bone density, abominable pain, and joint pain.
Of course, it’s important to respect your energy levels and choose a form of movement that will not push your body beyond its limits. For IBD, low-impact exercise is preferred, especially during a flare.
On low-energy days, opt for low-impact aerobic activities, like a thirty-minute walk, a bike ride, swimming, and water aerobics. Yoga and Tai Chi are also gentle ways to promote circulation, relieve stress, and build core strength. Yoga is especially beneficial, improving both IBD symptoms and quality of life.
For days with more energy, resistance training (lifting, sit-ups, squats) and impact exercises (skipping rope, squat jumps, etc), can improve bone mineral density and muscle function. However, it’s best to check with your doctor first before any high-impact exercise.
5. Stress relief
Diet, hydration, and exercise are all well and good, but sometimes what’s needed is some gentle, easy stress relief – especially during a flare.
Easy ways to relieve stress (according to science):
- Being in nature, the park, or sitting in the garden can improve mood, focus, blood pressure, and heart pressure.
- Simply holding a hot mug of tea can restore feelings of calm (bonus stress relief points if it’s chamomile tea).
- Spending time with friends, family, or pets offers wholesome coregulation.
- Watching a rom-com, sitcom, or stand-up special relieves stress as laughter improves the immune system and the nervous system, and even reduces pain.
- Re-watching old favorite TV shows was found to alleviate anxiety and restore feelings of self-control after a period of stress.
- Listening to music offers both emotional catharsis, cortisol reduction, and pain relief, especially classical music and 80s pop.
- Getting crafty or creative reduces stress, boosts mood, and offers a healthy form of self-expression.
If you suffer chronic, ongoing stress, it may be worth taking a natural stress-relief supplement, such as chamomile or ashwagandha, which helps protect your gut from the physical impact of chronic cortisol release.
If stress and anxiety are disrupting your work or social life, please see your doctor as they can prescribe natural or pharmaceutical medications appropriate for your condition.
6. Create a bedtime routine
Studies show that disturbed sleep can increase inflammation, and negatively affect your mood and mental health. This means it’s especially important for Crohn’s patients to invest in a solid bedtime routine.
Tips for your bedtime routine:
- Get plenty of sunlight and movement in the morning
- Slow down mental and physical activity as the sun sets
- Keep your bedroom cool, as a lower body temperature promotes deep sleep
- Eliminate blue light from computer screens and smartphones at night
- Don’t eat too close to bedtime, and keep meals small in the evening
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bedtime
- Take a hot shower or bath just before bed
- Drink a cup of chamomile tea while winding down from the day
- Embrace stress management tools like meditation, aromatherapy (lavender is especially calming), or breathing exercises
- Try some calming Yin yoga before sleep, which generally involves gentle stretching to balance your energy before bed
7. Integrate your medical needs
The most important way to take care of yourself is to look after your body. For those with Crohn’s, this does mean integrating your medication, medical appointments, and alternative treatments into your daily routine.
- Set reminders on your phone to take your medication or try a medication reminder app
- Try a pill organizer to simplify the process and help keep track
- Alert your doctor if you’re suffering side effects of medication
- Seek medical advice for any extra-intestinal manifestations – these may be manageable through natural or alternative treatments
- Speaking of, check with your doctor before taking any alternative treatments or over-the-counter medication
- Explore alternatives like acupuncture, herbal remedies, or mindfulness techniques to further support your body when healing
Summer Pitocchelli-Schwartzman
